vietnam - ethnic minorities

retlaw snellac posted a photo:

Red Dao woman (Bao Lac market).

The Red Dao ethnic people reside mainly in the northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam . One of the most typical features of the ethnic group is their attire that consists of a turban, tunic, trousers, belt, leggings and shoes. The outfit is created with five basic colors, but red is prominent. According to the custom, the Red Dao women wear an indigo or black tunic with four flaps and sleeves being directly attached to the tunics body. The hems of the tunics neck and chest are adjoined together and richly embroidered with patterns and designs created with red thread. The two ends of the chests hem are adorned with strings of glass-beads and red fringes. The cuffs of sleeves are embroidered using red and white thread. The bottom of the tunic has separate hems overlapping, making the attire look like two tunics, with the outside being shorter than the inside. The Red Dao women also wear a brassier with an embroidered round neck. Two straps are added to the middle of the brassier and fastened in the back.
The turban of the Red Dao is decorated with five-layered patterns of flowers, trees etc., that is squared in the center, helping highlight the charm of the turban. Patterns to decorate the belt at the two ends are traces of tiger feet, pipe trees, figures in dress, etc. The belt is wrapped around the waist for 3-4 times and fastened in the back. The trousers are carefully embroidered with patterns and designs with red, yellow and white square and rectangular shapes, pipe trees, Wan script and canarium fruit on the lower trouser legs while the upper part is plain and black, all creating the balance and harmony of the! attire. The outfit of the Red Dao not only shows their diligence, patience, skilfulness and creative imagination but also their exceptional taste in color and composition that create the unique features of the ethnic group.