The (; , ) is a modernized Vietnamese national garment. Besides suits and dresses nowadays, men and women can also wear áo dài on formal occasions. It is a long, split tunic worn over silk trousers. translates as shirt and means "long". The term can be used to describe any clothing attire that consists of a long tunic, such as "nhật bình". The predecessor of the áo dài was derived by the Nguyễn lords in Phú Xuân during 18th century. This outfit was derived from the áo ngũ thân, a five-piece dress commonly worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The áo dài was later made to be form-fitting which was influenced by the French, Nguyễn Cát Tường and other Hanoi artists redesigned the áo dài as a modern dress in the 1920s and 1930s. The updated look was promoted by the artists and magazines of Tự Lực văn đoàn (Self-Reliant Literary Group) as a national costume for the modern era. In the 1950s, Saigon designers tightened the fit to produce the version worn by Vietnamese women. The áo dài dress for women was extremely popular in South Vietnam in the 1960s and early 1970s. On Tết and other occasions, Vietnamese men may wear an (brocade robe), a version of the áo dài made of very thick fabric and with sewed symbols. The áo dài dress has traditionally been marketed with a feminine appeal, with "Miss Ao Dai" pageants being popular in Vietnam and with overseas Vietnamese. However, the men version of áo dài or modified áo dài are also worn during weddings or formal occasions. The áo dài is one of the few Vietnamese words that appear in English-language dictionaries. The áo dài can be paired with the nón lá or the khăn vấn. Parts of dress Tà sau: back flap Nút bấm thân áo: hooks used as fasteners and holes Ống tay: sleeve Đường bên: inside seam Nút móc kết thúc: main hook and hole Tà trước: front flap Khuy cổ: collar button Cổ áo: collar Đường may: seam Kích (eo): waist Origin Switch to trousers (18th century) For centuries, peasant women typically wore a halter top () underneath a blouse or overcoat, alongside a skirt (váy). Aristocrats, on the other hand, favored a cross-collared robe called áo giao lĩnh. When the Ming dynasty occupied Đại Việt during the Fourth Era of Northern Domination in 1407, it