Clothing of the Fire Pomegranate inhabitants

There are no documented records of the traditional clothing of the early settlers who first arrived in the Hoa Luu - Vi Thanh area. These migrants mainly came from Rach Gia, An Giang , Can Tho, and Vinh Long. Therefore, their clothing styles share many similarities with those of people in Southern Vietnam.

The "áo bà ba" is one of the most popular traditional garments of the people of Hoa Luu - Vi Thanh region from the past to the present.

According to the Can Tho Gazetteer: "...around the 19th century, women in the Southern Mekong Delta regularly wore the ao dai, even when doing heavy labor...". It was a type of clothing for both men and women. In the early days of land reclamation, the inhabitants of Hoa Luu - Vi Thanh probably also wore the ao dai. This was an old style of ao dai, modest, with two equal flaps, reaching to the knees, covering "cross-section trousers" or "leaf-shaped trousers".

The áo dài was fastened with a cloth knot down the middle, usually without pockets, and black in color. Gradually, the áo dài transformed into a more elaborate, neatly tailored garment, combined with a headscarf, becoming the ceremonial attire of provincial, district, and village officials, or landowners, when attending festivals, banquets, or entertaining important guests. Elderly and distinguished individuals often wore a double-layered áo dài: a white áo dài inside and a black silk áo dài outside.

In the early decades of the 20th century, the clothing of people in Southern Vietnam, particularly in the Hau Giang region, underwent significant changes, most notably the emergence and rapid popularization of the "áo bà ba" (traditional Vietnamese blouse). Perhaps the people of Hoa Luu - Vi Thanh were also influenced by this transformation. The "áo bà ba" features long sleeves, a short hem, no collar, and a row of snap buttons down the middle. The trousers are flared and tied at the waist. Through cultural exchange, the Khmer people also adopted the "áo bà ba" style, along with their checkered scarf.

By the mid-20th century, both men and women preferred wearing the traditional Vietnamese "ba ba" outfit and checkered scarf around their necks for daily activities and work. In addition, they added a conical hat to protect themselves from the sun and rain. The "ba ba" outfit gradually became the elegant attire of wealthy people in the cities, as well as landowners and village officials. It consisted entirely of a white outfit, worn with clogs or Western shoes, a conical hat (or felt hat), and a baton.

Generally, the residents of Rach Gia - U Minh Thuong province (including Hoa Luu and Vi Thanh) all use the "ba ba" outfit as their main type of clothing, as the book "Kien Giang: Land and People" notes: "Visiting the U Minh Thuong region in the years before the August Revolution, we would see the black "ba ba" outfit dominating the clothing of the people of all three ethnic groups...".

The popularity of the traditional Southern Vietnamese blouse (áo bà ba) is not limited to laborers; it has spread far and wide. Merchants in markets, vendors on boats, and those working as laborers or domestic servants all wear it. Students in provincial and district schools also wear white áo bà ba. The áo bà ba has long been a part of literature and art.

During the economic crisis, when fabric was scarce, the poor had to sew sacks, palm leaves, and other materials to wear. Men only needed shorts. During the resistance against the French and then the war against the Americans, the black "áo bà ba" (traditional Vietnamese blouse) became the standard combat uniform. The image of the soldier, guerrilla fighter, or female messenger carrying a rifle, with a checkered scarf around their neck and a conical hat, became familiar to the people. In urban areas, the "áo bà ba" was gradually improved and modernized, becoming very popular.

Regarding the clothing of the Hoa ethnic group, it is largely similar to that of the Kinh people, with a buttoned blouse worn daily (called a "xá xẩu" blouse). On holidays, festivals, and weddings, women wear long dresses in the Shanghai or Hong Kong style (called cheongsam). The Khmer people also dress like the Kinh people, usually wearing a "ba ba" outfit and a checkered scarf for festivals, and on Tet (Lunar New Year) they wear traditional costumes such as sam-pot and sarong, draped with a white scarf over their shoulders.

Since the early decades of the 21st century, the traditional costumes of the Kinh, Khmer, and Chinese people have gradually faded away. Only during festivals and celebrations can one still see glimpses of the old costumes, but even then, they have been modernized and adapted to suit the occasion.

In the latter half of the 20th century, a "Westernization" movement emerged among the upper class in Southern Vietnam. At this time, the Hoa Luu - Vi Thanh region saw the emergence of a wealthy and powerful class, including landlords and village officials. Some had studied in France, spreading many new lifestyles, including clothing, the most popular being the "shirt and trousers" combination, made from expensive, imported fabrics. Gradually, Western-style clothing almost dominated urban areas, commercial circles, and government offices.

However, during ceremonies honoring landlords, local officials still maintained the traditional custom of wearing long robes and headscarves. During the period when the government was building the Trù Mật area and establishing Chương Thiện province, soldiers and civil servants from Saigon and other provinces flocked to Vị Thanh in increasing numbers. People were initially surprised, then accustomed, to the military uniforms or Western-style suits (tucked into trousers) worn by civil servants, teachers, and even drivers and boatmen. Female civil servants, however, wore fashionable long robes to work.

Vi Thanh Public High School was established (around 1961-1962), and students were required to wear uniforms: boys wore white shirts and blue trousers; girls wore white ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress). From this period onwards, the trend of wearing shirts and trousers became very popular. Notably, despite following the "Westernization" trend, the ao dai and ao ba ba (traditional Vietnamese blouse) were modified and modernized into many new styles during this period, becoming popular among women.

In the days leading up to liberation in 1975, the provincial capital area of ​​Chuong Thien (Vi Thanh) had over 50,000 inhabitants, including civil servants and soldiers. Therefore, the streets were filled with military uniforms, civil servant uniforms, and school uniforms. Between 1970 and 1975, Western fashion trends emerged in Vi Thanh, following the rise of Japanese (Honda) motorcycles.

Since the period of reform, industrialization, and modernization – parallel to the urbanization process – the youth of Vi Thanh have become increasingly fashionable, wearing jeans, t-shirts, or skirts and dresses. While in the past, brides typically wore modest, matching ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) at weddings, nowadays, they are gradually shifting towards dresses. Traditional ao dai are only worn during ancestral ceremonies.

The clothing styles between urban and rural areas are no longer significantly different. In family life or when going out, women wear "stylish blouses" or "sets," variations of the traditional Vietnamese blouse or women's shirt. Since the beginning of the 21st century, in government agencies, organizations, and businesses, office attire such as suits, dresses, or long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts and trousers have emerged; in some places, the wearing of the ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) has been revived at the beginning of the week or when attending events, celebrations, and festivals.

REFRESHING TASTE

Source: https://www.baohaugiang.com.vn/chinh-polit/trang-phuc-cu-dan-hoa-luu-vi-thanh-xua-134559.html