For formal situations, men would wear a long gown with slits on each side and a turban, usually in black or brown made of cotton or silk.
In feudal times, dress codes were strict. Ordinary people were not allowed to put on clothes with dyes other than black, brown or white. Costumes in yellow were exclusive for the King. Those in purple and red were reserved for high ranking court officials, while dresses in blue were for petty court officials.
Young ladies traditionally wore light brown-coloured short shirts with long black skirts. Their headgear was a black turban wrapped with a peak above the forehead. On formal occasions, they wore a dark brown four-flapped tunic called "ao tu than", a long gown with slits on either edge.
Nowadays, the traditonal costumes can be only seen at the traditional festivals - wonderful cultural spaces which remind the people of the ancient culture and encourage them to retain the good traditions of the past. Traditional festivals normally take place during Spring months.
 
VIETNAMESE CURRENT DRESS – “AO DAI”
Early versions of the Ao Dai date back to the early 1700s, and were influenced by Chinese Imperial garb of the Qing dynasty, known as qipao. The costume design has faced numerous modifications over the centuries but its basic form consists of a long flowing gown with a slit on both sides, often with a high fitted collar, worn over long silk pants.
In 1930, the Vietnamese fashion designer Cat Tuong, known to the French as Monsieur Le Mur, modified it. He lengthened the Ao Dai to nearly reach the floor, and made it fit the curves of the body.
With the import of foreign broader fabrics in 20th century, the modernized Ao Dai only required two parts to be made, unlike its four-part predecessor. As a result, the flaps also became generally slimmer. Now, they become very popular with both Vietnamese at home and abroad and also used as uniform for school girls.