Áo dài her bust and curves. Although the dress covers the entire body, it is thought to be provocative, especially when it is made of thin fabric. "The ao dai covers everything, but hides nothing", according to one saying. The dress must be individually fitted and usually requires several weeks for a tailor to complete. An ao dai costs about $200 in the United States and about $40 in Vietnam. "Symbolically, the ao dai invokes nostalgia and timelessness associated with a gendered image of the homeland for which many Vietnamese people throughout the diaspora yearn," wrote Nhi T. Lieu, an assistant professor
The Tailor (film) the most famous tailor house in Sai Gon. Nine generations of the family have spent their entire life tailoring ao dai. The owner who is Thanh Mai has two daughters: Nhu Y who is her biological daughter and Thanh Loan who was adopted. Thanh Loan enjoys tailoring ao dai while Nhu Y prefers designing Westernized outfits, since she claims ao dai is old-fashioned and doesn't have variety of designs. Thanh Mai advises Nhu Y to focus on learning how to make ao dai but she neglects, because she only likes Western style. One day, Thanh Mai uses a unique piece