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Go figure: The yem tham is tied tightly at the neck and back to accentuate the delicate figure of Vietnamese women, and most importantly to create the concave effect of the "wasp waist". |
Old-world attire still turns heads today
The halter-necks traditionally worn as undergarments by Vietnamese women continue to inspire writers and artists. Doan Duc Quan takes a closer look.
Pink silk halter-necks have been worn and treasured by Vietnamese women over the last century and are still considered an integral part of their traditional costume today.
More than 100 years ago, the yem tham became a fashion item that symbolised the Vietnamese women's desire to make themselves more beautiful. The halter-neck and silk ties at the back of the garment are pulled tight to accentuate the delicate figure of Vietnamese women, and most importantly to create the concave effect of the "wasp waist".
As such, the yem tham was an indispensable piece in a woman's wardrobe and was worn in the towns and countryside alike. The beautiful combination of the wasp waist and silk halter-neck reflected the fundamental trait of Vietnamese women: to please the man of their life and breed healthy, attractive children.
The history of the Vietnamese bodice is preserved on a stone stele in an old temple on Hang Dao Street, Ha Noi.
In the olden days, Vietnamese brides wore their most beautiful halter-necks, as Toan Anh recorded in his Nep Cu Con Nguoi Viet Nam (Old Customs of the Vietnamese People), published by Khai Tri Publishers in 1970: "In so far as the bride is concerned, she would certainly wear her wedding costume. Her overcoat differed from the cities to the countryside.
"In the countryside, it was usually a five-piece coat with a brown layer on the inside and a chiffon layer lined with blue crepe on the outside."
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Go figure: The yem tham is tied tightly at the neck and back to accentuate the delicate figure of Vietnamese women, and most importantly to create the concave effect of the "wasp waist". |
"They would also wear a black velvet scarf winding around their hair. However the halter-neck was the centrepiece, often tailored to their liking with different collars and colours, usually pink or pale golden yellow. They then added a waist cloth and a floral skirt and a pair of curved sandals... "
Tran Ngoc Them, a Vietnamese culture researcher, observed that the halter-neck was the most stable component of women's clothing.
He wrote "the halter-neck is a typical Vietnamese product tailored and dyed by the woman herself. It has many colours: the brown ones are for daily routine in the countryside, the white ones are for daily routine in the towns and other colours are for festivals and important events. The halter-neck was used to cover the woman's chest and as such, became a symbol of their gender. After washing, these precious garments were hung to dry in secluded places. They are also symbols of love."
Nguyen Binh, a famous poet of the 20th century, praised the halter-neck, saying:
Tren duong cat min mot doi co,
Yem do khan tham tray hoi chua,
Gay truc dat ba gia toc bac,
Lan lan trang hat niem nam mo...
(On the sleek sand path there are a couple of girls,
Wearing red halter-necks and dark brown scarves
On their way to the festival at the pagoda,
An old woman follows with her bamboo walking stick,
Holding her prayer beads and invoking the Buddha...)
The halter-neck is a popular subject for many Vietnamese poets and writers.
This trend continues in modern Viet Nam, especially in photography. Do Lan Huong has become well-known for her photographic collection of Vietnamese halter-necks which made her the sole Asian representative in the contest Young Asia-Europe Photographers held in Singapore in June, 2002.
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| Eye-catching: A violet silk halter-neck goes with a lengthy loose skirt to highlight a woman’s slender waist. VNS Photos Lan Huong |
"I chose the halter-neck because it represents the beauty of a Vietnamese woman. It is full of tradition and history, yet it still shows the Vietnamese woman's simplicity and uniqueness. Many colleagues of mine observed that in the photos of the Vietnamese-style brassiere, they can imagine the poetry, painting and the soul of our ancestors. The beauty of the garment is its rich, pure and genuine femininity. Capturing traditional beauty is the source of aspiration for all forms of art."
Hanoian designer La Hang is also inspired by the fashion piece. Her range of halter-necks has drawn much attention in the fashion circles though she believes she only made some adjustments to the already-existing garment.
Tien Loi, another fashion designer of the day came up with the collection Returning To Mother's Village with the traditional bodice as the key theme. He said that the halter-neck invoked for him the blending of the old and new, the ancient and the modern. Halter-necks are, in his opinion, also very sexy and charming.
Following the ideas of fashion designers and artists, Tran Bao Ngoc finds it very convenient to wear it during modern day activities and her work as a fashion model. Her catwalk performance for Tien Loi's collection in Italy was also a great success.
The Vietnamese-style halter-neck continues to be a prized item in modern day women's fashion while retaining its traditional character and intricacy.
It is a fashion item for every occasion. VNS