Street Style Vietnam: Dao Chic

The cliche of hair being one's "crowning glory" makes sense in certain cultures.  I discovered the Black Dao tribe on an excursion to the Binh Lu Market of Vietnam.  While their actual clothing was more simple compared to the brilliant Flower Hmong, their hair was off the hook.

Their signature look was all about accessories.  The head was covered in an elaboration composition of braided pieces, crowned in an intricate tooled silver structure.  They wore simple black tunics with pop color collared shirts that peeked out from their basic black.  The identifying "statement necklace" was a jeweled or beaded pendant from which very long strands of neon ribbon fringe would hang.  The ladies at this market were definitely a friendly and outgoing bunch who loved to pose and laugh.

The Red Dzao tribe of ladies I met near Sapa, Vietnam.  A large group of them appointed themselves the entourage to my family's trek through the countryside.  They carried huge baskets that contained their own mobile boutique of hand-embroidered crafts (which they worked on during the trek).

Their signature look was the red fabric wrap on their heads, embellished with beads, fringe or coins in the back.  Their embroidery colors had more yellows and reds.  They favored more nature-inspired motifs like trees and leaves in their clothing.

This group shaved their eyebrows and the front of their hair.  I'm not sure what their beauty regimen was, but these ladies had some of the best skin I have ever seen.  Perhaps they found the misty mountain hair is more effective than a chemical peel and Clarisonic could ever hope to be?

Photos by Mariana Leung