Playing Dress Up in Vietnam

Rocky and Peanut, ages 3.5 and 6.5 years, in Vietnam

Rocky is wearing a traditional Vietnamese áo dài.  It's been modernized as a sleeveless version with sheer bottom paneling and hand-drawn gold embellishments, but the essence of the traditional dress still exist with the pants, fitted top, and high collar.  A colorful and embellished dress, such as Rocky's, is worn on special occasions such as wedding, parties, and lunar new year's celebrations.  Back when my parents were teenagers, a solid white or other solid color áo dài used to be worn by female students as a school uniform.  There is a male version of the áo dài too which are worn by grooms.

Peanut is wearing a Chinese style outfit complete with hat and fake braided hair.  Peanut thinks he's the red ninja and loves waving his braid around as he kicks and punches his mortal enemies, unwillingly played by his little sister and daddy.  The red ninja doesn't mess with Mean Kung Fu Master Mommy because she doesn't play.