Tassels of the Red Dao women’s turban

According to the custom, the Red Dao women wear an indigo or black tunic with four flaps and sleeves being directly attached to the tunic’s body. The hems of the tunic’s neck and chest are adjoined together and richly embroidered with patterns and designs created with red thread. The two ends of the chest’s hem are adorned with strings of glass-beads and red fringes. The cuffs of sleeves are embroidered using red and white thread. The bottom of the tunic has separate hems overlapping, making the attire look like two tunics, with the outside being shorter than the inside. The Red Dao women also wear a brassier with an embroidered round neck. Two straps are added to the middle of the brassier and fastened in the back.

 

The turban of the Red Dao men

The Red Dao men wear two tunics: long and short. For the short tunic, patterns are embroidered mainly on the chest, neck and back. The middle of the short tunic is adorned lengthwise with silver flower-shaped buttons a nd two rows of red cotton tassels. All are combined harmoniously and attractively.

 

The turban of the Red Dao is decorated with five-layered patterns of flowers, trees etc., that is squared in the centre, helping highlight the charm of the turban.

 

The Red Dao women in their colourful attire

Patterns to decorate the belt at the two ends are traces of tiger feet, pipe trees, figures in dress, etc. The belt is wrapped around the waist for 3-4 times and fastened in the back.

 

  The trousers are carefully embroidered with patterns and designs with red, yellow and white square and rectangular shapes, pipe trees, Wan script and canarium fruit on the lower trouser legs while the upper part is plain and black, all creating the balance and harmony of the attire.

 

The outfit of the Red Dao not only shows their diligence, patience, skilfulness and creative imagination but also their exceptional taste in colour and composition that create the unique features of the ethnic group.