Other Week: Day 2

Original Post: Riding Attire
Date: July 10, 2011 at 5:26 AM

 

I am fascinated by what women in Central Vietnam wear when they ride a motorcycle. There are numerous variations to this look, but the basic ensemble is illustrated by the young woman in Dong Ha shown above. Starting with the lower inset: 

Shiny, black high-heeled shoes are common footwear.

With brightly colored woolen, or thick cotton, gloves and a flashy golden purse with a lot of sparkles. And for headgear:

A black, Nike helmet over a floppy cotton, preferably pastel-colored,  hat with a protective face mask (calico print with blue trim, in this case) and then a pink scarf wrapped around to cover face and neck. It is important to note that it is blazing hot in Quang Tri province right now. [NOTE: I was told that women wear all of this stuff because they don't want to get sunburned. Probably also adds a certain degree of protection in case of a fall. Haven't figure out the adaptive significance of the high-heeled shoes, yet].