20th Century Hmong Fashion

Hmong is really a people of the arts.  Furthermore, we change and adapt quickly, while remaining true to our roots - at least we are trying.

Singer, designer, entreprenuer Mai Neng Thao's designs.  I love these.  I can't wait to visit her store and buy these.  For more designs and styles, check out her Facebook store.  Physical store is in St. Paul, MN.

Mai Neng Thao modeling one of her own design.  Absolutely gorgeous!  I love the artistry in this piece... and to wear it with denim and boots... fabulous!

I love this one too.  So beautiful and playful.  I could live in this dress/shirt.  The beautiful and talented Mai Neng Thao modeling one of her designs.

Husband and wife team.  Simply gorgeous.

A closer look at the Mr's outfit.

More men's style.

I hear summer calling.  I would not mind wearing something this cool and breezy around town... but I would need to cover my arms... and perhaps wear a longer skirt.  Breathtaking!

Love the balance in this outfit.  Add the jacket like the picture below and it's to die for!

Although she is covered up, this outfit is actually very cool and ventilating because of the natural fiber and weave of the material.

This is so cool.  Love it!

These are simply too adorable!  

Love the attitudes that are portrayed here... 

Oh my goodness!  This little one is out of this world!

Finding Your Roots

As I look around at my peers, I noticed that some are firmly grounded in their roots and some are not.  Although I was only 6 years old when we came to the United States, I know a lot about my culture, the traditional religion, the custom, the way of life, and so much more.  Now I don't incorporate all of them into my own life, but I would say that I have incorporated many of the good ones.  I have chosen to live my life as a Hmong American instead of an American with a Hmong ancestry.  I love the Hmong culture and everything about it.  Yes, there are some things that needs to change, but that is true of every culture.

As my children grew older and started learning more about the world around them, they were fascinated with the Japanese and Korean cultures.  There is nothing wrong with that, except that they show very little interest in the Hmong culture.  I tried to get them interested by telling them stories and sharing the beauty of Hmong, but they still thought that the other cultures had more to offer.  I tried hard to remember what my own mother did and tried to figure out what she taught us.  I could not come up with anything that I was not already doing.

When we moved to Erie, PA, I became involved in Asian Pacific American Forum through work and started working with the youth.  We were very active in the cultural events in town, which included the children's museum, culture night at the university, and World Refugee Day.  They kids had to help me plan, create, and represent the Hmong, answer questions about who we are, where we came from, and why are we here.

They saw the Hmong culture through the eyes of important people in the community, people who cared, who wanted to know more.  A light went off in their hearts and a love for their own roots was born.  Now if any Hmong person claims to be anything else other than Hmong, they get very upset.  And if their friends mistakenly call them by another ethnicity, they get very offended.  They will say, "Look, I am HMONG.  H-M-O-N-G.  Hmong.  I am not Chinese, I am not Japanese.  I am Hmong."

This bright little dancer is wearing a Hmong outfit that came from the Hmong living in Thailand.  This is the song that we danced to.  Sung by Cha Mee Xiong.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH53zazJfUY

Representing Hmong during Gannon University's annual Culture Night.

On stage, featuring Hmong fashions from around the world.

(Asian Youth of Erie) AYoE Monthly Event 

Red Lace Dress

This was the first dress of this style that I fell in love with.  Ebay had it for $150 and I tried to negotiate it down to $125, but was not successful.  We were about to go on a trip to California, so I passed it up, hoping to catch it on the next round.  I waited over two years and this dress was no where to be found.  I finally saw one in a slightly smaller size but I was not going to take any chances so I bought it.  I love everything about this dress.  The fit of the bodice, the fit of the hips, the length on me - right at the knees, the colors, the sleeve... it's LACE!  it's BCBG!  I am ecstatic!!!

You need to "right-click" "open link in new tab" to see the details and beauty of this dress.

Black Lace Dress

I wanted this black lace dress badly.  There were hardly any and the few that ebay had were size small.  When I saw this one in my size, I grabbed it.  The price is a little more that what I normally spent on a dress, but it's BLACK... it's LACE... it's BCBG!  

This is really really bad camera quality, but I promise to re-do this photo when I get my camera back.  I was attending the Jacksonville, Florida Chambers of Commerce 2014 Celebration so I decided to wear my new black BCBG lace dress.  I knew that many of the other ethnicity will be wearing their traditional clothes, but it was still work related so I wanted to play it safe.  The only "Hmong-inspired" piece I added was the Hmong padau belt.  This belt usually have coins attached to it with beads, but I bought this specifically to wear to wear with American clothes so I did not bother to attach the silver coins.  The shoes are my trusty red BORN mary janes.  Yes, I live in BORN shoes.  No sense in killing my feet just to look good.  I topped it off with my new favorite "formal leather jacket."  It's made by Tahari.  I have been wanting a black Tahari leather jacket for a long time.  This one is perfect.  It is in the shape of a blazer and and fits perfectly everywhere. 

My JC Penny Pearl black lace dress.  It is quite short, so I added a Bebe Satin moto trench to balance it out.  finished with nude Guess heels.

Yellow Lace Dress

I can't believe that I have not thought of this combination before.  I have a camouflage long trench jacket like this and a yellow lace dress.  I have been racking my brain on  how to wear jacket.  And I have worn this dress with an olive leather jacket before, with a black button down shirt.  Looks beautiful, but this is so much more casual and summer friendly.

This is my yellow BCBG lace dress.  On me, it hits just an inch above the knees so it is the perfect length for work.  And perfect length for a Hmong wife.  Although I am sure that some thinks that a dress at the knees is too short for a woman over 40.  

Navy Blue Lace/ Eyelet Dress

Blue on blue can be quite beautiful.  I haven't though of pairing these two together but I will now.

White Lace Dress

There are my two base white lace dress.  And then I have a few other white eyelet dresses that would work too.

I  have worn this one several times already.  The lace is extremely soft so I can usually just tuck in the bell sleeve at the wrist.

This is the second one.  It's basically the same dress with different sleeve and neckline.  

The BCBG one-sleeve white lace dress from above.  I paired it with my Hmong Chinese jacket.  NineWest nude and black pump.  Various long pendant cross necklaces.

Back view of the Hmong Chinese jacket.

Close up of the jacket.

This is how I have worn mine in the past.

I have worn mine like this, but with a Hmong padau belt.

I have a brown denim jacket and several brown leather jacket so it should be fairly easy to recreate this look.

I love the casualness of an anorak jacket with a soft lace dress.  This is an awesome combination and something that I can easily recreate.  I have several anorak this color and two that are black... the most beautiful one is the kelly green jacket.

I have a a beautiful cream color leather jacket by Catherine Mandarino that would perfect for creating this outfit.  However, I don't have a pair of grey books.  

I could wear one of my white dress with the Tahari Dove gre jacket.  I has the same shape and feel.