Hi Everyone! This is the first post in my Hmong Outfit Series. I thought about releasing a Hmong Outfit Series a while back and it became more important to me after my grandpa passed away. Luang Prabang is the province of Laos where he grew up and in his eyes his homeland. I remember how proud he looked every year when he saw me dressed up for Hmong New Year and how he would make fun of me when I would wear clothes from a different region. He would tell me that if I wore different clothes, I would confuse people and they would assume that I was from their region.
There would be times when I asked a fellow Hmong peer what kind of Hmong clothes was specific to their family. When they didn’t know or didn’t know how to put all the pieces together, I felt sad and it made me want to start this project.
:: White Hmong of Luang Prabang ::
This post showcases the outfit that some White Hmong wear in Luang Prabang. My grandma always told me we were Hmong that wear sev plooj. Sev plooj is a type of apron. Characteristically, women usually wear the black and blue shirt and apron with pants in Laos and white skirts were reserved for special occasions or for burial. Nowadays I see it worn with pants or skirts. The headdress is decorated with colorful pom poms and a siv ceeb is wrapped around the base.
This traditional xauv consists of two separate rings and ties everything together.
When I was younger, I used to complain about all the layers around the waist but now I appreciate the time and effort into making every piece. When wearing pants two aprons are worn with a shorter one in the back. Siv paj co, hlab nxtoo, and lastly tw siv with paj ntaub goes on top. I was always taught to wrap it so the paj ntaub peeks through.
::Outfit Details::
Phuam Paj/ Phuam Daim Hlaws
Xauv
Hmong Sev Plooj Outfit with Pants
Siv paj co
Hlab nxtoo
Tw siv
Hlab nyiaj
:: Brocade & Pleats ::
When the outfit is worn with a skirt only one apron is worn, the one in the back is omitted. I’ve seen other some Hmong in China and Vietnam wear two aprons with their white skirt.
Even though the shirt and apron are made traditionally of black and blue fabric, with easier access to fabric there was a shift to using other colors and types of fabric.
:Outfit Details:
Phuam Paj/ Phuam Daim Hlaws
Xauv
Hmong Sev Plooj Outfit
Crossroads by Nancy White Pleated Skirt
:: Photography ::
I collaborated with one of my favorite photographers Rosely Vue for this blog post. She’s based in the Fresno/Clovis area and is willing to travel.
Thank you for reading! I plan on releasing a post for my Hmong outfit series once a month. Let me know in the comments if you would like videos on how to wear the outfits.
