The ao dai (Vietnamese: ?o d?i) is a Vietnamese national costume, now most commonly for women. In its current form, it is a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over pantaloons. The word is pronounced ow-zye in the north and ow-yai in the south, and translates as 'long dress'. The name ?o d?i was originally applied to the dress worn at the court of the Nguy?n Lords at Hu? in the 18th century. This outfit evolved into the ?o ng? th?n, a five-paneled aristocratic gown worn in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Inspired by Paris fashions, Nguy?n C?t T??ng and other artists associated with Hanoi University redesigned the ng? th?n as a modern dress in the 1920s and 1930s.