Guidelines for perfect and easy ironing of traditional Vietnamese dresses

Maintaining the elegance of your áo dài requires precise and flawless ironing. If you are unsure about the correct way to iron áo dài, today, Mytour Supermarket brings you an article on how to iron áo dài correctly and simply.

Step-by-step guide to ironing áo dài properly and effortlessly

Áo dài, the traditional costume of Vietnam, emphasizes the importance of proper ironing to preserve its beauty when worn. Here is a guide on how to iron áo dài correctly for your reference:

Step 1: Ironing the collar

The áo dài collar is always designed to be firm and thick, requiring priority attention during ironing.

Place the collar flat on the ironing board, then use a flatiron to slowly press until the collar is smooth and free of wrinkles. Flip the collar over and iron the backside in the same way.

Ironing the collar

Step 2: Ironing the shoulder, underarm, and sleeves of the áo dài

To iron the shoulder and sleeves smoothly without wrinkles, place the ironing board inside the shoulder curve and part of the sleeve to keep it flat. If the ironing board is too large to fit, you can use a pillow or a fabric-covered tool with similar tension as a pillow. Then, place it inside to maintain the standard shape of the shoulder while ironing, ensuring the shoulder remains wrinkle-free after ironing.

Ironing the shoulder, underarm, and sleeves of the áo dài

Step 3: Ironing the sleeves of the áo dài

Place the sleeve on a flat surface and gently move the iron along the arm, starting from the shoulder down to the cuff, to achieve a straight and smooth look. Repeat the same process for the other sleeve.

Ironing the sleeves of the áo dài

Step 4: Ironing the two edges of the áo dài

When ironing áo dài, take care to avoid damaging any raised or embroidered patterns. Move the iron around the empty spaces surrounding these patterns, ensuring even ironing. While this may take extra time, avoiding patterns during ironing protects the decorative details, ensuring the edges of the áo dài remain smooth and visually appealing.

Ironing the two edges of the áo dài

Step 5: Ironing the trousers of the áo dài

Typically, áo dài trousers are made from silk material. Therefore, when ironing, adjust the iron temperature to the lowest setting and iron evenly to prevent scorching the trousers.

Wow, the art of pressing the dress pants

Learn the ultimate guide to affixing emblems on the traditional Vietnamese dress

The quickest way to attach emblems to school uniforms is by using an ironing board. While a dry iron works well, a steam iron can also do the job, but be cautious as it may damage the fabric.

Here are the steps to press emblems onto school uniforms for students: 

Step 1: Place the traditional Vietnamese dress on a flat surface and identify the position for affixing the emblem.

Step 2: Position the emblem in the designated spot, ensuring it stays in place. Then, set the ironing board temperature to around 180 degrees Celsius and press the emblem for 2-3 minutes to securely attach it to the dress.

Step 3: Finally, flip the dress inside out and iron back and forth three more times to ensure a strong adhesion.

Avoid ironing the traditional dress in the following situations to preserve its beauty: 

Iron the dress when the fabric is still excessively dry.

When the dress is slightly damp, wrinkles are more likely to disappear due to the stretching and contracting of the fabric during ironing. For silk fabric, ironing when dry can potentially cause more damage, especially if the iron doesn't have a steam function. Therefore, when ironing the traditional dress with a dry iron, it's advisable to have a water spray bottle to provide moisture during the ironing process.

Iron the traditional dress when the fabric is still excessively dry

Ironing the front side of the traditional dress is an incorrect method

Traditional Vietnamese women's dresses are often crafted from delicate materials like brocade or silk, intricately embroidered and adorned with meticulous details. Therefore, when ironing the dress, it's essential to be careful not to damage these precious elements. For patterns on the dress, it's advisable to iron only on the inner side or use an additional cloth to cover before ironing directly to ensure the safety of the decorative details.

Selecting the wrong setting while ironing

When ironing the traditional dress, it's crucial to pay attention to the appropriate temperature for each fabric type to avoid damage. For dresses made from silk, direct ironing should be avoided as it can easily result in wrinkles and tears.

Choosing the wrong setting while ironing

A good way to prevent damage is to place the dress in a plastic bag and then into the freezer for about 1 hour. The stiffening of the fabric will facilitate the ironing process, making it easier and safer for the material. Once the fabric is stiff, you can use an ironing board to touch up any wrinkles on the traditional dress.

To iron the traditional dress quickly while preserving its durability, consider the following during the ironing process: 

- Adjust the ironing board temperature to suit each fabric. Specifically, the appropriate temperature for linen is 240 degrees Celsius, and for synthetic fabrics, it is 190 degrees Celsius.

- Start ironing from a low heat level and gradually increase.

- Avoid abruptly raising the ironing board temperature; this can damage or even burn the traditional dress.

Some tips for correctly ironing the traditional dress

Above is a guide on how to properly iron the traditional dress, which you can refer to. We hope this information will help you understand how to iron the dress quickly and correctly.