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People in many countries do not wear their
traditional costume. Some argue
that
they would forget their history and tradition. Do
you agree or disagree?
Traditional costume, both national and
regional, is universally recognised as an
integral element of every single
culture. Despite its importance to a culture and
ethnicity,
it
is
now
less
frequently
worn
by people,
at
a
time
when
Western
formal and informal clothes are
rife
（普遍的）
. Below are a
number of facts that
suggest the role
of traditional costumes in protecting ethnicity
and identity.
Wearing
traditional
costumes,
first
of
all,
reminds
people
of
many
distinct
characteristics of their culture. How
people perceive their traditional costumes
shows the extent to which they are
willing to respect and retain their cultural
heritage. In Vietnam, for instance,
female office workers are generally required
to
wear
Ao
Dai,
a
traditional
dress
,as
a
custom
being
handed
down
from
generation to
generation. It is a national symbol, giving
millions of Vietnamese
a
sense
of
ethnic
identity,
wherever
they
are.
Besides,
it
represents
cultural
values of Vietnam and shows the
perceived position of females in a Vietnamese
society. Despite the success of Ao
Dai
（
越南妇女穿的长袍）
, it
is a rare example
in
today
’
s
world,
where
most
of
the
traditional
costumes
have
been
marginalised
（边缘化）
by Western-style business suits. People
see national
costume only in theatre,
film and TV
.
Another
point
to
support
the
importance
of
traditional
costume
is
their
presence
in many social settings. Traditional costumes are
required on many
occasions, either
formal or informal. Generally, they come in two
forms: one for
everyday occasions, the
other for festivals and formal wear
.
Both have cultural
meanings. For
example, in many societies, a considerable number
of traditional
costumes
evolved
specifically
for
the
wedding
ceremony,
and
the
wedding
couple, as well as
guests, are expected to wear traditional clothes,
a symbol of
eternity
（永恒）
and
solemnity
（庄严）
. Traditional
dresses in most cases differ
in
styles
and
vary
according
to
circumstances.
For
example,
in
China,
ceremonial
clothing
tends
to
be
dark
while
lighter-coloured
clothing
is
very
often
reflected in the way of life of a society, the
role of traditional costumes in
a
culture is undisputed.
Traditional costumes are therefore,
worthy of people
’
s concern
and should be
preserved;
however
,
it
does
not
necessarily
mean
that
one
should
wear
traditional costumes
all the time. People wear clothing in general for
functional
reasons. Traditional
costumes are of cultural and social importance but
might
not suit every circumstance. For
example, exercise clothes are needed when
people participate in physical exercise
and play sports. Western-style suits are
used
more
broadly
on
formal
occasions
where
people
of
different
cultural
backgrounds gather for serious issues,
such as business. Dressing in a standard
manner is a demonstration of respect,
the key to mutual trust.
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