Chut thai | aaarticle.com

The chut thai is the national dress of Thailand, an ensemble of a wrapped or pleated lower garment, a fitted or draped top, and often a sabai shoulder cloth. Its formal versions, codified for the queen in the 1960s, are worn at ceremonies and weddings.

Overview

A chut thai (Thai outfit) is not one garment but a coordinated set, its women’s forms ranging from a blouse with a pha nung skirt to a silk sheath with a diagonal sabai, in eight standard styles named for palaces and set out under Queen Sirikit. Fine Thai silk, gold thread, and jewellery complete the look.

How it is worn

It is worn for state and ceremonial occasions, weddings, and cultural events, the style chosen to match the formality — a day style with a blouse and skirt, or a grand evening style with a sabai and full-length silk. Men wear a jacketed counterpart with the suea phraratchathan shirt.

History

The formal chut thai was defined in the 1960s when Queen Sirikit, dressing for state visits, had designers draw on historical Siamese dress to create a modern national wardrobe. It has since become the recognised traditional dress of Thailand at home and abroad.