The cultural diversity of the Dao is also revealed by their clothes, different groups sport more than 20 styles of dress. Certain items of clothing are common to all Dao. The women wear headscarves and tunics with open panels, secured with a belt. Underneath the tunic they wear an embroidered yem, a tight halter-top. Headscarves and decorations like cotton pompoms and fringes are colored red, which is associated with good luck. The amount of red detail varies from one group of Dao to another. And while all Dao embellish their clothes with embroidery, each group has its own special symbols such as dog images, birds, trees or stars.
