Bucket Ruffles (by The Mystery Guest Blogger)

(She has been absent from this blog for too long, but The MGB posts the following story for your enjoyment.)

There were rumors of it in November when we were here, and now it is official.  You must wear a helmet when riding a motorbike in Viet Nam.  Nearly everyone in Hûe is complying; we were surprised.  Known as ‘rice cookers,’ helmets in this heat are really uncomfortable, and not at all stylish.

Men’s ‘brain buckets’ vary from soldier camouflage to construction worker.  Yawn….  Our friend and Doug’s photography bud, Phan Cu, sports advertising on his, but it’s the same old helmet.

Chic Vietnamese women have given this ‘necessary evil’ their own stylish twist by adding a brim, or as  we have been calling it, a ‘bucket ruffle.’  A random, three minute survey the other night over ca phe sin to’s indicated 5 out of every 30 Hûe women prefer a bucket ruffle to a plain helmet.

Purchased separately from the helmet and in a coordinating color, these have caused a public flurry, including questions concerning adequate peripheral vision. 

Doug is concerned about the style which provides cloth in the hole of the ruffle which covers the entire  helmet dome.  Despite the wide, black rubber chin strap, he feels this style will lead the police to believe the disguised helmet is an ordinary hat, and   girls will be pulled over right and left.  Yeah, like cops detaining pretty girls for no reason ever happens! 

But I’m all for fashion and function, and I definitely think these lovely accessories civilize motoring in  Vi?t Nam.  What do you think??

Comments

[Sam]

Lady & Gentlemen,

I hereby promoted Mrs. MGB to be the real official of this blog (which is practically demoting the you-know-how), since her blog really has "style" (or perhaps, I was reading "dry" blogs all along), which she bring more fresh air to the audience of one (since this is just my onion - oops! wrong typo) - opinion that's it.
It would be fun if, next time when you ride a motorbike with Mr. Doug, I double challenge you to put the ‘bucket ruffle’ on his helmet without his knowing... now that would make my day...(grin).

Seriously, I think ours friend has a real challenge and/or competition here! Oh well, with this new with talent writing the blog for him, perhaps our friend just happy to sneak out with his camera and take more pictures of what else..."bucket ruffle" I bet! :-)

BTW, did you know that the old G.I Joe's helmet is cost between $100 - $200 USA dollars in VN? since people convert it into the stylist motorbike helmet, and it's hard to find those old "jack of all trade" green olive helmet nowadays.

Sam

[MGB]

I went this morning with a friend for ca fe sua da and a croissant chocolat at the French bakery's shop, and on the way we passed a shop selling bucket ruffles and helmets. I have new insight into this Vietnamese fashion trend which I will post soon.

Thanks for your kind comments, Sam! I will try to 'ruffle' Ong Doug soon!! :) xoxo - MGB

[Tuan]

Please, please take a picture of Doug with the ruffle helmet. That will make my day, hehe.
Love this entry, especially "Yeah, like cops detaining pretty girls for no reason ever happens! " comment.

[Duong Lam Anh]

Interesting. When the new rule went into effect, I thought it was also the end of cloth caps and hats, and hat-makers would disappear. But I am totally wrong now. What an amazing creation!

[Tom]

I was in Hue the day the day the national requirement to wear a helmet was implemented. I was shocked that overnight the entire country went from almost no one wearing a helmet to absolutley everyone wearing a helmet.

I noticed something I thought was very interesting. Some of the men never took the helmets off. They would have them on while having a beer at a sidewalk table or even in a restaurant. It seemed to become a sign of pride overnight. Viet Nam is an interesting country, but to see this overnight change so perfectly implemented was just so amazing.