Khmer Traditional Clothe- Sampot Chang Kben, Av Pak, Sampot Hol

Av Pak and Sampot hol is a recent popular fashion blouse and skirt in Cambodia worn by Women. Av Pak also known as Kebaya, which is a stamped cotton elaborated hand-painted embroidered silk with gold thread. Today society, this shirt has the more gold thread in several colors and had cut into a lot of modern fashion which is very popular among Khmer people. This kind of shirt is usually worn by middle aged and young woman to revived the Khmer identity. These shirt usually are worn with Sampot Hol and a few worn with Sampot Chang Kben.

There are several kinds of Khmer traditional costume such as sampot, Sampot Chang kben, Sampot Phamoung, Sampot Hol, Sampot Tep Apsara, Sampot Samloy, Sampot Chorabap, Sampot Sang, Sampot Seai, Sampot Lberk, Chang Pong, Av Bompong, Av Dai Puon, Av Pnot Kbaich, Av Neang Nov, Av Bar Bov, and Krama. These costumes are to be worn in many different traditional ceremony.

Sampot Chang Kben are usually worn during wedding ceremony or robam (folk, classic, and social dance).Sampot Phamoung and Sampot Hol are usually worn to the Pagoda or temple. The dressing that I have worn according to the picture I have posted are clothe to be worn to the temple or pagoda, but the very last picture with the purple Phamoung are to be worn during Cambodian New Year.

Sampot is a national garment in Cambodia. It is traditionally dress and it also known as 'sarong'. Many of Khmer people usually say that 'sarong' is a term usually worn and said by lower class and 'Sampot' are usually worn by Upper class.

Sampot Chang Kben is worn by upper and middle class Khmer people. It is more like a pant than it is a skirt. Usually you seen people would dress in Kben during special event such as wedding. These dressing are also worn by men as well.

Sampot Phamoung comes in different variations of traditional Khmer textile. Phamoung comes in different variety of color and it is made with the most valuable silk. My mother bought hers and it cost her $30 and up for one Phamoung and she treat it as if it was a 99 pound of 24k gold. My Phamoung with both Sampot and the shirt cost me about $200 and I treasured it very much.

Sampot Hol is a wrapping skirt. That is the skirt I have worn in the picture. Usually I wear this to the pagoda. It comes in various of pattern and design.

Sampot Tep Apsara are usually worn at lakorn, public illustration.

Sampot Samloy is a long skirt that is worn daily by men and woman. It is usually black, thin, and soft. It is required to tie a knot to hold it. It than appeared similar to Chang Kben. My grandfather love wearing this and he wear them to sleep too.

Sampot Chorabap is a very long silk skirt embroided with gold thread. These are worn by Khmer woman doing classical dance or during a royal ceremony. I never wear them before but I wish I did. It is so beautiful but my mother told me I can't wear it because traditionally it can only be worn for a reason.

Sampot Sang is a short silk skirt. (Little girls love wearing this)

Sampot Seai Sua is a kind of skirt with one color. They are usually worn by Laotian's ladies than Khmer ladies.

Sampot Lberk is a long silk skirt. Usually worn in Marriage ceremonies as well. Woman get to choose between Sampot Chang Kben and Sampot Lberk.

Sampot Alorgn is a long skirt with vertical stripes. Usually worn by old people.

Chang pong is a piece of fabric that Khmer ladies worn to cover up their chest but only show their stomach. (Which I'll never wear it!)

Av Pak is very popular among Cambodian women. It is made silk with gold thread. Av Pak is the yellow and green shirt I wear in the picture. That shirt that I worn is worn with Sampot Hol.

Krama is a checkered scarf. My grandfather love to wear his Krama and he take his krama with him everywhere. Cambodian Woman wear it and uses as a hat to keep them off the heat when they farm.

The video below will show you step by step how Samport Kben is worn.