The hair is tied in a large bun. Men wear baggy black pants and jackets embroidered in a similar way to the women s, closing over the chest with a button at the left shoulder. White Hmong women wear black baggy trousers with a long wide blue cummerbund with a central pink area, which hangs almost to the ground. Their jackets are simple, with blue cuffs. Some groups wear a brimless blue cap.
Hmong villages are usually at high altitudes, below the crest of a protecting hill.
Houses have a dirt floor and a roof, which extends almost to the ground. They live in extended families, with two or more bedrooms. There is a large guest platform. Before marriage, promiscuity amongst the young is normal. Marriage is followed by a trial period before the bride price is paid.