Honestly, if you played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild back in 2017, there is one specific moment you definitely remember. It isn't fighting Ganon. It isn't even finding that first Korok seed. It’s the sheer absurdity of standing outside the gates of Gerudo Town, realizing you’re barred from entry because you're a "voe," and then meeting a shady character on a rooftop who sells you a set of silk "vai" clothes. Suddenly, Link is rocking a crop top and a veil. Link in Gerudo clothes became an instant internet sensation, and even years later, with Tears of the Kingdom changing the mechanics, people are still talking about that specific outfit.
It wasn't just a gag.
Nintendo managed to bake a complex social commentary and a brilliant gameplay gate into a single outfit. Most games would just give you a "Disguise" item that sits in your inventory as a quest marker. Zelda didn't do that. They gave us the Gerudo Voe set and the Gerudo Vai set, each with distinct vibes, and forced players to navigate a culture with very strict rules about gender and entry.
The Quest That Forced Link to Cross-Dress
The whole setup for getting Link into those Gerudo clothes is kind of hilarious when you think about it. You’re this legendary hero, the chosen knight of Hylia, and you're stopped cold by a couple of tall women with spears because of a "no boys allowed" policy. To get into the city and talk to Riju, you have to track down Vilia at the Kara Kara Bazaar.
Vilia is a character that sparked a ton of discussion within the Zelda community. Sitting on top of the inn, she offers to sell Link a "set of traditional Gerudo clothes for females" for 600 Rupees. Once Link puts them on, he looks... surprisingly comfortable? The game treats it with a mix of humor and genuine appreciation for the aesthetic. It’s a necessary step to progress the Vah Naboris questline, but for many players, it quickly became the default outfit for the rest of the game.
Why the Gerudo Vai Set Became Iconic
There’s something about the design. The vibrant teals and pinks, the gold jewelry, and the way the veil flutters when Link runs through the desert heat. It’s arguably one of the most detailed outfits in Breath of the Wild. From a purely mechanical standpoint, the set provides heat resistance, which is vital for surviving the Gerudo Desert during the day.
But let’s be real. Most people weren't wearing it for the heat resistance.
They were wearing it because it looked cool. It broke the "tunic and trousers" mold that Link had been stuck in for decades. It allowed for a level of expression that felt new to the series. Fans flooded social media with fan art, cosplay, and mods, cementing Link in Gerudo clothes as a permanent fixture of gaming culture. It’s one of those rare moments where a developer takes a risk with a protagonist's presentation and it pays off globally.
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The Technical Shift in Tears of the Kingdom
When Tears of the Kingdom dropped, fans were dying to know: can we still wear the vai outfit?
The short answer is no, and it’s kinda heartbreaking for the fashion-forward players out there. Nintendo shifted the internal logic of the world. In the sequel, Link is a recognized hero in Gerudo Town. He doesn't need to sneak in anymore because he's essentially an honorary citizen (and the town is dealing with much bigger problems like the Shroud).
Instead of the silk veil, we got the Gerudo Voe Armor.
This set is more "warrior-chic." It features a Pauldron and a headband, keeping the desert aesthetic but leaning more toward a masculine silhouette. You buy it from the Secret Club in Gerudo Town—which, by the way, is still a pain to find if you don't know the password or the "ascend" trick from the sewers. While the Voe armor is cool and offers heat resistance plus a shock damage reduction when upgraded, it never quite captured the same viral energy as the original "Vai" look from the first game.
Cultural Impact and the "Twink Link" Phenomenon
We have to talk about how this outfit changed the way people view Link. For a long time, Link was the stoic, masculine-leaning hero. Breath of the Wild leaned into a more androgynous design for Link, which Eiji Aonuma, the series producer, has actually commented on. He wanted Link to be a character that anyone could relate to, regardless of gender.
When Link put on those Gerudo clothes, it felt like a culmination of that design philosophy. It launched a thousand memes. It also opened up the game to a much wider audience of people who felt represented or just enjoyed the subversion of the typical "hero" trope. You have this guy who can parry a laser from a giant robot, but he's also totally fine walking around in a midriff-baring silk top.
- The Humor Factor: NPCs react differently to Link when he's dressed as a vai.
- The Speedrun Strategy: In the early days, managing your inventory to quickly swap into Gerudo gear was a staple of any "All Quests" run.
- The Aesthetic: It remains one of the most popular choices for "Photo Mode" enthusiasts (or the closest thing we have to it in Zelda).
How to Get the Most Out of Your Desert Gear
If you're still playing Breath of the Wild or moving through Tears of the Kingdom, desert fashion is more than just a look. It’s survival. In the desert, the temperature swings are brutal.
In BotW, the Gerudo Vai set is your ticket to the city, but it offers zero protection in combat. You’re basically a glass cannon. If you want to survive a Molduga fight, you better be good at dodging. In TotK, you’ll want to hunt down the Voe set early. Go to the Gerudo Secret Club. To get in, you actually have to go into the sewers/wells and use the Ascend ability to pop up inside the shop. It’s a classic Nintendo "aha!" moment.
Once you have the Voe armor, take it to the Great Fairies. Upgrading it requires materials like Cool Safflina and Electric Keese wings. It’s worth the grind. At level two, the set bonus makes you "Unshockable," which is a godsend when you're fighting Thunder Gleeoks or wandering through a lightning storm in the Highlands.
The Missing Link: Where Did the Vai Set Go?
A lot of lore hunters have wondered why the Vai set vanished in the sequel. Some think it's because Link is now a public figure, and the disguise would be insulting to the Gerudo. Others think Nintendo just wanted to focus on new armor sets like the Glide Suit or the Froggy Armor. Whatever the reason, the absence of those specific Gerudo clothes in Tears of the Kingdom made the original set even more legendary. It’s a "you had to be there" moment in gaming history.
Practical Steps for Gear Hunting
If you're jumping back into the desert today, keep these things in mind to maximize your experience:
- Prioritize the Voe Set in TotK: Don't waste time trying to find the old silk outfit; it's not there. Head straight for the Secret Club for the heat-resistant gear.
- Cook for the Gaps: If you don't have the 2,400+ Rupees for the full armor set yet, cook "Chilly" meals using Hydromelons. This buys you time to explore without taking heat damage.
- Use the Map: In the desert, sandstorms mess with your GPS. Look for the "updrafts" or stone pillars to regain your bearings.
- Dye Your Armor: Hateno Village is still the place to go. You can dye the Gerudo Voe armor in various colors. A crimson or deep black dye job makes Link look incredibly formidable.
The legacy of Link in Gerudo clothes isn't just about a funny disguise. It represents a turning point where Nintendo embraced a more fluid, expressive version of their iconic hero. Whether you prefer the silk veil of the past or the armored pauldrons of the present, the Gerudo style remains the peak of Zelda fashion. It’s about more than just getting past a guard; it’s about the freedom to be whatever kind of hero you want to be in a world that finally lets you choose the outfit to match.