Month: November, 2012

An old folk costume collection from Mockfjärd in Dalecarlia.

© Text and photo Laila Duran.

At Mockfjärd´s society of local history in Dalecarlia, Sweden, an exhibition of folk costumes has been made in one of the old houses. Here visiters can see, and event touch, old garments and learn about the way the folk costumes of the area use to be made. The variation of materials, techniques and color combination are an inspiration to anyone interested in textile history. Above, a hanging pocket made of leather and broadcloth. The hook used to hang the pocket from the apron waistband is home made. The owner, with the initials KED, seem to have used the pocket for a good many years. Attached to the ribbons on the left are brass needle cases.

Mockfjärd´s society of local history in Lindbyn consist of 24 buildings, some of which are nearly 400 years old, are located on a hill overlooking the Västerdalaälven. Read more at http://www.hembygd.se/mockfjard/

The dräktkammare, costume chamber, exhibits mannequins dressed in full costumes and lots and lots of garments hanging from wooden poles, as was  customary in past times.

The way of hanging the garments on a pole was not only practical, it also exhibited the riches of the family to any visitor.

Casted rod lacing rings are fastened to the bodies using red and bright green silk yarn.

Mockfjärd is one of the areas in Dalecarlia that has an costume almanack and here are some leather, fur and knitted mittens used for various occasions. The sign to the left says Festive mittens for summer and the sign to the right Festive mittens for winter. Dalecarlia is famous for wool embroidery and Mockfjärd has its own version.

Brass shoe buckles from the 18th and 19th century.

Printed cotton neckerchief is an important part of the folk costumes. A visit to this clothing chamber is a very instructive experience. Here, unlike in many museum, you can see and even touch some of the garments and accessories, they are not behind glass.

Another opportunity to get really close to the spectacular folk costumes are by visiting the Komidsommar, cows midsummer, in Dala Floda. The town is only a few kilometer from Mockfjärd and every summer the midsummer is celebrated with music, dance and, if you are lucky, even a wedding.

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Make a Comment by on November 29, 2012
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Fashion and trends in Sami folk costumes from Kautokeino.

© Text and photo Laila Duran.

In Kautokeino in Finnmarken, Norway, the Sami folk costumes are very much influenced by trends. Mixing the traditional colors, fabrics and cut of the garments with personal taste makes a variation that are both trendy and traditional at the same time. This young lady is wearing her new kirtle, made for her confirmation, decorated with hundreds of meters of ribbon on the holbi, hem, using the red, white and blue colors mixed with silver threads.

To the left is the holbi of an old kirtle. Like all folk costumes, the old costumes has a greater variation of colors since the ribbons and fabric was hard to come by. What was available was used without the concern of matching colors. The new ribbons with metallic threads came into fashion about twenty years ago. Today most of the newly made kirtles has several silver (or gold) ribbons stitched to hem, cuff and boot lacing.

Old and new kirtle cuff.

Also in the silver brooches you can see the development. The top brooch is from a time when all kinds of silver was used as decoration. Brooches made by silversmiths where made in the cities. What you see here is a brooch made from gilded coins and it was not as complex to make as the new ones are. The creativity is wonderful and the simple star shape makes is both personal and very decorative.

These ladies has the holbi decorated with ribbons in many colors but without the metallic element.

Today the kirtles of men and children are also decorated with lots and lots of silver and gold metallic ribbons.

A boy dressed in a very fashionable kirtle in untraditional colors.

They are all wearing the same Kautokeino kirtle and still no kirtle is the same. The panels, the ribbons, the design of the belts, the silver clutches and boots, even the tussles on the shoe laces are of personal taste. The variation of the Sami kirtles are limitless.

My greatest thanks to the Pulk family in Kautokeino for sharing and showing me their families traditional clothing.

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4 Comments, Make a Comment by on November 11, 2012
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