National clothing of the Swedes. History of Swedish fashion. How to buy a dress from a resident of the Northern Kingdom. Religion and customs of the country

Swedes, like other Europeans, wear traditional folk clothes only on national holidays. Each of the Swedish provinces has its own characteristic costume features. However, it is possible to create a general description of it.
The men's suit consisted of narrow yellow or green short (knee-length) pants, long woolen stockings, thick-soled shoes with large metal buckles, a short cloth or suede jacket, a vest with metal buttons and a characteristic woolen knitted hat with pompoms.
The women's costume included a white linen blouse, a short bodice with lacing () or a fastening in the front, and a long fluffy skirt. They also wore bright aprons, caps trimmed with lace and thin woolen scarves on their shoulders.
Among jewelry, preference was given to large round silver brooches.

Historical and cultural note about the Swedish national costume.

Swedish folk costume as a symbol of national identity

Costume and politics
In the research of modern scientists, there is a tendency to consider folk costume as an instrument for the formation of national identity. Politics adapts folk culture to the requirements of the time and creates new traditions. Thus, the kilt and tartan fabric, artificially created in the 18th century, became essential attributes Scotland.
The situation is similar with “national costumes” in European countries. Sweden is no exception in this regard. Interest in folk costume in this country is connected, on the one hand, with an interest in the past, and on the other hand, it has completely different functions, personifying “Swedishness”. This especially applies to the Swedish national costume, although the main principle in its creation was a return to the past.

About the concept of “folk costume” in Sweden
At first glance, the definition of “folk costume” seems simple and clear. Upon closer examination of the problem, everything turns out to be more complicated. When studying Swedish folk costume, one should distinguish between the concepts of “folk costume”, “costume common people».
Folk costume (folkdräkt), in strictly speaking, can only be called a documented (all parts of the costume are preserved) peasant costume of a certain area, with a certain set characteristic features. Such costumes are created in areas with clear natural boundaries (forests, mountains, bodies of water). Clothes and shoes were made according to certain rules, which tailors and shoemakers were obliged to observe under threat of a fine or church punishment - hence characteristic features, differences in the costume of one village from another. This does not mean, however, that Swedish peasants wore uniforms - some individual differences still there were.
Folk costume can be considered a parish costume (sockendräkt) and a county costume (häradsdräkt), if the boundaries of the parish or county are clearly delineated.
In addition to "folkdräkt", there are also the concepts of "bygdedräkt" and "hembygdedräkt" - this is a costume of the region, a reconstruction, or a costume recreated on the basis of a folk one.
The name "Landskapsdräkt" - linen suit, is more an invention of the era of national romanticism than a full-fledged term. There was no such costume in any county or parish - this is a symbol, a costume made up of various parts to serve as a symbol of one of Sweden's 25 historical provinces. However, despite the inconsistency of this definition, popular literature constantly says that each linen has its own suit. This can also be talked about as an example of an “invented tradition”, not connected with the historical past, but enjoying popularity.
A distinction should be made between “folk costume” (folkdräkt) and “costume of the common people” (folklig dräkt). Undoubtedly a folk costume - clothing ordinary people, but not every clothing of the people is a folk costume. For example, we cannot call a city suit a folk costume.
The term “national costume” is very vague. “National” include costumes modeled at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in the image of peasants, used by the urban population or representatives of high society for special occasions. For example, costumes representing communities at costume parties for university students in Uppsala, or “Dalicarlian” costumes of the courtiers of King Oscar II during theatrical performances. “National” can also be considered created in 1902-03. the all-Swedish national costume (almänna svenska nationaldräkten), which is also called “sverigedräkt”.

National romanticism and the revival of traditional costume
In Sweden, the traditional peasant costume goes out of everyday use by 1850. Due to the development of communications, the growth of cities and industry throughout the country, the people are gradually abandoning the traditional costume, which was considered a symbol of the backward peasant world.
However, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries Western Europe embraced the neo-romanticism movement, and secular society in Sweden he turned his attention to peasant culture and folk costume. In 1891, in Stockholm, Arthur Hazelius founded Skansen, an ethnographic museum under open air. In addition to peasant life in general, Hazelius was also interested in folk costume. August Strindberg had pants made in folk style; similar clothes are becoming fashionable even among government members.
National romanticism encourages people to explore peasant costume. The passing folk culture inspires not only the artists Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson, famous singers of the Dalarna region, but also many others. Folk movements are being created that are engaged in the revival of old traditions: folk dance, music (the Spelman association) and traditional clothing. Folk costumes are searched for and studied (mostly in the same province of Dalarna). They are trying to reconstruct them, and regional costumes are created based on them. In 1912, a local association created a costume for the province of Norrbotten.
In 1902-03. the so-called common Swedish national costume is created.

Sverigedrakt
The turn of the century is not an easy time for Sweden. National romanticism is the main movement in art, one of the main questions of which is the question of identity - “who are we?” The rupture of the union with Norway in 1905 was perceived as a heavy blow, and the issue of national identity was again on the agenda.
Sverigedrakt was created as a common costume for women in Sweden and Norway, who were part of the union at that time. The creator of this costume is considered to be Martha Jorgensen.
Märtha Jørgensen (Palme) (1874-1967) was the daughter of a wealthy businessman from Norrköping. In 1900, she became a gardener's apprentice and ended up at the royal residence of Tulgarn, in the province of Södermanland. In this castle she saw Princess Victoria of Baden-Baden. The future queen tried to demonstrate her belonging to the new national culture and wore costumes created in the folk style - variations of the costumes of the parishes of Vingåker and Österåker, as well as variations of the traditional costume of the inhabitants of the island of Öland. The same dresses were worn by court ladies. This was the inspiration for Martha Palme, the impetus for the creation of a women's national costume.
After her marriage, Martha Jorgensen moved to Falun (Dalarna Province), where she taught at the Craft Seminary (Seminariet för de husliga konsterna Falu). Already in 1901, she was looking for like-minded people to bring to life the main idea - to create a national costume and distribute it in wide circles. In 1902, Martha Jørgensen created the Swedish Women's National Costume Association (SVENSKA KVINNLIGA NATIONALDRÄKTSFÖRENINGEN). The first two charters of the society were issued in 1904. The task of the society was to reform clothing. In contrast to French fashion, it was necessary to create a new dress, designed in accordance with the principles of practicality, hygiene, and most importantly - original “Swedishness”. The national costume, according to the founder of the society, was supposed to replace the French dress. Members of society should by example to instill the idea of ​​wearing a national costume in life. It was preferable to dress in the folk costume of the region. "Why shouldn't we wear our fine peasant costumes?" - writes Martha Jorgensen.
The national costume was “designed” by Martha Jorgensen. Her idea was supported by artists Carl Larsson and Gustav Ankakrona. His description is in her article in the Idun newspaper. The skirt and bodice (lifstycke) were supposed to be made of woolen fabric and be “Swedish” blue; an option with a bright red bodice was also possible. The apron is yellow, together with the blue skirt it symbolizes the flag. There is embroidery on the bodice, which is a stylized floral motif (probably folk costume motifs). The skirt could be of two types. Either a regular skirt at the waist, midjekjol, or livkjol (the skirt and bodice are sewn together, more like a sundress), typical of the costume of the Vingåker parish in Södermanland. However, according to the creator, “the sverigedräkt is not a spoiled copy of the Wingokker costume,” but a completely new phenomenon. For the second option, you need a homespun belt with a silver clasp. Along the edge of the skirt there should be a piping of the same color as the bodice, 6 cm wide. The headdress should be white, a white shirt should have a wide collar. Stockings are only black, shoes too.
It is known that the creator herself always wore only her own suit, and did this until her death in 1967. Members of the association wore suits only on holidays. When did the first one start? world war, interest in the project has subsided. Martha Jorgensen continued to teach at the Industrial Seminary. Students sewed national costumes during classes. She even forced her daughters to go to school in national costumes, for which they were oppressed. After the death of their mother in 1967, the daughters stopped this practice, and the phenomenon of the “national costume” was forgotten.
It is interesting to note that in parallel with the Swedish national costume, the Norwegian national costume - bunad - was also created. Its creator is the Norwegian writer Hulda Garborg. The suit was designed in 1903 - even before the collapse of the Swedish-Norwegian union. It also symbolizes identity as well as anti-Swedish sentiments. The Bunad is still popular and, like the Swedish suit, is a favorite holiday wear, especially on May 17th, Norway's Independence Day. According to sociologists, the national costume in Norway is even more popular than in Sweden. According to statistics, one third of Norwegians own a national costume, among Swedes only six percent do.

Revival of sverigedrakt
In the mid-70s, a copy of the sverigedräkt, donated by an unknown woman from Leksand, was found in the Nordic Museum in Stockholm. The Land newspaper announced a search for similar costumes, after which several more copies from 1903-05 were found. The organizer of this search was Bo Malmgren (Bo Skräddare). He also developed a version of this costume for men (until then the sverigedrakt was exclusively for women).
In connection with the change in attitude towards national symbols in the 80-90s. In the 20th century, interest in national and folk costumes was revived. New models appear: children's, men's, women's. New accessories, such as raincoats, are added to the national costume that has become traditional. The only colors that remain unchanged are yellow and blue.
The national costume is considered festive. It can be seen on Swedish princesses and beauty pageant winners. The costume is treated with pride. But the problem of using national symbols and identity does not go away. What is considered truly folk? Isn't the propaganda of folk costume and flag Nazism? Is this correct for emigrants?
Last year, June 6 was declared a public holiday for the first time in Sweden, which was perceived with ambivalence. In Sweden, the midsummer holiday (Midsommaren) was perceived as a national holiday, but today the state can be said to “impose” a new date with such attributes as an anthem, flag and national costume. Thus, we can again assert that national symbols are an important tool in the construction of traditions associated with identity.

Modern politics is successfully trying to adapt folk culture to the requirements of the time, creating new national traditions. Thus, some artificially created attributes, including clothing, become a symbol of the nation’s identity.

Introduction
To begin with, it should be noted that the concept of “national costume” and “costume of the common people” is far from the same thing. Folk, strictly speaking, can be called characteristic clothing that is worn in a certain limited area. Of course, it cannot be said that all peasants dressed in uniforms, like in the army, but individual features in clothing, of course, were present.

Today, the concept of “national costume” includes clothing modeled at the intersection of the 19th and 20th centuries, which is based on a sample of peasant costume. For example, the Swedish national costume appeared in the 1920s.

By this time, the usual peasant costume had practically fallen out of use, because due to the development of communication and the growth of the urban population, people began to wear different clothes. And only at the beginning of the 20th century, the highest circles of the aristocracy and government, influenced by the fashion for “neo-romanticism,” paid attention to the traditional clothing of peasants.

Swedish national costume

Author of the Swedish national women's suit is Märtha Jørgensen, with the support of artists Gustav Ankakron and Carl Larsson. The costume consists of a skirt and bodice made of blue wool (there is an option with a red bodice). An apron made of yellow fabric is worn with the skirt. The combination of blue and yellow symbolizes the Swedish flag. The bodice of the suit is decorated with embroidery.

As a variation, it is allowed to use not individual elements (skirt and bodice), but a whole model in the form of a sundress. In this case, the waist is emphasized with a homespun belt decorated with a silver buckle. The suit is completed with a white shirt with a wide collar, black shoes and white stockings.

Swedish royal family national costume

National costume - modern look

The national costume of Sweden experienced a rebirth in the 70s of the last century. Today it is considered festive clothing and is worn mainly for formal events by princesses, as well as beauty pageant winners who proudly display their beauty in national attire.

I continue the theme of the folk costume of SWEDEN. This concept differs from the concept of “national costume”. If the national costume is a standard for the entire nation. then the folk costume is traditionally worn in different regions Countries and each region have their own characteristics of this clothing.

A folk costume (folkdräkt), in the strict sense, can only be called a documented (all parts of the costume have been preserved) peasant costume of a certain area, with a certain set of characteristic features. Such costumes are created in areas with clear natural boundaries (forests, mountains, bodies of water).

Clothes and shoes were made according to certain rules, which tailors and shoemakers were obliged to comply with under threat of a fine or church punishment - hence the characteristic features that distinguish the costume of one village from another. This does not mean, however, that Swedish peasants wore uniforms - there were still some individual differences.

In addition to “folkdräkt”, there are also the concepts of “bygdedräkt” and “hembygdedräkt” - this is a regional costume, a reconstruction, or a costume recreated on the basis of a folk one.

In Sweden, the traditional peasant costume goes out of everyday use by 1850. Due to the development of communications, the growth of cities and industry throughout the country, the people are gradually abandoning the traditional costume, which was considered a symbol of the backward peasant world.

However, at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Western Europe was swept by the neo-romanticism movement, and secular society in Sweden turned its gaze to peasant culture and folk costume. In 1891, in Stockholm, Arthur Hazelius founded Skansen, an open-air ethnographic museum. In addition to peasant life in general, Hazelius was also interested in folk costume. August Strindberg had pants made in folk style; similar clothes are becoming fashionable even among government members.

National romanticism encourages people to explore peasant costume. The passing folk culture inspires not only the artists Anders Zorn and Carl Larsson, famous singers of the Dalarna region, but also many others.

Folk movements are being created that are engaged in the revival of old traditions: folk dance, music (the Spelman association) and traditional clothing. Folk costumes are searched for and studied (mostly in the same province of Dalarna). They are trying to reconstruct them, and regional costumes are created based on them. In 1912, a local association created a costume for the province of Norrbotten.

In 1902-03. the so-called common Swedish national costume is being created / it was written about in the previous article about the Swedish national costume /. After the First World War, folk costume was forgotten, and its revival began only in the seventies of the last century.

In the mid-70s, a copy of the sverigedräkt, donated by an unknown woman from Leksand, was found in the Nordic Museum in Stockholm. The Land newspaper announced a search for similar costumes, after which several more copies from 1903-05 were found. The organizer of this search was Bo Malmgren (Bo Skräddare). He also developed a version of this costume for men (until then the sverigedrakt was exclusively for women).

In connection with the change in attitude towards national symbols in the 80-90s. In the 20th century, interest in national and folk costumes was revived. New models appear: children's, men's, women's. New accessories, such as raincoats, are added to the national costume that has become traditional. The only colors that remain unchanged are yellow and blue.

The national costume is considered festive. It can be seen on Swedish princesses and beauty pageant winners. The costume is treated with pride. Last year, June 6 was declared a public holiday for the first time in Sweden, which was perceived with ambivalence.

In Sweden, the midsummer holiday (Midsommaren) was perceived as a national holiday, but today the state “proposed” a new date with such attributes as an anthem, flag and national costume. Thus, we can again assert that national symbols are an important tool in the construction of traditions associated with identity. However, according to statistics, only 6% of the Swedish population has such a suit in their wardrobe. For comparison: in Norway, a third of the population has folk clothes.

Almost all localities have shops selling folk costumes. There are weaving factories that produce fabric for suits, craftsmen they sew, embroider, and create accessories for these clothes.

Country motifs are very popular in modern fashion.

Based on materials from L.V. Ivanov "Swedish folk costume as a symbol of national identity."