Viking women's winter clothing
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- Опубликовано: 22 фев 2021
- In this video I wanted to show you what a viking woman might have worn during the winter. All clothes in the video was hand made by me and based on historical finds.
I am an experienced reenactor, but by no means a historian or an expert.
Instagram: @_vikingventures_
this is basically the way i want to dress for the rest of my life.
Sometimes I wear my viking clothes to work. It's very cozy 😊
I asked my teenager if I would embarrass him if I dressed like a viking lol his answer was no, if he was able to as well. we just laughed because we surprised each other.
Right?? Looks so comfy!
❤
Yes please.
Yessss! This is why I love wearing dresses in winter. Skirts hold so much more air and work like a cushion of insulation. No heattech trousers could ever keep me as warm as skirts. I am hoping to buy a real huge and long wool skirt at some point to keep myself super warm. I don't wear viking cotoure but even vintage clothes are a lot better than modern clothes in winter
Sometimes many people don't seem to get how warm skirts can be. It's like a small green house or something 😄
Totally agree on the vintage clothing. Better fabrics does wonders.
Not so great for movement...
@@Nocturne22 why? Even servant women used to wear huge long skirts, it's really not that restricting
Winter wind would blow the warmth from under the skirt immediately.
I don't for one moment think that a woman who was feeling cold didn't borrow her husband's/son's clothing, probably old clothing as it wouldn't be seen, and wear it underneath a dress to help keep her legs even warmer.
As someone who might live in a slightly warmer climate most of the time - Ireland - but who wears layers of clothing, made from basically the same pattern as yours, and even though I am forced to be fairly immobile - sitting - most of the time I still keep warm even in daytime inside temperatures of between 5-10deg. Natural fabrics and layers are great and probably explain how people actually managed to keep much warmer throughout history than we do today. (given they didn't really have central heating).
Great video, thank you.
I agree, that is very possible. Just that er don't have much evidence for that in the archeology. But people were of course buried in their own clothes usually.
Natural fibers are wonderful. I'm trying to incorporate even more of them in My everyday wardrobe. 😊
Thank you for watching and for sending me a comment 😊
It's actually far more likely that the women of the era would have worn wool leggings and stockings before borrowing a man's clothing. People only had so many garments, often one or two outfits per season and you have to also consider the fit. Clothing was often tailored specifically to the individual which means just throwing something on was likely unrealistic. At times there were drawstrings sewn in the garment, but without this feature, pants especially would have had to be adjusted to fit using either a belt or ties of some sort. If you're thinking with a modern brain, then yes, throwing on a man's clothing and going off makes sense, but for women of the time it's not really practical, especially considering they would have their own winter garments.
Ppl were tougher also, acclimating to cold temperatures because they had no other choice.
Given that women were likely the makers of the garments men and boys wore, it is not at all a stretch to consider a woman repurposing an outgrown or cast off male garment like the trews…and yes, worn beneath the kirtles, it would have been quite practical. The same goes for stuffing and using too large, outgrown/castoff shoes originally belonging to a son or brother.
Wool requires sheep, Did the poor all have access to wool? All kinds of plants that can be spun into cloth. The spinning wheel existed in the late bronze age. Small Hand spinners was used more by nomads, The wheel goes back to the copper age and Spinning wheels look like cart wheels and cart wheels could be one of the sources of the ideals for the spinning wheel, Size and weight might of been a discouragement for travelers. The viking used carts , sleds and animals. Dogs, horses and ox. The viking had cattle towns. Christianity inherited the knowledge of the people from the late iron age along with the large spinning wheels that continued into the dark ages and beyond. Iron shortages resulted in people using less important metals like bronze. Iron poor countries had to trade for the resource. King sometimes invade other kingdoms for their iron mines. Iron chain-mail, swords, spear tips gave iron rich countries a strong advantage. Some historians believe Romans gained the knowledge of Iron working from tribes who trades with the far north. fire is very important in the far north.
I’m convinced a woman that was very cold would wear anything underneath that kept her warm, socially acceptable or not. We do the same, and humans haven’t intrinsically changed. I love your clothes, thank you for showing us so clearly.
I agree. And I think perhaps the most important thing was to have a dress as the outer layer, to keep up appearances so to speak.
Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it 😊
I loved this video. It’s so great to see peasant class clothing portrayed accurately. It at least as accurately as we have documentation for. I agree that women would probably appropriate their men’s pants. Most of us now will borrow flannel shirts, wool socks, caps, or anything else that is practical for the climate. I love wool. However, I live in a very warm climate and it is seldom cold enough to wear it. Stay warm and keep posting your very impractical and informative videos.
Thank you very much 😊 I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. My goal was to portray peasant clothing, as you say, as accurately as possible with the knowledge that er have. I agree that it is not impossible to Imagine that women might borrow clothing items from husbands, brothers, etc.
Wool is indeed a wonderful material. I love it.
I will try my best to make more videos shortly 😊
Take care!
Light wools are actually fantastic for warm weather! The insulative properties of wool keep cool air in as well as warm air. Abby Cox's video on wearing Victorian clothes in the desert covers it well. That video is here: ruclips.net/video/0wHTgi51z6I/видео.html
@@lady_sir_knight3713 I totally agree with you. I have been wearing medium thick wool in 37°C and been fine so lighter wools will work in fairly high temperatures. :) A damp shift will help a lot with the heat as well.
@@lady_sir_knight3713 I follow Abby but I live in south, South Georgia. Right at the Fl/Ga line. The humidity here is almost always unbelievably high. I think that if it were dryer here wool might be practical.
@@sveapollock2537 Ah, rip in peace. Humidity is the devil.
Love the needle closure!
Thank you! 😊 I find it nice and practical. Sometimes I use the same needle to put my hair up.
@@vikingventures3888 we do like multiple uses of items! Is there a find that has been interpreted as a needle for closure?
@@magdalenamoren4946 To be honest I can't remember right now. I'm planning on doing a more in depth video about my garments with sources etc, so I might look into that and include it in that video. 😊
Norse women's clothing looks heaps cuddly and cozy! 😊
They are indeed 😊 Like walking around in a big blanket or pyjamas 😄
Beautiful. I always loved how the people of yesteryears dressed. So much class and practical
Thank you 😊 I agree. There are lots of things about older garments that are great 😊
This was a great video, and I absolutely love the outfit - especially the colour of that coat.
On the subject of keeping your feet warmer though, I've been experimenting with historical clothing for some time now, and my conclusion has been that if you find your shoes or boots to be too snug for added layering within, add something to the outside instead; I used sheepskin scraps to make a pair of really warm wraps that I fasten around my jorvik boots.
Also, I use thin felted insoles with needlebound over knee hoses, stiffened with additional yarn at the top to keep them from sliding down, and wool leg wraps.
For those really cold days I'll actually use another pair of leg wraps around my thighs as well, sometimes with parts of the linen undergarment trapped inside, turning it into something resembling primitive bloomers with a french opening, and an additional linen serk with more volume (4 large gores) than the base layer, just to ensure that no amount of wind or snow can get to my more exposed areas.
My next project is making a pair of muslin wool hose, to add another layer without compromising on space, and get myself some of those wood protectors that elevate your shoes to avoid the worst chill from the ground.
Thank you so much! And thank you for all the great suggestions on how to keep My feet warm. I will definetley try them out :)
Patinas are so cool! I would like to make a pair for my medieval outfit. I'm wondering if it will be slippery to valk with them on cobbe stone etc.
@@vikingventures3888 Maybe add some of those grippy traction pads to the bottom of your patinas? Safety is pretty important, and injuries can keep you stuck inside when you’d rather be out enjoying the weather!
@@catsandravens Unfortunately patinas don't really show up in Scandinavia until medieval times, but there are some cool metal things (broddar in Swedish) from the Viking age that is made to prevent slipping. Maybe I'll get a pair :)
I love the dress, hood and coat. I think that would be a very cute and comfortable outfit even for today. You could make the dress the same length as that coat and wear the dress and coat as a day to day outfit and I am not sure anyone would blink an eye. Cute, simple but useful look. Love it. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much Amy! :) Sometimes I am tempted to make more everyday outfits inspired by viking age clothing. Would be nice and warm during winter time :)
@@vikingventures3888 l live in Southern Sweden and was introduced to Viking re-enactment by a friend in the village with similarly aged children. One very snowy day she turned up to collect her children at the end of the school day with her Viking kaftan on top of her modern clothing - why not!
@@helenlayley That is wonderful! I sometimes feel like I should include my viking clothing in my everyday wardrobe more often.
@@vikingventures3888 I wear clothes I make daily that range from medieval times, gypsy patchwork lots of layers, aprons an my own creations from clothes others have discarded. While I do get Alot of comments from passerbys it's typically compliments on my outfits and leads to meeting new people an great conversations.
Living here in Canada, I love this Viking clothing. I imagine our Native folk followed this tradition fairly closely. Probably adding or changing some items and of course their decorations were beautiful. Very warm and cozy for folk who needed to perform chores outdoors much of the time. Beautifully made and worn.
Hi :) I'm sure there would be similarities and differences. It would be very interesting to learn more about!
Thank you so much :)
Hello, I live in Hokkaido, the north end of Japan, the environment is so similar as your video, so I can imagine you feel comfort in winter forest😊
And in Japan, some shops are selling natural style clothing looks like yours, so your styling is really good for me!
thanks a lot❤
Sorry for the extremely late reply. I donfeel comfort in the winter forest 😊 It's like being wrapped in softness.
Im glad you like the clothes, and I agree that there are definitely similarities between the style of the clothes.
All the best to you ❤️
So many lovely layers. I especially like the hood, and I'm thinking about knitting or crocheting one. Obviously I'm not going to historical accuracy! (grin) Bit it does look so warm and cosy.
You should definitely make yourself a hood 🙂 Super cosy and nice to have this time of the year.
Get an old wool blanket and make one only took me a few hrs. To cut and put it together from an online pattern
Skirts can be very warm, in combination with pants or leggings. Long skirts make a little room of warm air for your legs so the wind can't come and steal your heat.
I totally agree! I love long skirts in the winter. Very cozy!
I definitely think women might also have used trousers underneath dresses to stay warm during the winter. Maybe not the same king of trousers as the men, but something to not freeze to death.
It is definetly possible. Only problem is that we don't know for sure.
@@vikingventures3888 No i know that. (Im an archaeologist). I'm simply saying I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case :) Great video btw!
@@bonesandbiology I would not be surprised either. I'm glad that you like my videos 😊
living in Canada in my experience trying to keep warm feet are:
1. one of the most prone parts of your body to frostbite
2. the hardest to keep warm and
1. PAINFUL if they get to cold.
i find the idea of stuffing your shoes to help with that fascinating
I live in Wisconsin, just a bit south of you. And year round I walk around in those swim shoes (water shoes). Including in our winters. And I am outside for hours walking to get here or there as I don't drive or even know how to drive. But in winter I wear wool socks with my swim shoes. Alpaca wool. And my feet stay warm!! But if I put BOOTS on then within an hour my feet are FREEZING! I think it has something to do with air flow? But my feet definitely stay warm in wool socks + swim shoes even if its 12 F outside. It is very strange. So these last few years my hands may be freezing (have to wear double gloves in winter) but my feet are warm with just the wool socks × swim shoes. I have very little body fat and I have a low body temperature too so I tend to get cold very quickly! And a heat index of 100 F feels like 80 F to me.
@@sarahb.6475 oh i live like 6 hours north of the border but that is so interesting. I am so looking into that
The trousers would be a must for me, ha, my legs get so cold so easily with dresses & skirts in the winter. Those kirtles were lovely, and definitely an inspiration to make more of my own. Going to take a looksee through your channel to see if you give pattern suggestions. I got 10 yards of coat-weight wool for $50 so my abomination of a wool kirtle is thick enough that I just gave up on adding sleeves. I am a masochist who made it side-lacing (inspiration was medieval not viking) which is another reason I gave up on sleeves. But hey I have a cape too so I can stay warm. I still have 1.5 yards of coat wool left but once I have worked through my stash some more reasonable weight wool is definitely in the cards.
Trousers really are great at times 😊 I have not made any tutorials yet, but I'm thinking I should. The kirtles are just made with rectangles and triangles.
Vikings knew how to stay toasty warm! Tusen takk!
That was a great demo. Thank you so much. I really liked that you referenced the source material, that's super helpful.
Thank you! I'm glad you like it 😊 I'm planning on doing a more in depth video about my garments with sources, etc in the future. 😊
Wool requires sheep, Did the poor all have access to wool? All kinds of plants that can be spun into cloth. The spinning wheel existed in the late bronze age. Small Hand spinners was used more by nomads, The wheel goes back to the copper age and Spinning wheels look like cart wheels and cart wheels could be one of the sources of the ideals for the spinning wheel, Size and weight might of been a discouragement for travelers. The viking used carts , sleds and animals. Dogs, horses and ox. The viking had cattle towns. Christianity inherited the knowledge of the people from the late iron age along with the large spinning wheels that continued into the dark ages and beyond. Iron shortages resulted in people using less important metals like bronze. Iron poor countries had to trade for the resource. King sometimes invade other kingdoms for their iron mines. Iron chain-mail, swords, spear tips gave iron rich countries a strong advantage. Some historians believe Romans gained the knowledge of Iron working from tribes who trades with the far north. fire is very important in the far north. Possible that its more to do with reaching the desired melting point. The Romans were poor metallurgists and gain much of their knowledge from the goths who where in many ways similar to the viking. Its within possibility that it was a Germanic tribe that first started to forge iron into weapons of war. Fire and warm clothes to keep themselves warm in the far north, climates and survival can encourage to growth of certain kinds of knowledge. Warmer climate people wear less clothes and the reason Romans where less clothed and preferred lighter fabrics. Viking loved the sun and the reason for the ancient swastika symbol that is a ancient way to draw the sun.
Thrilled to have found your channel, great videos.
I saw your description box says 'all clothes in the video was hand made by me and based on historical finds'; would you consider making any sewing tutorial videos too? Thanks!
Hi, thank you very much! I will definitely make some sewing tutorials in the future. I have at least a couple of ideas for videos like that :)
I love all your clothes you made... Do you have tutorials on making these garments??? Also live to see tutorial on making the gloves/ mittens
Thank you so much! 😊 I am planning on making some tutorials, both for garments and mittens. 😊
@@vikingventures3888 ohhhh good I can't wait...👋👋👋👋👋
@@vikingventures3888 wonderful!! I was hoping you would. Excellent video.
@@starshinedragonsong3045 Thank you! I'm working on a new video right now. I hope it will be done next week at the latest. 🙂
yas!!!! I love everything about this video - both your reco gear (these colours 🧡) but also simply listening to you:')) your voice & charisma are sooo nice! can't wait for more content 🌻🌻🌻
Aaaaw, thank you so much! You are to kind (as always)! I don't even know how to handle this much praise
Awesome! But.... nothing underneath? Nothing at all?! Nothing but socks and shoes? You are much braver than I lol!
Well, there are no archeological finds of any other kind of underwear than the shift. So just the shift it is :P But it is much more comfortable than it sounds, and the cold only really affect the lower parts of my legs, so no problem there. :)
Very informative, great for everyone re-enacting or LARPing. And those clothes are gorgeous
Thank you very much! I'm glad you like it 🙂
Beautiful clothes and so smart of the Vikings!
Thank you so much 😊
Clothing is nice but cuddling helps keep a Viking couple warm too I’m sure… I can imagine being with my Viking woman staying close and keeping warm back in the Viking age
Cuddeling someone you like does help a lot with staying warm 😊
Love the style!
Thank you 😊
Love the dress layers
Thank you 😊
So, I moved to Idaho last year and now can attest that I acclimated with no problem here! Once you are used to it, you can tolerate cold weather as long as the wind is not blowing. I love this overview of viking garb for winter.
Thank you so much! 😊 I'm glad you got used to the colder weather.
Coming here from imgur. You have a fascinating hobby. Thanks for sharing
Hehe well, I guess it might be a bit unusual. I'm glad you found it interesting 😊
I love the look of the layers of kirttles and the coat and hood.
Thank you :)
Very graceful and comfortable!
Thank you 😊
So neat, thanks for demonstrating! That bone closure was especially interesting. I wonder if all those sleeve layers tend to bunch up or if they are slightly different sizes so they play nicely?
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it 😊 The sleeves are not an issue. They vary a little bit in size and I wear the largest as the outer layer 🙂 I made the coat fairly big for this reason.
Super great!
Let's hope we'll have some great market this year (one can hope)
Thank you! 😊 I hope so too! I really miss markets and viking camping.
I LOVE your channel! AND, I agree with the comfort statement...why don't more people think long garments are more freeing or comfortable? A few questions...do you have a video demonstrating how you made your garments? The patterns: where did you find or make the patterns? If you do not have a demonstration video, could you please make one? Also, a suggestion; I would love to see two or three variations of the coat. One, a very long coat, and another possibly with faux fur. Also, if you could show more jewelry; it would be great! I love the coat closure technology. More like it; if there are other variations would be great to see. Again, I would just love to see more videos from you. GREAT VIDEO _THANK YOU!!!
Not the OP, but there is a book that has patterns based on archaeological finds.
Medieval Garments Reconstructed by Lilli Fransen, Anna Nørgård Og Else Østergård
First of all, thank you so much for all the kind words and encouragement!
I'm planning on felting some shoe liners this autumn or winter.
That is a very good idea 😊
L0ve the dress especially the hood shawl🇨🇦
Thank you 😊 The hood is very cozy.
Wow!! I liked very much!! Thank youfor share!!🙌🏻💞🙋🏼
I'm happy you liked it 😊 Thank you!
@@vikingventures3888 Thank you girl!! 🙋🏼🤗💫
Lovely. Thank you.
Thank you!
I wouldn't mind instructions on how to make a curdle. The shift looks simple enough as does the curdles but I can't see how some of the connection between upper and lower halves was cut and sewn together.... Then again not everyone can deconstruct and reconstruct things just in their mind.
I will definitely try to make a tutorial on how to sew a dress/kirtle. :) Thank you for suggesting!
I'm not even a reenactor but this just looks so comfortable and practical, I wish it was socially normalized to dress like this.
Let us make it socially normalized 😊
Very awesome video. There was a lot of cultural nuance that could be picked up on. Thank you.
Thank you so much :) I'm glad you liked it!
My mind is blown when you put that bone needle thru the dress and closed it. like that. Idk.. i just never seen anything like that! 😳💥
Well, there are many finds of clothing pins from the viking age. So I made a poor persons version with a bone needle :) It works really well :)
-10°C is only 22°F for my fellow Murican's watching!
Very flattering
Thank you 🙂
you look beautiful! viking woman 🧡
Aaw, thank you so much!
Beautiful! Do the kirtles have side gores, or only front gores?
Thank you 😊 The kirtles have gores in the sides, and in the front and back. So four in total 😊 The shift only have gores in the sides.
@@vikingventures3888 thanks!
thanks for these interesting videos. i love the nature you show as well :)
I love wool...i wonder about the wool: is it all felted? or woven? if felted, how would they do that exactly, at that time? it is said urine was used?(seriously!)
were there also knitted or crocheted garments?
also, the kind of sheep: i assume it was ancestors of the Icelandic and old Gotland original breeds, with their versatile double coats, before these breeds were 'improved'?? they have that soft undercoat and water resistant, courser, outercoat..
so, there might have been many options for texture, thickness, and warmth..
recently in the National Geographic Magazine, they described a Viking burial site where it was discovered that many of the warriors were in fact women...so perhaps these women worn some garments that might have been considered more male? (and the pants you said were ''cheating'', might not be? ;)
thanks
Thank you! I'm glad you like my videos :)
The wool is first woven, and then it can be felted depending on what the fabric will be used for. I know that stale urine was used in the felting process during medieval times, so it would not surprise me if the vikings used a similar method. As far as I understand the urine opens the "scales" in the wool fibers, thereby making felting easier.
As far as sheep go, I totally agree with you. The older breeds would have the kind of "double" coat that you mention. And most of the sheep would have been brown mixed with white.
I would assume that women warriors would wear more male garments. There is one grave at Birka with a high status warrior woman in male garments that I am very interested in recreating at some point in the future.
Thank you again :)
@@vikingventures3888 thank you! so interesting!
Stale urine was collected, and used for many things, including leather. It turns to ammonia when stale, and could dissolve grease and dirt very effectively. It was also used as a bleaching agent, and for cleaning hair due to its ability to dissolve grease. Obviously, there was much rinsing, and vinegar was used to soften the washed objects and hair, which also removed the smell of ammonia. Wealthier people could use such things as rosewater, or other scented tinctures to remove odor.
Thanks for a really nice video!! Beautiful setting and outfit!! Can you possibly say anything about the thickness of the wool? Are the dress wools thinner than the coat wool? And would a cape/cloak be made from even thicker wool? Or is it all the same? 🤫
Haha, sorry for the geeky question! I'm getting started on my first outfit, but there are just sooo many amazing wool qualities to choose from 😶
Lots of hygge from Copenhagen! 🪡🧵🐑
Hi,
Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it :)
The thickness of the wool will depend on several things. Wealthier people will have access to finer/thinner wool, wich is more expensive. Normal people would probably have worn thicker fabrics, and the poor might not have been able to afford linnen for their undergarments. I would say that a cloak/shawl could be different thickness depending on what you need it for. A poor/normal person would probably only have one, and therefore need it to be thick and warm. A wealthy person might afford more than one, and in higher quality, and could therefor perhaps have one really thin and fine for fashion purposes, and another thicker one for warmth during the winter or such.
As for my particular outfit, the white wool dress is a little bit thinner and softer than the brown wool dress. The brown dress is my poor/working dress, so it needed to be sturdy and not get damaged by hard work. At least not as fast. My coat is a medium thickness, and I use it with my higher status outfit sometimes. It should probably be a bit thicker if it was ment as a "poor" garment.
Colour is also an important thing to consider. Poor people would have worn mostly brown, normal people might afford some faint colours like yellow, etc. Wealthy people will use more colours, and stronger colours. Blue, red, green and yellow for example.
I love answering questions, so don't worry :) Great that you are getting started! Let me know if I can help you in some other way :)
All the best to you neighbor! :)
@@vikingventures3888 Uhh, thank you for a very informative answer!! It makes good sense with the quality matching the social status!
The small quantity of garments among the lower class has been ongoing until only a hundred years ago, I suppose. I've heard stories of servants around 1900 who recieved a used dress in stead of a whole months pay! Things really have changed...
I never thought about the colour differing between class though!! But it makes a lot of sense!! That will be fun to play with in the future!
I know the dye colours were very limited long after the viking age. I've done a lot of Almue embroidery (danish peasant embroidery from about 1500-1900) and they only worked with 5-7 different colours!
But the colour limit is a good frame to work within!!
Thank you!! It is great to have an expert on the line when I start up on my outfit!!
Goodevening to you!! 🔥🌜⭐
Cool 😀
You need some rabbit pelts. And you step into the fur. Build an outer boot to tie on when you need extra warmth. Oil the outer leather..
Then you can have two season boots
That does sound warm. However I'm not aware of any archeological finds that look like that so I might stick to socks and such for the time being 😊
Very nice Thank you look so Good !
Thank you very much :)
This is great, and you look nice and toasty! Would love to see what a man would use to keep warm in the snow.
Thank you :) I was nice and warm. I will try to do a video with a viking man's clothing :)
@@vikingventures3888 you should to a collaboration with The Welsh Viking, he's lost when it comes to women's garments, on the other hand, he's done some fine work with men's garments
@@Bluebelle51 Well, The Welsh Viking seems to be a great person, so that would probably be fun :)
I watched one video he did about viking women's clothing, and he said some good things. Unfortunately we know so little that everything is very much up to how we interpret the fragments we've got.
I'm glad that you consider me to be knowledgable about viking women's clothing :)
@@vikingventures3888 "Everything we know" isn't much, that's so true. I appreciate your knowledge.
Could you tell me more about the hood being interpreted as Sami? I would really love to learn more! I have one in this style which I wear daily, along with a kirtle similar to yours. Do you have a link to share on the find? :) I don't know how to spell the name of the place it was found and subtitles aren't helping. Thank you! Excellent video!
Hi! Of course :) The hood is part of the Skjoldehamn find. The style, decorations etc of the entire outfit are very similar to Sami outfits. Also, it is fairly different from any clothes that we know to be viking.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
How heavy are all those layers of clothing, since I'm not young any more, just watching you put everything on makes my shoulder and back hurt.
Haha well, first of I must say that I relate so much to what you just wrote! They are not as heavy as they look. The worst part for me is getting in and out of them when I'm tired and warm.
I find it fasinating women's mittens and hats don't realllly look all that different than they do today... Idk how much different they could look tho🤔. Clothes definitely change..
I agree! The mittens I have seen from viking/medieval times look just like modern mittens. There are some mittens in other shapes though.
Very interesting
Thank you :)
Well am lucky because i wear lightweight soft linen under trousers and a thicker linen over trouser. With the same soft linen made sort under tunic and same thicker linen but to the knees over tunic. Most of the year. Then a to the bum wool tunic. Then a below the knee wool coat.But we don't get the snow you get in Northern Ireland. Oh my socks mittens leg wraps plus hood and rabbit fur in my ankle shoes. I don't feel the cold 😂
The snow does make it a little bit more difficult for sure 😄
Great video! Q: how would women have had their hair? Having it loose hanging must've been very impractical?
Thank you :) Well, there are some depictions of hairstyles from the viking age. One of the figurines have her hair in a big knot on top of the head with the end of the hair hanging back sort of like a pony tail. But a normal braid was probably fairly common as well. Covering the hair with a shawl was probably common for working women to keep the hair clean. But I will say, as a person with rather long hair, that it does not get in the was nearly as much as one might think, even when loose :)
the second dress pattern did you make bigger for the purpose of it being a second dress or is it the same size? thanks
It's about the same size. Because I want to be able to wear it separatly as well. Have a nice day!
Great video, advise on buying patterns?
Thank you! Well, usually when you are making viking garments you don't really need a pre-made pattern because you can easily make them yourself from your own measurements. I'll try to make a video about that soon.
It’s hard to take any of todays outlooks and apply hem to the past with an ‘of course they did’ but I would not be surprised to learn Norse women wore some sort of trousers under a dress when cold was freezing fire,
If not a trouser then maybe a thigh high legging or stocking.
I do living history from the eighteenth century and can tell you that woolen leggings can make a world of difference
I suppose it is very possible that some women wore trousers under their dresses during the winter. We just don't know, as with so many things regarding the Viking age. But I agree that trousers do help a lot with keeping warm.
Those dresses look very drafty. I can't imagine women wearing them in cold weatherwithout some kind of form fitting undergarments
They are much warmer than they look. Since they are so close to the ground the wind does not get underneath the skirt. The only part of the legs that can be a bit cold is the lower leg. And the hose takes caremof that 🙂
It's similar to medieval dresses
Yes, Viking age dresses and early medieval dresses are often basically the same. Later on the medieval dresses becomes more form fitting. 🙂
What patterns did you use, especially the cape with hood?
Double up on wool socks for more warmth on feet. Thigh highs are also nice can be cinched with linen strips of fabric. I'm guessing they likely wore wool tights of sorts back then.
I dress pretty similar I've always lived in colder areas an spent alot of time out doors I enjoy making my own clothing an especially with wool that many seem to hate. So many benefits to wool it amazes me so many don't like it.
The hood consists of a long rectangle and two squares. Perhaps I should make a tutorial :)
Question: how does one get hold of or make a bone closure like the one you used on your jacket?
I loved this video. Thanks!
Hi, thank you so much!
I got my bone needle at a medieval event and then just made a braid for it. There are probably several places that sell these kind of needles. Try searching for needlebinding needles. 🙂 You could also make one out of a durable wood.
@@vikingventures3888 thanks! I will look out for one. I have some finger loop braiding I can use with it . Keep making your lovely videos!
@@laraharding849 Thank you! I will try my best to make more videos :) I hope that you find a needle that works for you.
It seems reasonable to believe Norse women would wear some form of trouser or warm stocking in the winter. Even with a lack of concrete evidence, it seems foolish to keep your legs bare in the cold.
Well, since we don't know, it is always a matter of interpretation. My guess is that people tried to stay inside as much as possible during the winter anyway. And if you were poor you would probably only own one set of clothes per person - so borrowing clothes might be an issue there. I have been outside for a few hours during the winter, without pants under my dress, and it works fairly good as long as I'm not walking through a lot of deep snow. :)
@The end draws Near I totally agree! Wind always makes the cold so much worse.
You could make bloomers,.. is nicer than trousers. And is warmer because, bloomers are wider and therefore warmer..
I had the pleasure of wearing a women’s Viking outfit, very similar to yours, for a day around 10 years ago. It was one of the most comfortable and practical outfits I’ve ever worn and I would still be wearing it today if I’d been allowed to keep it. You said yours is a peasant’s outfit, what changes to make an upper class outfit?
It's like walking around in a big blanket 😄
Rich people had brighter colours, more finely woven fabrics and also a fair amount of jewelry. I have a video about it if you want more details 😊
@@vikingventures3888 thank you for answering. If you have time I have one more question. I thought Viking was a verb, meaning to do something, raid and pillage. That the word ‘Viking’s’ often used as a word for the people were actually Norseman. Is this true or not really?
@@redders6858 You are absolutely right. To go viking was to go raiding. So people in Scandinavia would not have called themselves Vikings. I usually try to say "people during the viking age". Norse is also a good term. 😊
Great video, like all !
Just want to ask you if you know some website to buy some historical viking stuff, like cloth, equipment, ...
Thanks you, and continu your video you are a great women.
You are too sweet! ❤️
Well, it would depend on how historically accurate you are aiming to be. Grimfrost has a few garments that are ok, but some that are questionable. To be honest it is often best to make the outfit yourself, or have someone make it for you.
Perhaps I should make a tutorial on how to make viking clothing. 😊
Oh, I just remembered! If you want viking jewelry or details for belts ect, I would recommend Nordens Historiska Fynd. 😊
@@vikingventures3888 Thanks you i will take a look 😄
Where would I find patterns? Unfortunately, I would have to use acrylic instead of wool (allergy), but would love dresses that would help me keep warm in cool weather. We sometimes get below -20C, -30C and rarely below -40C or even -50C with wind chill considered in the winter time.
Hi! Sorry, I wrote a reply almost two weeks ago but it seems that is was somehow lost.
This is a blog with some tutorials and patterns for viking and medieval clothing.
handcraftedhistory.blog/beskrivningar/
This is a link to a store that sells patterns made by Susanna Broome.
www.korps.se/sv/Produkter/Somnad,_dekoration___Sybehor/Bocker___beskrivningar/Historiska_bocker___monster
I hope it helps :)
✨💛✨
Сложно представить, что зимой не носили одежду из меха, кожи и шкур. Сорочка, два платья из тонкой материи, пусть даже и шерсти, кафтан из той же тонкой шерсти без подкладки это одежда в лучшем случае на осень, причем не холодную . при - 20 или при - 30 в этом только минут пять на улице можно побыть.
There are not many archeological finds of fur/leather clothing. To some extent wealthy people might like their coats with fur. There are also some finds of fake fur trimmings, where they have woaven fabric and inserted locks of long wool to make something that looks like strips of sheep pelts. But most average people would just wear wool, which is fine if you use thick felted wool. :)
That hood, the Skjoldehamn hood, also wrongly over used by Viking re-enactors is not believed have been a Viking item of clothing at all but instead Sami in origin..... This is more believable when taken into account the rest of the Skjoldehamn outfit which resembles in now way Viking garments
Yes, I did mention that in the video. The Skjöldehamn outfit is definetley Sami. I agree that it is over used by viking reenactors. Not surprising considering how easy it is to make. I'm planning on getting myself a shawl instead of the hood this year.
@@vikingventures3888 ah sorry I must have had the sound on too quiet. There is the hood known as the Haithabu hood which is widely thought of as being Viking/Norse
@@jimpickens4067 No worries 😊
Please don't give up RUclips!
How many yards would it take to make the base dress?
For my full length dresses i use about 3,3 yards (3 meters). But it of course varies a bit from person to person.
Is there a video of you making the shift? (Or, showing the silhouette of its construction for a longer period of time...?)
I have not made a video like that yet I'm afraid. But I would like to make one in the future, including instructions on how to create your own pattern :) The construction of the shift is quite simple.
This is a photo of a child's tunic I made a few years ago. I think you can see the construction fairly well in it. Shifts and dresses for adults are constructed in the same way.
instagram.com/p/Btnms70CzJV
@@vikingventures3888 thank you so much for answering! I greatly appreciate your efforts! I have seen others make such shifts; to me, in this moment, this video shows the shapes and joinings very clearly. I am glad to see it.
@@catherinejustcatherine1778 No problem at all. It's always fun when people are interested in the same things as myself :) Are you planning on sewing a shift?
@@vikingventures3888 yes, I am.
Probably just a doll sized one.
Amusingly, that's almost the same silhouette my homemade dresses have been for the last 5 years ago (some of them sleeveless) and all with pockets.
@@catherinejustcatherine1778 Well, it is kind of the original dress shape in a way. :)
No apron dress over the kirtle(s)? What about a belt?
Hi :)
Apron dresses are usually interpreted as formal wear used by wealthy people. The clothes I wear in this video are my average person outfit. Therefore I'm not using an apron dress. Also, the apron dresses found are made of very fine thin wool fabrics, and would not make much of a difference in terms of warmth. Regarding belts I could have used a tablet woven band. I usually do when I want to carry my knife. :)
No woman with sense would turn down a man's clothing if she had outside work to do. I'd bet she "borrowed" her man's boots too. Freezing to death was not a required woman's responsibility.
As far as we know there was no real difference between shoes for men and women during the viking age. The boots/shoes I'm wearing in the video is based on shoes found in the grave of two women. :) But I agree that women would of course dress as warm as was required for the work they needed to do.
Is each layer slightly larger than the one before?
The wool dresses are the same size, but the coat is slightly wider in the shoulders and sleeves :)
So the underwear was also a shift like other European woman would wear.
Exactly :)
How effective is that with blocking wind?
Much better than you would expect :) One layer of wool will let some wind through, but with all three layers I'm very warm and do not feel the wind :)
Please cover this topic. How would a woman breast feed in this tight head to toe gown? Seriously women up until 1963 had babies very frequently. They were either pregnant or breast feeding year in and year out. Can you research this?
That is a very good suggestion! Thank you 😊 I will definitely try to make a video on that topic.
Possibly a keyhole neckline with an extra long slit?
@@catsandravens Yes, that is definitely an option :)
Agatha never wore that kind of outfit 😉
Wouldn't you agree that these norms that you - of course! - do and should tweak or cheat your way around are very telling when it comes to where a woman would be expected to be?
It does seem to emphasise the fact that women by everyday convention were expected to stay at home and keep the household running. I mean - just weaving your beautiful clothes must have taken months! And then on top of that keeping a household running, cooking, cleaning, and preparing everything from scratch and being pregnant and tending to infants, toddlers, and keeping the house in good order!
Thesd women must have worked so hard!
Well, generally historians tend to say that the women during the viking age were responsible for the farm/home, and its' economy. She had the keys to the house and often had them hanging visibly on her outfit as a status symbol.
Work on the farm would probably be divided between men and women in various ways. Spinning, weaving and sewing were done by women. Average women would probably weave the fabrics needed for their family, and richer women and men would probably buy finer fabrics from specialist weavers, or even from tradesmen who brought fabrics from other parts of the world.
Women would probably also be in charge of brewing beer, making cheese, cooking food, washing clothes and so on.
I’m guessing fur would have been involved if it was available?
There are a few examples of fur being used for trim on viking age garments, but most people would not wear fur at all. Wool fabrics are very warm, especially when worn in many layers.
The main thing Viking women wore in the winter was a big,hairy Viking man.
Now all I can imagine is a viking woman carrying a big viking man over her shoulders like a shawl 😄❤️
@@vikingventures3888 close, but no cigar.
I dont think woman would use a bone needle to secure their coat because it could injure their children when tending to them.
Or they might have the end of the needle covered somehow.
The bone needle is made for needle binding and is not sharp :)
Well, how did they make squirrel covers? Did they just leave their secrets "unclothed"?
Viking age women did not wear any underwear apart from their shift. But to be honest, you don't really need to with dresses that long anyway. It will take several hundred years before women start wearing something we would consider underwear.
@@vikingventures3888 I reckon it was probably more hygienic to not have something so close fitting anyway. Especially since there's more money made on harmful hygiene practices like tight squirrel covers.
No apron dress?
The apron dresses are interpreted to be formal wear, only used by the wealthy. So it does not match with my warm outfits, that are made to represent an average persons clothes. Also, the apron dresses were made from very thin fabrics, and would not offer much warmth. 🙂
I think farming fa i
You mentioned the linen under dress would have been considered underwear. Did women wear bra and panties in addition to the dress?
No, the under dress is the only underwear women would wear. Bra and panties had not been invented yet.
@@vikingventures3888 thanks, that clears up a lot of questions I had concerning undergarments of ancient times.
I'm sitting here hating my wool allergy more than ever.
I'm sorry, that must be very unpractical. Are you allergic to all kinds of wool? I know a few people with wool allergy, and some of them are not as allergic to alpaca for instance.
Would it work as an outer layer only, with thick linen shift or shirt underneath, making sure the linen extends beyond the wool at the neck and wrists?
@@vikingventures3888 all the ones I've tried, and I've tried alpaca many times because I'm from South America and you find a lot of nice stuff made of it around here :(
@@latronqui I'm sorry to hear that.
@@tinuvianna if it's an outer layer the effect is delayed (only if I wear it over more than 1 layer) but if I wear it for a long time or some days in a row the itch and the rash comes anyway. And it's impossible to keep it away from hands if it's an outer layer, plus the fluff floats to my face. So if I'm in a room with wool blankets or tapestry, after a while I get all itchy even if I'm not touching it.
No bust support 🙁
Nope, not until medieval times as far as we know.
The cut of the kirtle is close enough to the chest to help with support, and there is evidence of a shift with what appear to be cups. Plus there’s always the possibility that linen bandages were used to bind the chest as a support option! As a bigger lady, I need the extra support!
@@catsandravens I also see a problem with this over the head style robes, breastfeeding would be exceedingly difficult necessitating the removal of several layers leaving the woman in her stockings! I just can’t see any self respecting woman not figuring out a lace up option
@@LisaG442 What I've seen from other costumers, researchers and reenactors is that lots of shifts and serks had long slits down the center of the chest from the neckline that could have been closed with a brooch or pin. Then when you need to breastfeed you undo that fastening and you have easy access.
@@tinuvianna I knew there had to be something! Thanks for that. Perhaps the costume displayed here was for a young unmarried girl
Sheep in wolf's clothing
Are you trying to say that it's time for me to shave my legs? 😶
@@vikingventures3888 depends if you have blonde or black leg hair
Wool requires sheep, Did the poor all have access to wool? All kinds of plants that can be spun into cloth. The spinning wheel existed in the late bronze age. Small Hand spinners was used more by nomads, The wheel goes back to the copper age and Spinning wheels look like cart wheels and cart wheels could be one of the sources of the ideals for the spinning wheel, Size and weight might of been a discouragement for travelers. The viking used carts , sleds and animals. Dogs, horses and ox. The viking had cattle towns. Christianity inherited the knowledge of the people from the late iron age along with the large spinning wheels that continued into the dark ages and beyond. Iron shortages resulted in people using less important metals like bronze. Iron poor countries had to trade for the resource. King sometimes invade other kingdoms for their iron mines. Iron chain-mail, swords, spear tips gave iron rich countries a strong advantage.
Wool was the most common material for fabrics in Scandinavia during the viking age. Linnen fabrics was made from flax but was very labour intensive and therefore more expensive. Nettles and hemp have also been used to some extent, but they would not be warm enough to replace wool. If you were to survive the winters in Scandinavia you would have to have wool garments.
There are no finds of spinning wheels in Scandinavia from the viking age. All thread is spun using a drop spindle.
@@vikingventures3888 A Type of spindle was used for selling threads and for looming and sowing cloth The spinning wheel was used to make threads. That continued into the early dark ages Same people different religion, The christian inheriting the knowledge. The wagon was used for trading , farming and relocation, traveling and their is clearly a connection between the wagon wheel and the spinning wheel, similar designed with alteration and additions to make spinning threads easier. The OX and horse where used for trading , mining and farming even moving anvils. Christianity is mid, late iron age.
@@vikingventures3888 The forest and grasslands has a decent amount of plants that can be used to make threads that includes plants like nettle, that was used by the Germanic tribes in ancient times and much later by the Nazi to deal with cotton shortages. Less valuable then wool.
@@masterlee9822 Just because it is possible does not mean that the viking age people did it. The find material clearly shows that people used linnen for under garments and wool for outer garments as a general rule. Small pieces of silk was used as decoration by the wealthy, and there are some examples of hemp used for fabrics. But that is very rare.
@@vikingventures3888 The best local plants for threads is very common to be used for making thread. We are talking eons of people having access to local plants that are good for weaving. Only a matter of time before various people do it, over and over again increasing the chance of the knowledge spreading.