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norwegian-flag-waving

people-in-norsk-bunad

Norwegian National Costumes


Norwegian National Costumes are suits/dresses special and unique for each district or area of Norway.

Just in case you didn't know, Norwegians wear regular western clothing. These special garments are worn on holidays and special occasions, such as weddings and 17th of May, Norway's Constitution Day.

ladies-bunad-from-oppdal-mens-bunad-from-northern-gudbrandsdalen

                   Lady's bunad from Oppdal.
        Men's bunad from Northern Gudbrandsdal

men-in-norwegian-national-costumes

Men in Norwegian National Costumes

There are a lot variations in the old tradition of Norway's bunader. Even some small villages and towns have their own unique nationaldrakt/festbunad (suit), especially for ladies, but for men, boys and girls.

boy in bunad-1
                                                Boy in Bunad

norwegian children in national costumes
                                             Norwegian Children in National Costumes

girls in norwegian nasjonal drakt
Girls in Norwegian National Costume

Of course, even dolls dress up in Bunader/Norske Nasjonaldrakter.
dolls dressed in norwegian bunader
Dolls dressed in Norwegian bunader

And guess what? You can even buy a "every-day suit" (kvardagsbunad/hverdagsdrakt), as well.

Every-day suits are from colorful cotton fabrics, of excellent quality, but are fairly plain in comparison to a bunad/festbunadand (party/celebration bunad).

It has very little embroidery, if any, and usually has a sterling silver brooch placed on the blouse.

All ladies national costumes have sterling silver brooches on the blouses.

norwegian-sterling-silver-brooch

Norwegian Sterling Silver Brooches

The clasps on purses, brooches, buttons, clasps, belt buckles and ornaments on shoes are made of sterling silver or pewter.

hand embroidered purse with pewter clasp pewter belt
Hand Embroidered Purse w/Pewter Clasp
and Pewter Belt

Kvardagsbunad is still very pretty, but are less expensive than the "fest" garment, which costs around $3,000.00 or more.

Needless to say, these beautiful garments are heirlooms. The price does not seem to stop the Norwegians from owning these precious garments.

ladies-in-norwegian-costumes

Ladies in Norwegian Bunader

hardanger-bunad marit-wearing-her-hardanger-bunad In Hardanger, many families have
their own special crowns that brides
wear on their wedding day.

Hardangerbunad
(left)

romsdalsbunad-norwegian-national-costume My sister-in-law Marit wearing her Hardangerbunad
(festbunad)
(right)

Notice the unusual embroidery on the apron,which is called Hardangersøm (Hardanger stitching orembroidery).These garments are also called Festbunader (Celebration Costumes).

The blouses are made of white linen orcotton. The white aprons are made of cotton. The suits are usually made of wool fabric, but kvardagsdrakter are usually made of cotton fabric.

My cousin, Ann Bodil, (left)
in her Romsdalsbunad,May 17th/Syttende Mai/
Norway's Constitution Day.

hardanger-bunader-norwegian-national-costumes

My brother's family, dressed in Hardanger bunader,
Norwegian national costumes
. Their son is wearing
The Norwegian King's Royal Guards uniform.

boy in norwegian-national costume-1


Norwegians are patriotic, and on 17th of May, it seems that EVERYBODY brings out their Norwegian flag to show that they love their country. They are very proud of being Norwegian.

If they don't carry a flag in their hand, they display red, white and blue ribbons on their coats.

Gutt i Norsk Nasjonaldrakt
Boy in Norwegian National Costume.
(left)
Photo by Bjarne Skjerve, Voss, Norway.









great great great grandpa knut oppedal-oppedal-kongen

My great, great, great, great grandfather Knut Oppedal
Oppedal Kongen (The King of Oppedal).

Last, but not least, a picture of my Great,Great,Great,Great Grandfather Knut Oppedal, also called Oppedal Kongen (the King of Oppedal) wearing a Norwegian costume. Notice how the suit is similar to the one the little boy is wearing above.

More about the Oppedal King another time.

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