Viking Clothing

Book excerpt: Contrary to popular myth, the Vikings had a reputation for neatness and their fashions were copied far beyond the realms of Scandinavia. Those who could afford to displayed a love of fine clothes made from silks, from lightweight worsteds in subtly woven twills, and from the finest of linens. This accessible new book is the first to tackle the question of what the Vikings wore, drawing on evidence from art and archaeology, literature, and linguistics to arrive at a fresh understanding of the nature of Viking clothing, covering rich and poor, men and women across Scandinavia. It includes an overview of Viking textiles and dyeing, and an exploration of cloth production and clothing in the context of Viking society as a whole, as well as a detailed consideration of both male and female outfits and a new interpretation of the suspended dress.