Denmark

National dress is in fact a misnomer because there was no single type of costume worn all over Denmark.  One of the main features of Danish peasant costumes was their individual character.

The period from 1750-1900, much of the clothing was homemade in one way or another.  It is in Sunday best that the distinction between various regions can be seen.  The most obvious differences were in the arrangement and composition of the headdress.  Women always wore some form of headgear – either a bonnet or a scarf.  The bonnet was comprised of a number of items, the bonnet, the piece of linen underneath and the scarf holding the whole assembly in place.  The men also had some kind of headgear.  This was partly traditional, but it was also due to drafts whistling through the house.  To safeguard one’s health, you kept your head warm.

Both men and women wore wooden clogs for everyday.  The leather top shoes were saved for celebrations such as dances or weddings.  The custom was to wear your clogs as far as the courtyard and switch into your shoes just before entering the house.  You had to care for them well – they were probably the only pair of shoes you would ever have.