Yesterday was National Day in Sweden. Female members of the royal family then wear traditional costumes during the evening program. But, why not the men?
Many people in Sweden like the fact that the Swedish royal ladies wear traditional costumes during the National Day. The two colors of Swedish traditional costume are incorporated so beautifully in the costume, and it looks beautiful. Suitable for a National Holiday. Yesterday I wrote a blog about the National Holiday. This prompted several people to ask: why do the women wear traditional costumes and the men do not? In this blog I would therefore like to tell you more about the origins of the traditional costume.
Women’s fashion at the end of the 18th century required the bodice to be tied as tightly as possible. That was not easy when working outside, which many people did at that time. Breathing was often not that easy. There was not yet a separate costume for each region. So Swedish folk costume is actually not that traditional at all, because it hasn’t been around for very long.
Who then decided to wear traditional costumes? And who designed it? Swedish nationalism was very strong in the late 18th century and early 19th century. That’s why Märta Jörgensen wanted women to be able to wear a national costume. But this was not the only reason.
Who was Märta Jörgensen?
Märta Emilia Matilda Jörgensen was born in 1874 as Märta Pettersson. She had the most important role in the reform of Swedish national costumes for women. She worked as a gardener (gardenwoman) at Tullgarn Palace. She realized that the national costume worn by the then Crown Princess Victoria was much more comfortable than the tight-fitting clothing she herself had to wear. That is why she founded the Swedish National Costume Association for Women in 1902. The following year she designed two costumes. One for everyday use, and one for special occasions. The latter was made in patriotic blue and yellow. This costume was suitable for women all over the country. Unfortunately, the traditional costume only became popular after her death in 1967. It was revived in the 1970s. The Modern Museet put it back on the market.
The role of Queen Silvia
Queen Silvia wore the costume on National Day on June 6, 1983. After that, it was considered the official National Costume.
The fabric of the Swedish costume is cotton. It is made at the largest linen weaving mill in Sweden: Horred. The costume consists of a long blue dress. Over this is a yellow skirt (front only), with an edge with embroidered daisies. The daisy is the county flower of Skåne County, which is located in southern Sweden. In addition, there is a white hood. You often see this with Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Sofia on National Holiday. Princess Madeleine also wears this clothing when she is in Sweden (which will be more often from this year, because the family will move back to Sweden this summer).
For unmarried ladies/girls there is a girls’ ring to wear in their hair. This is a kind of hair band. We didn’t see this with Princess Estelle.
Blue and yellow is of course primarily the color of the Swedish flag. The Swedes are extremely proud of these colors. Did you know that even when traffic indicates that a sharp bend is coming, these signs are blue and yellow? They are also very proud of their flag. That is why there are also flag ceremonies on National Day. It is therefore not only the National Holiday, but also the National Flag Day.
There are different costumes per region. You saw this, for example, with Princess Sofia, during the baptism of her son Prince Gabriel. She then wore the traditional costume of Älvdalen, the place where Sofia grew up since she was 6 years old. Älvdalen is located in the Duchy of Dalarna.
But not only Sofia wore traditional costumes from the region she has a link with. On National Day 2020, photos of Victoria and Daniel’s family were released, showing Victoria, Estelle and Oscar wearing traditional costumes from their own Duchy. Prince Daniel does not wear traditional costume. Crown Princess Victoria can be seen in the photo below in the traditional costume of her Duchy of Västergötland.
Princess Estelle in the costume of her Duchy of Östergötland and Prince Oscar in the costume of his Duchy of Skåne.
Yet Prince Daniel also once wore Ockelbo’s men’s costume. This is the region where Prince Daniel was born and raised.
On Victoria Days, Crown Princess Victoria’s birthday, Queen Silvia and Crown Princess Victoria wear traditional costumes from Victoria’s Duchy of Öland.
Princess Madeleine with the Järvsödräkt, which matches her title Duchess of Gästrikland and Hälsingland.
Why not men?
Back to the question from several readers. Why do only the women of the Swedish Royals wear the traditional costume, and not the men? This is the case with many Swedish people. The male costume was simply not made at first. This was only designed in 1982. Woolen trousers were then made, with a vest that was made in the linen weaving mill in Horred, where the women’s costumes are also made. Apparently Queen Silvia made the choice to wear the traditional costume. But King Carl Gustaf did not make the choice to wear the men’s costume, which was also much less known. It can be that simple.
