Viking Clothes. What did the Vikings wear

Viking clothes were made from wool, linen, and animal skins. The Vikings were skillful weavers and made their own clothes. Women, with the help of children, made the wool into yarn and used natural dyes from plants to give it color. Men wore tunics and trousers and women wore a long dress with a pinafore over it.

How do we know anything about Viking clothes?

We know very little on account of the limited archaeological evidence that is available. In most circumstances, materials and fabrics do not preserve very well. When fragments are recovered, they are usually very small and often damaged.

However, we can also draw from written evidence such as the Norse sagas. Together with archaeological evidence, we can piece together a somewhat accurate picture of Viking clothing.

It is believed that many of their clothes were bright and colorful. In addition to black and white, the Vikings also had blue, red, yellow, and various other colors to choose from. But some colors will have been harder to come by than others.

Perhaps one of the most important colors in terms of its significance was the color red. This was a valuable color for prestige and in terms of monetary value too. It was one of the more expensive colors because it derived from the madder plant root, a plant that wasn’t native to Scandinavia. Instead, the Vikings had to trade and barter for it from other European tribes, which pushed up its value.

Some clothes also had intricate patterns on them. We can see from the detailing found on things like weapons and even longships just how much the Vikings liked to decorate things. And this point towards clothing is far from plain and ordinary, perhaps in line with the social hierarchy of importance.

What did Viking men wear?

Layers were big during the Viking era too. Whether men were shipbuilding, hunting, or raiding, it was important for them to keep warm during their physical work.

Base garments were likely lighter and shorter-sleeved in the warmer months and thicker and longer during the dark of winter. Colorways here are unknown but it is likely they varied from the colors mentions earlier.

On top of this base layer, men would were a tunic. This outer garment was most probably slightly thicker and draped long to knees. Some of the tunics may have also have been patterned or had significant symbols woven into them for more significant members.

Men’s trousers were relatively simply. They had no pockets and could be both loose-fitting or tight. They were produced using local wool or linen.

Perhaps rather unsurprisingly men’s underwear was made mostly from linen rather wool. This was because linen was far more comfortable on the skin than wool, although, some of those in lower social circles most likely had no option but to wear wool because it was far cheaper.

Finally, almost like the Vikings foreseen a fashion trend the 1980s, men also wore leggings or wool wrappings around from their knees down to their ankles and feet.

Clothes for Viking women

Turning our attention to Viking women, we can see some differences. They were made largely from the same materials, wool, and linen, but were cut differently.

Women too, it was important to keep warm. A base layer consisted of a linen under-dress which stretched from the shoulder down to ankle length. This layer was either plain or patterned depending on what Viking community one belonged to.

On top of that, there was likely a wool strap dress that was slightly shorter in length. The two layers were fastened together at the straps by two iron or bronze brooches. If a woman was of very high standing, she might have had gold brooches.

Neither the men’s nor the women’s clothes contained buttons. Nor did they have practical additions like pockets. But hoods or some kind of head garment made of wool or linen would have been common during winter.

Silk garments were available but because they had to be imported across great distances, they were not used so much, perhaps reserved only for the elite members of Viking societies.

Viking warrior clothes

The types of clothes men wore in battle were a lot more robust. Cloaks or much thicker tunics were preferred, perhaps made out of something like sheep’s skin or some other animal, for those long voyages. In this instance, it was vital to keep warm ahead or a battle or raid.

In battle, a strong leather belt around the waist would hold weapons in place, but also meant they were within easy reach should they need them. The belt would hold an ax, a sword, and other smaller instruments used in battle and pillages.

Men would also wear thick, leather body armor for protection and have a shield for protection from sword strikes or blows from axes. Typically, though, with the exception of metal helmets (no horns, of course), Vikings did not have overly heavy clothing or armor, largely because it was a hindrance to their maneuverability in battle.

Viking socks

In the winter, it was important to keep warm, so it would be very common for the Vikings to wear things like wool socks, scarves or even mittens.

Such items were not knitted as you might expect but made during a technique known as Nálbinding (needle-binding). This process ensured that socks, or mittens and scarfs, were very tough and hard-wearing.

Viking shoes

It was common for Viking shoes to be of ankle height, although boots were also worn. Both were made out of leather in a process known as the ‘turn shoe’ technique. It involved the shoe or book being made – stitched – inside-out and then pulled through into its final shape. The shoes were likely fastened by at least one toggle that they could adjust for a better fit.

Even though the shoes were made out of leather, they didn’t last more than a few months and certainly never over one year. The sole would likely wear through owing to wear and tear and require replacing.

The type of clothes the Vikings wore was first and foremost for practical purposes. And just like today, what they wore altered with the change of seasons. Those of higher standing or simply those with more money, garments may have been of better quality with patterns or symbols.

So next time you dig out that big winter coat in late autumn, think about the Vikings, a people that we have more in common with than you might think.