On special occasions, Norwegian-Americans sometimes dress up as Vikings. We get very creative, but sometimes we just make things up. What did a Viking really look like?

We know that Vikings didn't look like what we see in Hollywood movies.  Not all of them were tall and blonde and they definitely didn't run around with horns on their helmets.  But does this make the Vikings less exciting?  Not at all.--it is even more exciting to find out how things really were. Finds in Viking graves give us clues about how they dressed.

The basic costume of a Viking woman consisted of a long chemise made of wool or linen.  Sometimes this chemise was pleated. Over it she wore a long, woolen dress with side splits up to her waist and with shoulder straps. We might say it looked like a long jumper. The shoulder straps were fastened to the dress with two decorative brooches (pins), one below each shoulder. Between the brooches, a decorative chain or a string of beads looped down her chest.

A married woman wore a linen kerchief which covered her hair--and from her belt hung a bunch of keys. Unmarried women did not have to cover their hair and they might braid it or tie it up with a ribbon. However, on a cold day they would wear a scarf, a shawl or a hood. When it was cold, they also put on a cloak or a shawl, fastened with a brooch.


The costume of a Viking man consisted basically of a shirt of wool or linen, a pair of trousers or breeches, and a relatively tight tunic. This tunic might be short or go down to his knees. Several types of trousers were used and it seems a Viking had several styles to choose from. They might be ankle-long and tight or knee-long and wide.


In cold weather, a Viking would wear a cloak, held together by a pin or brooch. Both women's and men's cloaks might be lined with fine furs.

We don't know much about what sort of clothing children wore, but it was probably just like adult clothes but made smaller for the children. Tunic and pants  for boys, and a dress for girls.

We know that the Vikings brought home fine fabrics from abroad, not only by raiding, but also by trading. The linen and wool they made at home was dyed in bright colors and sometimes decorated. Shaggy furs and hides were also used for clothes . The clothes were durable and good for hunting and traveling.  It was more important that the clothes gave them protection from the wind and weather than just look fancy. Footwear for both men and women were made of calf or goatskin, laced around the ankle. Shoes and boots were also used.

Both women and men wore hats and gloves of wool, or leather if the weather was bad. Good weapons, especially first-class swords, were important to men.

Coats-of-mail (armor chain) and helmets were expensive and only chieftains or other powerful men could afford them. The Vikings probably got them during raids on other people.

Archaeological finds tell us that the way most people think Vikings looked is wrong.   And thinking about it--would an adventurous and well-traveled Viking walk around looking like a clown from the wilderness? Don't underestimate him!