Viking Apron -Dress with Embroidery

                          Viking Apron Dress “Hilja” with Embroidery

Apron dresses were a staple of the Viking attire. The most characteristic features of these overdresses were the shoulder straps and the simple tubular shape. Such dresses could be fitted with slits, so-called gores (added wedge-shaped pieces of fabric) or pleats, and some variants also featured an overlapping front. They usually ended at mid-calf.

The Viking apron dress, also known as smokkr or hangerok (sometimes spelled hangeroc or hangerock) had two different purposes. While the plain variant was a kind of bib apron or pinafore designed to protect the outer clothing, the more elaborate variant - trimmed with braids, embroidery work, chains and oval (tortoise) brooches - was worn as a status symbol. The historical evidence for this type of dress is confirmed by finds and representations from the archaeological sites of Hedeby and Birka.

This  slip-over dress is made of thick canvas fabric (100% cotton) and is very sturdy. It has a loosely tailored fit and features side slits. The bottom hem, shoulder straps and neckline are offset in a different colour. The Jelling (or Jellinge) style embroidery on the chest is a reproduction of a twin dragon / serpent motif that can be seen on the 10th c. silver cup of the Danish ruler Gorm. The neckline and bottom hem are both finished with herringbone stitching. This type of stitching was particularly popular for trimming hems in the Early Middle Ages.

Combine with a plain Viking dress or shift, a narrow belt, box or oval brooches and a leather pouch.

Details:
Available sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
Colours: red/teal or blue and mustard yellow)
Material: 100% cotton
Length overall: approx. 125 cm
(measured from the highest shoulder point down to the bottom hem)
Care instructions: Machine wash at 40°C, gentle cycle, do not tumble dry

How to determine  the correct size:
To take your body measurements correctly in order to determine you clothing size, please always wrap the measuring tape horizontally around your body at the fullest part. For dresses, sizes are based on your chest circumference.
If you happen to fall between two sizes, we recommend that you go up a size.
Ease is included in the pattern and reflected in the finished measurements.
 

Shipping Weight: 1.00 kg