Viking Costumes

A Viking outfit is not bought in one go: it is put together piece by piece, the way people of the Viking Age dressed themselves, in layers. This section brings together the shop's costume pieces — trousers, dress, bracers, leg wraps, belts, pouch and belt bag — for medieval fairs, LARP, Halloween or a photo shoot. Cloaks have their own section, Cloaks & Hoods.

Building an outfit, layer by layer

The base. For a man, the cotton and linen trousers with laced calves, loose at the top and tied below the knee. For a woman, the long-sleeved long dress, fitted at the bust and flared down to the ankles. A plain tunic or t-shirt over the trousers, and the silhouette is set.

The belt. It shapes the outfit and carries everything else. The wide knotwork belt marks the waist; the slimmer ring belt knots back on itself and takes the sword frog.

What hangs from the belt. The drawstring pouch for coins, the flap belt bag for phone and keys, the sword frog for a LARP weapon.

Arms and legs. The ring bracers lace onto the forearm, the faux fur leg wraps tie over the boot. These are the pieces that say "TV warrior" at first glance.

The cloak. A hooded cloak from the Cloaks & Hoods section completes the outfit, held at the shoulder by a brooch.

What is attested, and what comes from the screen

We prefer to say it piece by piece, because that is what separates a costume from a reenactment.

• Attested: trousers, loose or fitted, often tied below the knee, which the geographer Ibn Rustah described among the Rus in the 10th century; the two-layer women's outfit, a long dress under an apron dress held by two oval brooches; the belt and what hung from it, knife, comb, whetstone, found in graves.
• Inspired by TV series: the leather bracer, unknown to Viking archaeology; the fur leg wrap, where people wore woollen leg bindings; the wide belt, when belts of the period were two or three centimetres wide and stood out for their bronze fittings.
• Modern, and proudly so: the belt bag big enough for a phone, and the sword frog designed for LARP weapons.

On materials, the same frankness: our pieces are made of faux leather, polyester or a cotton and linen blend, not wool or tanned leather. They are made to be worn for a day at a fair, not to reproduce an excavated garment. Each product page states its exact material.

Choosing your size

The trousers are chosen by their length and waist, the dress by its bust measurement: each of the two product pages has its size guide in centimetres. Between two sizes, take the larger one. The accessories adjust themselves, with lacing, straps, buckles or a knot.

Care

The faux leather of the bracers, belts, pouch and belt bag is wiped with a damp cloth. The dress is washed cold, inside out, and dried flat. The faux fur of the leg wraps is brushed, and a stain is treated with a damp sponge.

Frequently asked questions

Can I put together a complete Viking costume in this section? Yes: trousers or a dress, a belt, a pouch or a belt bag, bracers and leg wraps make a complete outfit. Add a cloak from the Cloaks & Hoods section for outdoors.

Are these costumes historically accurate? No, and we do not claim they are: they are Viking-inspired costumes. Each product page says what is attested and what comes from film or TV.

Are there pieces for women? Yes: the long-sleeved long dress, and all the accessories, belts, pouch, belt bag, bracers and leg wraps, are worn by women as well as men.

Does the sword frog come with a weapon? No: it is sold with or without its belt, without a weapon. LARP weapons are in our Viking Weapons section.

Explore also: the Viking Clothing section for t-shirts and hoodies, our article on Viking daily life for the wardrobe of the period, the Vikings series versus history to tell the screen from the real thing, and our calendar of Viking fairs and festivals to find where to wear your outfit.