Dutch National Costumes - Introduction

'The Dutch national costumes are very interesting, both to the inhabitants of the Netherlands and those people further afield. Anybody who has only seen pictures of people in national costume from, for example, Volemdam or Marken, would think that all the Dutch wear wide knickerbockers and wooden shoes, but that would be wrong.  I think it is important to know that there are many different Dutch national costumes and I aim to show you some of the prettiest here in this blog. In times gone by, just as now, people like to wear fashionable clothing.  However, these costumes are not fashion. The shape of the costumes is also connected with the geology and geography of the local area. They are meant to show the individuality of a country, town or district.

The form is also influenced by religious opinions and national and political causes.

The costumes show the personalities of the Dutch people who live in those towns and districts. They are the monuments of our ancestors.

It is a shame that over the years some of the national costumes have disappeared and made room for the less picturesque but perhaps more practical 'common fashion'.  The districts where the dress is still completely worn have become smaller and smaller; principally Walcheren, Zuid-Beveland and a part of Flemish-Zealand in the province of Zeeland; along the coast of the Ijssel-Lake (once the Zuider Zee) in the towns Huizen, Bunschoten, Spakenburg, Nunspeet and Staphorst as well as the islands Urk and Marken (now no longer an island). Further up, Scheveningen on the north sea and the province of Friesland where the costumes are mainly worn at festival times.

In many districts of Brabant you only find the bonnet, which has remained of the whole costume.'

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The above description is copied from the Dutch and it is very old. I found it and the illustrations in my mother's belongings. She lived in Noordwijk aan zee. The only part of the costume I have from those days gone by are the garnets, which formed part of the choker worn by my grandmother.

If anyone would like to correct the above passage by bringing it up to date, please contact me by email. Thank you.

In the meantime, I shall offer you the illustrations that I have and I hope you have much fun looking at them.