During the second half of the 19th century, old principles gave way to the new era. Industrialization and the fragmentation of the old peasant society in favor of urbanization and, in the long term, globalization were powerful forces that affected traditions. Nationalism then emerged to preserve and document the older cultural heritage. The handicraft movement, as well as the local heritage and folk music movements, were initiated.

Clothing became symbols of our history. Here, the somewhat misleading concept of the ’National costume’ was created. From this tumultuous time up to today, clothing from the peasant society has been newly made. It has been copied, reconstructed, and newly created. The perception of what folk costumes looked like has varied.

Folk costumes were far from the ’uniform’ they became in the 20th century. The rules of the folk costume area were not written down, but rather a living culture that set a norm. Everyone who shared and accepted that system of norms knew what was acceptable and what was not. Each person had their personal wardrobe depending on needs and available resources. The dress style also varied depending on fashion influences, local tailors, and the availability of fabrics.

In Skåne, we experienced an economic boom during the 1500s. We were part of the Danish kingdom, and European fashion showed itself in the Skåne costume style. During the 1600s, conditions worsened. Skåne became Swedish, and it was a turbulent time for the region. The Skåne costume stagnated and came to be seen as an older, more antiquated dress style.

The term ’folk costume’ is the scientific term used for clothing worn by the peasant population in the pre-industrial society within defined areas where the cultural conditions were such that clothing developed local characteristics that distinguished it from clothing in other regions. However, the concept of folk costume should not be interpreted as a set combination of garments that formed a stereotypical unit, but rather as a varied wardrobe from which the owner chose and combined garments according to season and occasion. (Håkan Liby)

Folk costumes can be divided into three categories:

1. Documented costumes are preserved garments from a specific area from before 1850.
2. Reconstructed costumes are those created from parts of original garments where the entire costume is not available.
3. Composed costumes are created without a model, such as the Swedish national costume.

In the wake of standardization, to create a common stance, a common symbol for its history, its region, and its homeland, Charlotte Weibull’s costumes were born. Gillet skånsk dräkt works to spread knowledge and help its members find information about the folk costume areas in Skåne.