L E T T E R VIL
To Chevalier I h r e .
O f the Drefs o f the Icelanders.
Stockholm, Sept. 6, 1774.
^ 1 ' H E Icelanders have made very
1 few alterations, i f any, in their
drefs in modern times. It is not elegant
or ornamental; but yet neat,
cleanly, and fuited to the climate.
The men all wear a linen fliirt next to
the. ildn, with a fhort jacket, and wide
pair o f breeches over it. When they
travel they wear another fhort coat
{hempa) over it. All this is made o f
coarfe black cloth [zuadmaT) ; only
the inhabitants on the north fide o f
Arnarfiord wear white cloaths. On
the head they wear large three cornered
hats, and on their feet woriled
ftockings and Icelandic flioes.
Some o f them have ftioes from Copenhagen,
but as they are rather too
dear
dear they generally make their own
flioes, fometimes o f ox hide, but
moftly of ilieep’s leather : the manner
in which they make them is thus ;
they cut a fquare piece o f leather, rather
wider than the length o f the foot,
this they fow up at the toes, and behind
at the heel, and tie it on with
leather thongs. Thefe Ihoes are convenient
enough where the country is
level ; but it would be very difficult
for us, who are not ufed to them, to
go amongft the rocks and ftones,
though the Icelanders do it with great
eafe. I fliall fpeak o f their fiffiing
cloaths hereafter.
The women are likewife always
drefled in black wadmal: they wear
^ bodice [upphlutur) over their fliifts,
which are fewed up at the bofom ;
and above this a jacket laced before,
with long narrow Jfleeves reaching
down to the wrifts. In the opening
on the fide o f the fleeve they have
chafed buttons, with a plate fixed to
each button, on which the bridegroom,
when he buys them, in order to prefent
to his bride, takes care to have
2 his
G