Overview
North Falster's costume is the Loch Ness Monster of Danish folk costumes. Like a unicorn, North Falster's costume is virtually never seen in the wild. Consider the Danish folk costumes that could be regarded as exotic and unlike a typical Danish folk costume (e.g. Rømø, Fanø, Mandø, Ringkøbing, Læsø, Samsø, Høng, Møn, Amager, Amrum, Red Strandby, North Falster, Ostenfeld, South Falster, Bornholm). Of those, North Falster stands in rarefied company with perhaps Ostenfeld as being the least photographed of all. As of the time of this writing, only one post-1979 photograph has been found. This is a terrible shame, and is perhaps attributable to the lack of a folk dance club on Falster, such that no one has taken it upon themselves to preserve this important piece of Danish history except for the Lolland-Falster Museum.
North Falster's stunner of a costume is rarely mistaken for one from any other Danish region due to its distinctive headgear, silk ribbon armbands, laced bodice, and dark hue of the fabrics. This extremely special costume was in regular daily use until the 1870s. Overall, dark green or black are the dominant colors. The colored yarn used in weaving Falster fabrics was procured from spinning mills in Hamburg. Thus, it was called Hamborghvergarn.
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So-called "North Falster" and "South Falster" (see map above) have different costumes. It is speculated that part of the reason they differ is that Dutch people lived on the southern tip of Falster, in and around the town of Gedesby. Thirteen Dutch had relocated to there from the Danish island of Sprogø in 1522. Much like on Amager, the different language and culture of the Dutch kept them somewhat apart from the rest of Falster, causing two Falster costumes to develop. The difference between Falster and Amager is that on Falster it is arguably the non-Dutch area that developed the more exotic costume.
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The South Falster costume was more old-fashioned, while that of North Falster incorporated more urban fashion. The North Falster costume remained in use until the 1870s, considerably longer than that of South Falster. Note that geographically, "North Falster" consists of Idestrup parish (sogn) and everything north of it. Thus, "South Falster" consists only of Væggerløse parish (sogn) and Skelby-Gedesby parish.
Falster Island
"South Falster" is marked in red, above. Everything else on Falster Island is "North Falster."
North Falster Island
North Falster Festdragt (Party Costume)
from "Danske Folke Dragter" by Nanna Gandil, 1972
This special costume was used until the 1870s. Overall, according to Nanna Gandil, dark green is the dominant color. However, many of the costumes pictured on this page appear to have black sweaters and bodices, instead of green.
The North Falster costume has several particular elements:​
a. Skirt Dark green worsted hvergarn (wool + linen) with purple, red, blue and green stripes. Two rows of patterned greenish silk ribbons, 7cm wide, adorn the bottom of the skirt. To save money, there were no ribbons under the apron, as they were quite expensive. Both silk ribbons and lace were typically bought from itinerant peddlers.
b. Apron Could be made of silk with stripes along the length. There was a pocket on the front under the apron. Silk ribbon trim sat at the bottom.
c. Knitted sweater (nattrøje) Made of dark green or black woolen yarn. In Falster, this garment was called a slouch sweater (lænketrøjen) because it had a rather distinctive, low cut.
d. Bodice It is black and laced(!), not hooked or pinned, which is quite rare in Danish folk costumes. Other Danish regions with laced bodices would be Læsø and Lolland (which is right next to Falster). Made of black cloth and is decorated with silk ribbon at the edge and armholes.
e. Wide silk bands It has pleats across the chest and as armbands around the sleeves.
f. Removable sleeve (mameluk) They were taken off for dishwashing or domestic chores.
g. Headgear Made of stiffened linen with a wide band of lace extended quite far forward from the face. In that respect, it was like the headgear of Høng and Møn Island. Some referred to it as the kiss-me-if-you-can hat as the lace got in the way. Reportedly, it was quite difficult to attach and hard to dance in. At the rear sat a small, triangular silk hat.
h. a checkered silk scarf around the neck.
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Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Amel Rahba Vestgaard, the Museumsinspektor (Curator) of Museum Lolland-Falster for very generously making her museum's collection available for display.
North Falster Island costume (circa 1860-1870)
from "Folkedragter i Danmark" by Ellen Andersen, 1952
In 1979, the predecessor organization to the Danish Folk Costume Society put on an exhibition, displaying the finest example of the North Falster costume.
Image credit: Folkedragt.dk
Image Credit: Arkiv.dk
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Painting of Birthe Nielsdatter, 1823
Image Credit: Danmarks Folkelige Broderier 1989 teksthæfte nr. 33
This absolutely lovely North Falster costume was worn by a member of Fresno Danish Dancers at Danish Days in Solvang, CA in 2025. Like a person unknowing bringing an original copy of the Declaration of Independence they found in their attic to Pawn Stars to see whether it's worth anything, this pleasant lady was unaware that she was wearing the rarest of the exotic Danish folk costumes.
Image Credit: DanishFolkCostumes.com
Married woman from North Falster
from "Danske Nationaldragter," 3rd Ed. (1915)
by F.C. Lund with illustrations by Luplau Janssen
Image Credit: Mikael Bjerregaard
North Falster Island costume (mid 1800s)
from "The Folk Dress of Europe" by James Snowden, 1979
North Falster Headgear
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Armbands
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Armbands
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Breastband
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Bridal Headdress
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Scarf
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
Bodice
Note that although most North Falster bodices are laced, this was either hooked or pinned shut
Image Credit: Museum Lolland-Falster
South Falster Island
Gedesby, South Falster
The distinctive elements of the old-fashioned South Falster costume are:
a. hat: The shape of the hat is the oldest style known in Denmark. It was sewn from two pieces of black velvet with a black lace across the front. Typically, it was tied at the neck with a black silk ribbon (see images below). Underneath it was a cap of white canvas.
b. nattrøje: dark green
c. bodice: Red wadmal bodice.
d. breastcloth: The opening in the front of the bodice is reminiscent of the Røsnæs Parish or Mandø costume, as it displayed a variegated silk breastcloth.
e. neck scarf: white canvas scarf has a hem edge and a white embroidered bouquet at the back in a stitching that can only be found on Falster Island.
f. blouse: On festive occasions, a red cotton blouse was worn over the nattrøje and bodice.
g. Apron: striped
h. Skirt: "blue/black," and folded in pleats.
South Falster Costume 1830-1840
from "Folkedragter i Danmark" by Ellen Andersen, 1952
Image credit: Hørsholm Folkedanserforening
