Movies and TV shows have popularized the view of Scandinavia’s Vikings as grimy warriors who terrorized women as they traveled throughout modern Europe, Central Asia and North America between roughly the ninth and 11th centuries.
In reality, most Vikings were Middle Ages farmers who wore simple, durable clothing, says Ulla Mannering, an archaeologist who researches North European textiles and costumes at the National Museum of Denmark. And while a select few enjoyed more luxurious lifestyles and engaged in ferocious battles and exciting trades abroad, even their appearances would seem fairly plain to today’s audiences. “I don't think the Viking age or prehistory itself was particularly fancy,” Mannering says. “It would probably not satisfy our modern eye.”
If you’re looking to accurately replicate Viking trends with your own getups, here’s what we know (and don’t) about their clothing, grooming and accessories.
