– I will be wearing a party dress this year. A much cheaper version of something reminiscent of bunad, says Betina Claesson. The 22-year-old is a familiar face to many young people. On TikTok, she has almost 100,000 followers. Now she wants to use the platform for something positive. This year, she leaves the bunade hanging in the closet. – I’m ditching the bunad to reduce the buying pressure. We hear about pressure to buy early, already when you are about to confirm your marriage and during the Russian era. Not everyone can afford it, she says. In recent years, homemade party costumes have become more popular, but Claesson believes a bought party costume is more than good enough. Hers cost NOK 2,000. Certain bunades can cost up to NOK 50,000. Positive for new festive costumes Norway’s Husflidslag has a lot of traffic – both from people who are going to buy a new bunad, but also from many who visit the sewing studios to have older bunads fixed. The popularity of party wear has skyrocketed. Coop has had increasing sales every year since 2018, they inform news. So far this year alone, they have sold over 10,000 party costumes, and they expect increasing demand before National Day. But Norway’s Husflidlag does not see party costumes as a competitor. – We have always had party costumes in various forms. They will never be able to compete with bunad, which stands quite strongly in our cultural history, says director Marit Jacobsen. Marit Jacobsen is director of Norway’s Husflidslag. Here she is wearing Asker bunad. Photo: Privat There are over 400 different types of bunads in Norway. The most popular are from Nordland, Telemark and Rogaland. Certain models can cost up to NOK 50,000, but most are somewhere between NOK 15,000 and NOK 30,000. Householders are also experiencing a trend where more people have discovered the sewing machine in recent years. – People have become more interested in sewing themselves. They sew their own party costume inspired by the bunads. I think that’s great, says Jacobsen. I don’t think the interest will last agree The Norwegian Institute for Bunad and Folk Costume doesn’t think the interest in festive costumes, neither homemade nor bought, will last forever. – It is a kind of counter-phenomenon that applies right now. We don’t see party wear as a challenge. I also don’t think it will change the bunadan’s position. says manager Camilla Rossing. Head of the Norwegian Institute for Bunad and Folk Costume Camilla Rossing. Photo: Laila Durán She thinks it is positive that young people both choose for themselves and sew for themselves. – The interest is also an expression that young people are more engaged in sewing and textiles now than before. In the last year, it has become more common to make your own version of party dress, she says. Several have also started to play with the expression of the traditional bunad. Many people are now replacing the white bunads shirt with colorful and flowery varieties. Will speak up party outfit TikTok profile Betina Claesson says that the choice of May 17 outfit for her this year was easy. She wants no one to be judged for not wearing or owning a bunad. – Not everyone knows people who own a bunad or who have the opportunity to inherit. We have to talk about the party suit as an alternative, she says. Betina Claesson believes there is too much pressure in either wearing or buying a bunad. Photo: Private – All people should be able to choose for themselves what they want to go with without others having opinions about it, says the 22-year-old. Are you thinking of something? Hi! Would you like to advise me on a possible case? Feel free to contact us by e-mail.
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TikTok profile Betina Claesson will promote party dress as an alternative to bunad – news Oslo og Viken – Local news, TV and radio
