Audrey Lucero and Tobias Dawson

I must admit that I don't know very much about early period costuming, but this well-dressed couple definitely makes me want to learn more! Audrey and Tobias each made their own outfits using 100% wool, silk, and linen, and Tobias also crafted of all the jewelry that you see here. Now THAT's pretty amazing! Audrey sent along a description of their outfits that you can read below the pictures, and you can also see examples of their clothing worn in different combinations here, and here. If you would like to contact this talented duo, you can find them at honeyweather(at)lycos(dot)com.

Toby is wearing 10th century Swedish (or Danish, there weren't many, if any differences). The embroidery featured the red wool tunic is from the Mammen grave.

My outfit is a little more complex...

Since there are no extant garments of female viking garb (only the straps,and a few pieces here and there) I reconstructed mine from a find in Hedeby, that shows that at least one version of female garb *was* fitted around the waist, with a gore on each side. The caftan is again, my reconstruction of the over-caftan...I was thinking that since they went so far as to fit their dress, they would want to fit the over-caftan as well. I used a thin strip of silk to trim it with (because they would have had silk, just not a lot). The seams are all embroidered on the apron dress, and the embroidery on the neckline is from the oseberg queen find. (A very simple looping technique)

I sort of injected my own sense of aesthetics--women are women after all, and they like to look good--and so I thought by carefully layering the various garment lengths, it would look more pleasing.

The brooches (are double-shelled) and toiletry set (consisting of a key, tweezers, earspoon, and antler needle case) are bronze, and made by Toby Dawson.