If you’re a fan of the TV show Vikings, there’s no shame in that, but from a historical point of view, this drivel about a biker gang on longboats belongs in the trash, along with its ageless lesbian warriors. Having got rid of the infamous horned helmets, the filmmakers stuffed the frames with so much ‘fake’ that they surpassed, perhaps, all other ‘Viking-related’ productions.
However, today we are not talking about the series, but about what the Scandinavians actually looked like, how they dressed, what they were like in real life. Believe me, much of this will seem completely un-Nordic.
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Northern giants
The average height of the Viking “giants” varied from 170 to 176 cm in different eras, which is, at best, about the same as a modern Russian. In other words, the height of a Viking usually ranged from 160 to 185 cm. Of course, the nobility was somewhat taller, and the common people were shorter. Most of the population was physically strong and lean. Women were about 155–160 cm tall and more well-fed.
Blond beasts
There are indeed plenty of blondes in Scandinavia, but such hair was only considered beautiful in the north, where blondes really did dominate. The further south you go, the darker the hair. Among the Danes, redheads dominated, and black hair was rare. The same can be said about the total blue-eyedness, which was mostly invented by the babblers of a Führer who shot himself in the basement. The most common eye colour in Scandinavia is various shades of grey.
Scandinavian hairstyles
The bacchanalia seen in films would have shocked the Vikings. Shaved heads were characteristic of the Slavs, who considered it unworthy for a man to grow long hair. It was considered unworthy for women to cut their hair.
The Scandinavians had a different paradigm: it was unworthy to shave or cut hair, which sometimes reached the waist or at least the shoulders.
However, curls were not allowed for men — they were only for women. Unfortunately, no sagas have survived about the struggle of this or that konung with curly hair.
The classic hairstyle of a pagan Scandinavian was long hair without any frills. It was only later, after the end of the Viking era and under the strong influence of Christianity, that hairstyles began to become shorter.
As a result, Scandinavians began to cut their hair in a ‘German helmet’ style, where the hair in front fell in the middle of the forehead, and on the sides and back, it fell to the earlobes.
Hygiene of the Scandinavians
It was at a very high level for the Middle Ages. In fact, the Scandinavians never sank to the level of filth that was characteristic of, say, the French, and in their society it had been considered mandatory for centuries to visit a bathhouse or wash in some other way at least once a week.
They took great care of their hair, as evidenced by the abundance of combs, some of which were very elaborate. Alternatively, they were needed to comb out parasites. Combs were so important that they were believed to have magical properties. In addition, toothpicks, nail files, various containers for washing and even tweezers (possibly for plucking overly thick eyebrows) were a normal part of everyday life.
Clothing of the Scandinavians
Viking clothing varied significantly depending on the region. In the far north, people dressed in a more archaic, utilitarian manner — resembling what we might associate with Siberian hunters. They wore fur trousers, fur-lined jackets, and hats made of the same material. On their feet were simple boots, and their hands were protected by thick fur mittens. Leather clothing was largely ignored in these colder, remote areas.
Further south, leather was more commonly used, though still less popular than fur and fabric. Fabrics could be homemade, traded, or looted. Imported or stolen textiles were usually of higher quality, but most clothing was made from coarse, homespun linen or wool, which could feel itchy and rough against the skin.
Despite these materials, Scandinavian clothing was anything but dull. They actively dyed their fabrics in bright, lively colors, creating a cheerful and vibrant aesthetic — a stark contrast to the dark, grey-blue tones typically shown in films.
Men’s Clothing:
- Men wore wide, loose-fitting shirts that reached mid-thigh or down to the shin.
- Narrow trousers were tied at the waist with ribbons or belts.
- In one notable burial, trousers were discovered with belt loops — surprisingly similar to modern designs.
- Shirts were usually cinched with leather belts, often skillfully decorated.
- Rain cloaks were popular outer garments and evolved over time to include hoods and tight fastenings. Some even featured sewn-in masks to shield the face from harsh winds.
Women’s Clothing:
- Women wore long shirts similar in design to the men’s, but longer.
- Over the shirt, they wore a garment similar to a sarafan, typically open at the sides and sometimes belted.
- These overdresses were fastened at the shoulders with brooches, whose craftsmanship and material indicated the wearer’s status.
- A shawl or scarf often covered the shoulders.
Buttons were not yet in use, and metal hooks were uncommon, so brooches, buckles, and pins served as fasteners. Among the very poor, collars and sleeves were simply sewn shut each morning and unpicked at night — a practical, if tedious, solution.
Overall, Viking clothing was functional yet expressive, and far more colorful and sophisticated than the dull, rugged image portrayed in popular media.
Jewellery
The only thing movies get right about Viking jewellery is that Scandinavians sometimes used animal teeth as ornaments. But their adornment culture was far more diverse and refined.
Jewellery in Viking society was not only decorative but also deeply symbolic. It reflected wealth, social status, and even spiritual beliefs. Both men and women wore jewellery, and there was no stigma attached to men wearing necklaces, brooches, or rings. Vikings aimed to make their appearance striking, not through makeup or elaborate hairstyles, but through layers of accessories — especially belts and bracelets that carried tools, weapons, charms, and trinkets.
Skilled craftsmen worked with a wide variety of materials — both local and imported. Items were made from:
- Amber – highly prized and worn by both genders.
- Bone, horn, and wood – commonly carved into beads, amulets, and clasps.
- Bronze – the most widely used metal for brooches and fasteners.
- Tin and silver – used to decorate or coat bronze items for wealthier clients.
- Gold – extremely rare and reserved for the elite.
Common Types of Viking Jewellery:
- Fibulae (brooches) – used to fasten cloaks or garments; highly decorative and status-signifying.
- Necklaces – often strung with amber, glass beads, or metal charms.
- Bracelets – worn on both arms, made from twisted metal or carved materials.
- Rings and signet rings – worn on fingers and sometimes on toes; signet rings could carry personal or family symbols.
- Headbands and chains – decorative and occasionally functional, helping secure head coverings.
- Earrings – less common but did exist, particularly among wealthier individuals.
- Amulets – the most popular was the Thor’s Hammer (Mjölnir), worn for protection against evil. It was later paralleled by Christian crosses, with both often coexisting.
Vikings were often compared to magpies due to their love for shiny things. Chronicles describe them as obsessed with asserting their identity and status through ornate objects — sometimes to the point of absurdity. Their fascination with glittering items was so intense that some accounts link it to a deep-seated inferiority complex or a need to assert power and prestige.In short, jewellery was not just fashion — it was a language of status, protection, and pride in the Viking world.
Headwear
Men wore fur, leather or felt hats, caps or low wide-brimmed hats. Alternatively, the cap could be made of fabric and decorated. Women went bareheaded only until marriage. After that, their hair was hidden, most often under a scarf.
Scandinavian footwear
Here, everything was rather boring, as the Scandinavians mainly wore rather primitive ‘half-boots’ made of leather, which were tied at the ankle with straps.
They had no heels, and the soles were so thin that you could feel all the unevenness of the ground through them. Presumably, this may indicate that in everyday life, Scandinavians often walked barefoot, which is why their feet were rough and insensitive.
The shins were often wrapped in woolen cloth, and socks or some kind of stockings were worn on the feet, which were sometimes sewn directly to the trousers or tied with garters over them.
After Christianisation, Scandinavian clothing did not undergo any significant changes. It was only several centuries later, when the Viking era had long since faded into obscurity, that Scandinavian fashion dissolved into the pan-European styles that had replaced it.
