The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2008, Side 43

Vol. 61 #4
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
181
was sewn in a unique manner that was
unchanged for over 400 years. Each part
of the garment was fully lined before
being assembled and in style resembles
the bodice of the peysufot except that the
front of the bodice is closed with seven
buttons. An apron is always worn but not
of a decorative fabric as would be used
with the peysufot or the upphlutur but of
a more practical fabric such as wool, cot-
ton or broadcloth in stripes, plaid or
other pattern. The hufa was usually worn.
A contest held in Iceland for a design
for a men’s costume produced a formal
three-piece suit of black wool featuring a
collarless jacket with modest lapels, a vest
with a double row of siver buttons, pleat-
ed front trousers and an ivory shirt with a
stand up collar, self covered buttons and
an ascot type tie of the same fabric worn
with a silver cuff-shaped tie clasp. This
has become very popular in North
America as well as in Iceland.
Some of the earlier costumes worn by
women included the “faldbuningur”
which appears that it may have evolved
into the upphlutur because it has the same
type of skirt, bodice, blouse and belt over
which was a short fitted jacket that
allowed the millur of the upphlutur to
show. The sleeves of the jacket had
upturned cuffs of velvet and bands of vel-
vet interspersed with lace or ribbon deco-
rated either side of the closure of the jack-
et. Sometimes this decoration was
embroidery of silver or gold and often
matched the unique stiff round collar also
heavily embroidered in silver or gold
worn by itself almost as a necklace. The
skirt was variously decorated with
embroidery or several rows of brightly
coloured ribbons or bands of lace.
Unique to this costume also was the
headdress which featured a faldur or
spalding held in place with a brightly
coloured scarf. The upphlutur as we
know it today does not have the short
bolero type jacket nor does it have the
unique headdress.
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