Click Here To See The Full Range of Viking Costumes
Try a Viking costume for your next costume party! Vikings are the original “barbarians”, the epitome of plunder and mayhem. As such they are symbols for strength, ferocity, and a certain pleasure-loving freedom. They were not organized as an army but rather as bands of men with common interests and alliances. As such, they did not really wear uniforms but wore what clothes and armaments they had.
A Viking costume is loosely envisioned as the garb of rough men who lived in Northern Europe. One defining piece of gear is the helmet, which often has animal horns attached to it. Wear it long like a full-fledged warrior or chieftain, or use one with studs, for the novice but eager barbarian.
Fur clothes make the barbarian warrior, and Vikings are definitely no exception, especially considering their homelands were cold and harsh. They wore them at home and under their armor. Lots of fur trim and panels are great, but avoid prints patterned after creatures not within Viking raiding territories, like tigers and jaguars. Stick to bears and wolves for maximum accuracy to the character.
A Viking costume can also include a cloak, which makes sense, again because of the harsh conditions they lived in. Outside of their villages, Viking warriors dressed in armor, particularly leather and mail. Don’t forget your tough all-weather leather boots!
As befitting such wild and wily warriors, long hair and facial hair are expected. Braids are standard fare, but don’t be shy about wearing it loose and tousled. Weapons make the warrior, and you can choose from swords, axes, bows and arrows, as well as spears, shields, and daggers. Make sure you handle them responsibly.
To play the Viking at home, get something appropriately Viking-y that isn’t a weapon or piece of armor. How about a flagon for downing mead or a large hunk of meat with the bone?
Accessorize with savage accoutrements like wolf-fang necklaces and animal bones. Some rough-forged buckles and studs are also in character. Get in the spirit of things, drink and laugh and have fun, but try not to get into too much trouble!
Click Here To See The Full Range of Viking Costumes
Available Viking Costume Sizes
Vikings are popular amongst adults, but also reasonably so amongst children. Costumes for adults feature a wider selection, but it is not difficult to find something for the little barbarian.
Children’s sizes range from small to extra-large, so kids of all persuasions can get in on the fun. Adults can find costumes from Small to Plus for women, and from Medium to X-Large for men. Some are one-size or standard, so make sure to check the items of interest for specific info.
Footwear may not be included by default, so make sure to pick out something that matches your chosen costume.
Accessories like helmets, weapons, and other props are usually one size per age category.
Feedback on some items also says they run a little small or large in different areas, especially for women’s tops. The men’s costumes are not as problematic, since a bit of looseness is okay – they are after all barbarian warriors.
Viking Background Information
The name “Viking” refers to any of a large collection of Norse explorers, pirates, and merchants from the area referred to as Scandinavia. In popular representation they are rough brutes who take whatever they can and kill whoever stands in their way, but this may be unfair. They did have diplomatic and trade relations with some other groups of people, and were fairly orderly in their home territories.
In reality, horned helmets would have been quite disadvantageous in battle, so the Viking warrior would have worn something simpler. Additionally, they were often viewed by their Anglo-Saxon neighbors as clean, considering their habit for bathing weekly and combing often. Not quite the dirty unkempt savages we often thin them to have been.
Of course, the point of a costume is more often to portray a caricature rather than the reality of the subject, so feel free to dress up as the Viking of common perception!
Viking Movies & TV Shows
Perhaps the strongest reason we see Vikings as unkempt, savage sailors who knew only how to fight and pillage is because many of the surviving records were written by their victims. For example, it would not be surprising to find yourself vilified by the kid that you bullied, even if you were quite clean-cut and well-mannered outside of your bullying.
Medieval sources abound with references to Vikings, but modern sources are not quite so. In truth though, Viking influence is evident in many popular franchises. The Norse mythologies – Odin and his gang – were spread by the Vikings. Elves, orcs, and dwarves are just some of the figures that Vikings told stories about, and now they are part of popular mythology. While nowadays there are not as many references linked directly to Vikings (outside of Scandinavia), the influence of these ancient tribesmen runs deep. All it takes to spot the results of their influence is knowing the connections.
Similar Costumes
Looking for alternatives? Well, the Norse mythological collection is a rich source of ideas for characters and costumes. Play the hero as Odin, Thor, or the Valkyries, or maybe a villain as Loki, a Jotun, or an orc. Perhaps an elf, whom the Vikings feared and praised at the same time. In the process you just might learn so much more about one of the most enduring yet least-understood mythologies.
Vikings were not the only tribesman-warriors of their time. Look up the Gaulish, Celtic, and Gothic options to see what lies in store for you.
If the Vikings were barbarian warriors, then the Roman Legions must have been their civilized counterparts, right? Dress up as a lowly legionnaire, a rising decurion, a respected centurion, or a mighty general. Hold your formation and follow the strategy and win the battle! Or at the least, keep it authentic and win the prize for best costume!
Ideal Companion Costumes
The ideal companion costumes as voted by our subscribers are the Samurai Costume and the Warrior Costume!
 Click Here To See Samurai Costumes |
