My Flickr Favorites: Traditional Costume Axel, The Netherlands

Today we stay in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen in the province of Zeeland and move a bit to the east to the town of Axel. The costume looks a bit un-Dutch because of the silhouette and the exuberant pearl embroidery. The most striking part is the kraplap (bodice) with shawl, seen in most of the Dutch costumes, but here they are very different. The kraplap is embroidered with a very colorful pattern of glass seed beads, and the shawl is stiffened with paper inside to make the shoulders stand up like wings. The headdress is a small lace cap over a head-iron ending in golden spirals.

For more flickr favourites see ArtMind's blog.
1. Zeeuwse Klederdracht, 2. People of The Netherlands , about half a century ago, 3. Terneuzen 09052009 DSC_0213, 4. Terneuzen 09052009 DSC_0211


And two picture postcards from my own collection.