My partner is Norwegian and I’m from the United States but everyone from my family was born and raised in Mexico. I think Bunads and their purpose/symbolism is absolutely beautiful. I love seeing all the different Bunad variations of them on May 17th and throughout the year, and I loved it when my partners grandmother showed me the different bunads in their family. I know that bunads are very expensive ($1000+USD) and that’s because they are custom made, have detailed embroidery, the material, and the time it takes to make, the silver. In Mexico the traditional dress used for special occasions is called the Huipil, and to me it seems similar to the Bunad in many ways but it’s not NEARLY as expensive. The Huipil is also custom made but the dress can still be passed down, it’s made of mostly cotton but can also have touches of wool, silk, and it’s embellished with embroidery, ribbons, lace. The dress takes a long time to make and the designs can vary based on family history (region, social standing). I think all these aspects of the dress make it similar to the Bunad, each being a cultural symbol for their respective cultures, yet the Bunad is still far more expensive than the Huipil (even the ones owned by wealthier ladies) despite all these similarities. The biggest difference is that bunads are accompanied by the silver, but is that really what bolsters the price up to thousands? The accessories that can accompany the Huipil are optional like hair accessories. I think the amount of fabric being used can also make a difference. I’ve never worn a Bunad but they’re long sleeve, have many pieces, and seem to be thick (makes sense because Norway is cold), and only some but not all Huipils are layered (plus the temperature is warmer in Mexico so the material can’t be too thick)

by Secret_Explorer6495

6 comments

  2. What is your point here? I don’t see the similarities tbh. No disrespect, but the Mexican clothing looks more like a summer dress. The cost for a bunad is more upwards from $3000.

  3. I believe the cost of a bunad comes from the hand sewn embroidery by Norwegian workers which takes weeks to make hence the cost of labour. Each piece is hand sewn and contains silver jewellery.
    The skirt, over skirt, skirt straps, shirt, vest, scarf and handbag (a tiny one) is all hand sewn based on the flowers from the region where you or your family are most commonly from.
    Often Bunads are also inherited, or many younger people get their bunads for their confirmation as a gift.

    The silver is also an additional cost. The shirt has 3 buttons, these can be silver or oxidised silver, but having it oxidised is more expensive. The shirt will also have 2 round big silver jewelleries. The best has a silver chain. The straps has a button at the back and two at the front. And the handbag has silver latch that you connect to the skirt. Lastly the shoes, accessories and scarf has silver too!

    It’s a lot of details and all the designs and jewellery is based on regions and smaller regions within these regions. So all Bunads are very different!!
    Hence the cost comes from the labour of hand sewing all of these details!!
    Thus the price for a Bunad can vary a lot from where you get it, if it is inherited, hand sown in Norway or imported to Norway.
    A hand sewn NEW Bunad from Norway, made in Norway, containing Norwegian wool, and fabric + silver jewellery will cost between 30,000-90,000 NOK (ROUGHLY 2,800-8,600 USD).
    However these prices will differ depending on what type of silver pieces you pick, if it’s oxidised, the embroidery on the outfit, the fabric used, the sourcing of the fabric, and where you buy it from!
    The prices can be even more expensive if you pick bigger silver jewellery like a crown or tiara, etc.

    I think maybe you can get it cheaper if you order it from companies that import Bunads. If I recall correctly a Bunad without jewellery was in the store 28,000 NOK. This was hand made in Thailand with Norwegian wool and fabric but imported!

    Hope this helps!

  4. You must consider that a large amount of the cost would be the work that people have put into it. Mexico has a lower cost of living, so sewers (as in people who sew) would not have to be paid as much. Things that require a lot of labour are often exorbitantly expensive in Norway due to their strict labour laws and high wages.

    I know what you mean as I am from Austria and our national dress, the Dirndl, will sell for about 200$ if you want a traditional one. In that case the differences are mostly that the bunad requires more fabric (Norway is cold, you need to keep warm), more work, often has more details (look at the hand-sown design on the bag eg) and, of course, the silver.

  5. One of the things that increases the price is obviously going to be minimum wage. Google says minimum wage in Mexico is 52,-.

  6. The silver can cost a lot, but I don’t think that is the only reason for the big price difference. I think it’s because bunad-seamstresses in Norway are probably paid a lot more than seamstresses in Mexico. And considering a bunad (with embroidery) can take 150 hours to make, that will push the price to really high levels.

    I also think it’s so wonderful when people wear their own traditional clothing. I really enjoy seeing both Norwegians and other ethnicities dress in their national costumes. It’s just amazing. Also want to say I really like the colorful style of mexican traditional clothing. ❤️

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