Dräkten

Dräkten is a Swedish term that denotes the ensemble of garments worn as a complete unit. It covers both everyday outfits and specialized attire such as uniforms or ceremonial dress. In general use, dräkt refers to the full set of clothing chosen for a particular occasion or activity, including outerwear, footwear, and accessories as a coordinated whole.

In ethnology and cultural history, dräkt has a more specific meaning related to traditional dress. The regional term folkdräkt (folk costume) describes historical clothing from a defined geographic area and is distinguished by particular fabrics, colors, embroidery, and patterns. These costumes are worn during celebrations, national holidays, weddings, and folk performances, and are often preserved, studied, and reconstructed by museums, folk-costume associations, and researchers. Variants exist across counties and municipalities, reflecting local history and regional identities. Typical components in many folkdräkter include a combination of bodice (or blouse), skirt, apron, headwear, and jewelry, though exact elements vary by region.

Today, dräkten is also used in modern contexts to refer to formal or occasion-specific attire, as well as to discuss dress codes in a cultural or museum-related setting. The study and preservation of dräkten help illuminate historical daily life, textile techniques, and regional identities in Sweden.