During today's class one of my students offered to take me across the street to a nursing home where I might see some women still wearing the traditional garments of this region. This beautiful lady agreed to be photographed.
The panels over her shoulders are extremely heavy and stiff. On her arms are what look to be knitted "sleeves;" these are only worn in cooler weather. She also wears a lace crocheted cap. All the individual pieces of her dress are pinned by hand when she dresses.
This is an old photo of Dutch women from the same region. I believe it was taken in the 1940s, and unfortunately, I don't have a photographer's name or credit. You can see that the styles have changed somewhat.
The colors of some of the garment indicate if a woman is in mourning for a family member or close friend. A local quilt group made this quilt from the traditional old fabrics, and donated it to the nursing home.
Here are some photos of Bunschoten:
This is the port, which used to be on the sea, and is now fresh water, because of a dike!
This is a shipyard where boats were being built and repaired:
In the countryside outside of town:
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