Bunad til konfirmasjonen

Abstract

For the past ten years there has been a change in girls’ choice of clothes for confirmation. Today most girls choose to wear a bunad (Norwegian folk dress) for their confirmation. What meaning and symbolism, do girls see in a bunad? How do young people justify their choice of clothes and what social forces are in operation? Themes which are considered in the discussion are: young people’s consideration of a bunad and economy, their emphasis on the costume’s history and appearance, taste and aesthetics, and what a bunad means for their own identity and sense of belonging. The bunad is a resource. The wearer is accepted and acknowledged as part of the social field. At the same time the purchase of a bunad presupposes considerable economic capital. Girls who do not wear a bunad for confirmation stand out. The article deals with how social forces are in play when young people choose their confirmation outfit.

Keywords

• folk dress
• confirmation
• youth
• identity
• symbolic capital