“There’s no such thing as bad weather,” the saying goes; “just bad dressing.”

This Norwegian maxim is a popular one. It rings true, too, as traditional Norwegian sweaters grow more popular as extreme weather becomes more intense around the globe. 

These traditional Nordic designs are famously dressy, too. This hidden gem is suited to keep you feeling warm and looking classy!

One Norwegian Girl Who Changed Everything

There’s an interesting story behind how Norwegian sweaters became so famous, and it all started with a girl named Marit Gulsethbrua Emstad. She lived in a municipality called Selbu, located in the Trøndelag county in Norway, which was known for millstone production.

After Marit shared her hand-knitted mittens to members of her church, within a century Selbu’s main production had shifted from millstone to Norwegian knitting. The design became enormously popular almost instantly.

The aptly named selburose knitting pattern is at the heart of Norwegian knit designs today. The pattern is characterized by a beautiful rose pattern knit in the shape of an octagon. This pattern remains associated with Selbu, however its reach has stretched across Nordic patterns as knitting has continued as a mainstay in northern Europe. 

Today, it’s easy to find selburose patterns in winter mittens and sweaters. It’s become a symbol of winter and Christmastime just as much as it remains a symbol of Selbu.

How to Stay Extra Warm in Very Cold Climates

It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to use layers in cold weather. Layers permit you to protect yourself with more barriers between you and the elements, and each barrier can offer specific benefits. 

For example, your bottom layer can hold your natural heat in, while your top layer can be water resistant.

Just as important, layering also means you can take layers off when you warm up to avoid sweating. Sweating can be dangerous in cold weather, because some garments even lose their ability to insulate you when wet. 

Another huge part of staying warm in extreme cold is to make sure you protect each part of your body. Be sure to put on: 

  • A warm hat
  • Some type of scarf or mask to cover your face
  • Sleeves that cinch or are tighter at the wrist
  • Mittens (gloves are more practical sometimes, but mittens are warmer)
  • A water-resistant coat (top layer) and boots

More Scandinavian Inspirations

The selburose design was originally inspired by carved and painted door frames of rural houses in Norway. Farms and nature played a big role in the pattern’s inspiration, too, which you see in flowers, grasses, and sometimes animals featured in colors. Selburose is also a traditionally bright and colorful knit pattern.

Icewear’s soft Norwegian sweaters are prized for their bright designs and color combinations as well, many inspired by selburose and other Nordic patterns. 

Icelandic wool offers extraordinary protection against both cold and wet weather. The changing conditions of today and temperamental weather don’t have to put a damper on your adventures or day-to-day! View the Icewear catalog for yourself.