The Volendam women’s costume, with its distinctive high pointed bonnet, is one of the most iconic symbols of traditional Dutch dress – a staple on postcards from the Netherlands.
But in daily life, outside of the tourist industry, only 85-year-old Annie In de Betouw-Kwakman continues to wear it publicly.
Historically, clothing in the Netherlands served as a powerful identifier of one’s origins.
“Almost every Dutch village used to have their own look,” fashion historian Birthe Weijkamp explained.
“You could recognise where someone was coming from, what village they belonged to. So it was very much about identity, about belonging somewhere.”
In Volendam, a village 22 kilometres north of Amsterdam, the traditional costume was ubiquitous until the mid-20th century, according to Simone Kwakman-Brinkkemper, a specialist in the attire.
The intricate daily ensemble comprises a black jacket (‘jak’), a short scarf (‘dasje’), an apron (‘bontje’), a long skirt, a tight red coral beaded necklace, a white bonnet known as a ‘hul’, and black slip-on shoes (‘muilen’).
However, as residents sought employment beyond the village, the elaborate, handmade garments, demanding considerable skill to produce, proved increasingly impractical.
Ms In de Betouw-Kwakman witnessed her friends and sisters readily adopt modern clothing. Today, the only other person in Volendam still wearing the full daily attire is an elderly woman who no longer ventures outside.
Ms In de Betouw-Kwakman herself briefly attempted to modernise for her school-aged children, who reported being teased by classmates. She purchased a dress but swiftly discarded it.
“The neighbour said, ‘What are you wearing? You look like a candy cane,’” she recalled.
“I’m colour-blind… I looked like a fool.”
Ms In de Betouw-Kwakman said that she is proud of her traditional clothes, and sad that the tradition is destined to vanish with her.
“Everyone is different, and everyone finds something else beautiful or comfortable. For me, this is freedom,” she said.