Wearing loose fitting tops and pants of a deep blue hue can create the basic foundation for your maternity outfit. While navy blues reflect the most authentic hue of Norway’s national colors, don’t worry too much about getting the absolute perfect shade. So long as you avoid sickly looking pastels and aquamarines, you’ll be able to capture the sentiment of nationalism in your wardrobe. Accessorize with a red scarf or turban to achieve a more old-fashioned look. My mother, incidentally, knitted the light-weight Norwegian baby sweater pictured above.
The striped red and white Norwegian busserulle pictured to the left can be used fairly far into pregnancy, since the slits on the sides allow some room for growth. The busserulle isn’t meant to be a tight-fitting garment, so if you’re lucky enough to own one, you’ll find it won’t overemphasize your pregnant belly like most maternity clothes do. It’s an excellent shirt for cool summer nights and can be worn with jeans or a pair of comfortable slacks.
White is a popular trim for all sorts of clothing, so it’s not too difficult to find red or navy maternity tops and capris featuring a white border or white buttons. Simply pair these garments up into a set to accomplish more of a “day at the sea-side” look. If the combination of cat hair and clothing doesn’t phase you, this is also a great outfit to wear around the house. Maia (pictured to the right) is my thirteen-year-old Norwegian Forest Cat.
A good pair of red shoes or sandals can complete the picture of patriotism when you include the imagery of the Norwegian flag. They’re easy to make, if you follow the instructions below.
Patriot Shoes
Materials:
Red canvas shoes or sandals
Fabric pens: white and navy blue
Flexible flat edge (bendable ruler or a piece of paper will do)
How to make them:
Make sure your red canvas shoes or sandals have plain tops (over the arch of the foot) that will give you enough space to paint on. The canvas should be clean and dry.
Using a flat edge, draw a symmetrical blue cross (about ¾ of an inch wide) that spans the top of your shoe. The cross should extend from the toe area to a logical ending point before the ankle (depending on the type of shoe and whether it has laces or other uneven surfaces that would interfere with painting), and from the left to the right sides of the foot. Let dry before going on to the next task. Go over the blue again if the color is not dark enough.
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