The most famous part of the Dutch costume is the wooden shoes. In the past, leather shoes were a luxury that only the rich could afford. These days, 3 million pairs of clogs are still produced in Holland annually. Nowadays, clogs are mostly worn in the countryside, as they are warmer and dryer than rubber boots. You can tell where people came from by the shape and look of the clogs. Not too long ago clogs were approved for industrial use by European Community regulations, something Dutch farmers have known for centuries of course! Wooden shoes are therefore not only abundant in souvenir shops, but are also still worn by many farmers and bulb growers as cheap, long-lasting and save working shoes. 

Where to see traditional costumes? The former fishing villages around the IJsselmeer (formerly Zuider Sea) are your best bet. Volendam and Marken are not far from Amsterdam and you are guaranteed to see the inhabitants in costume. If you'd like to see how wooden shoes are made, visit a clog factory! Other areas where you will see people in costume are the provinces of Zeeland and Friesland and the northeastern region of the Veluwe.

The area with fisherman's villages around the IJsselmeer lake is called the Golden Circle. You can stil find traditional costumes here.