Our clothes help us understand the world around us and ourselves. Some items can be dispensed with, but we all need clothes. If you want to understand a culture, clothing is a great way to get close to that culture. In the late 19th century, ethnologists went to Sweden to document ancient traditions that they believed were disappearing with the industrial revolution. Using clothing and other objects, they identified areas that were particularly old-fashioned, known as relict areas. Subsequent researchers found that there were no such areas that had remained stagnant, but everywhere there had been change. In her thesis, Martina tries to build a bridge between the older ethnologists and today's researchers. Using the clothing of the common people of the Virestad parish in southern Småland, Martina examines estate records from 1750 to 1850 to see what clothing people left behind. Together with many other sources, she creates a micro-historical puzzle. The analysis of the sources reveals different results than previously known. The local population has created an image of ancient clothing but their tradition has been renewed as needed. In terms of trade, economy and politics, the area is not old-fashioned, but rather at the forefront. In order to be modern, tradition is sometimes needed as a counterpoint and this can be seen in Virestad. People emerge who create their own tradition.