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dirndl and lederhosen

German Fashion:The Dirndl and Lederhosen are Back!

It’s nice to see the Dirndl and Lederhosen are back…

 

As we arrived in Stuttgart at Boris’s downtown apartment, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Boris and his girlfriend, Carolina from Columbia had bought me a dirndl dress to wear to the VolksFest the next day.

 

They had guessed my size, but underestimated the smallness of my bust line.  Of course, like all dresses usually tried on, it fit everywhere except there. Luckily, the Dirndl Shop was right across the street.

 

dirndl and lederhosenWe set out the next morning to make a proper dress exchange.  

 

It wasn’t so easy for the lovely and attentive shopkeepers to find the right fit, that offered small up top and big at the holiday eating waistline, but finally with some squeezing, zipping and fluffing of the under blouse, we got it!

 

The Dirndl was the uniform of Austria, and in particular Austrian servants in the 19th century. Originally, each village of Austria had its own style and crest.

 

In the 1870’s the upper class of Austria adopted it as high fashion dress.

 

Today, there are varieties of dirndl dress styles from the traditional longer skirt, to just below the knee, and an even shorter dress. They all consist of a bodice, blouse, skirt and apron or pinafore. You’ll find them in simple cottons to wool, and even hand printed silk and exquisite Couture dress renditions.   

 

dirndl and lederhosenThe fashion industry has fully embraced this dress. Here’s a top Designer in Germany–dirndls!…  

 

 

Here are more dirndls on the runway…

 

dirndl and lederhosen
Courtesy of Miu Miu, Zimbio at Japan Fashion Week

 

Another gorgeous Couture dirndl dress in lace with a silk shawl on Boris Becker’s fiancee…

dirndl and lederhosen(Love that hat!)  

 

 

 

dirndl and lederhosen
Courtesy of the Daily Mail

 

As we started walking to the street to hail a cab to the VolksFest, dirndl and lederhosen donned, I was unsure of my presentation.  I packed a pair of suede heeled booties for our trip that by chance fit in appropriately, and then braided the sides of my hair into my ponytail on the fly.

 

As I looked around at all of the people on the downtown walking street, there was no need for concern.  Everyone stares, but it’s more to give you a nod of approval or a winking hello.  

 

I found myself in my usual encounters with locals of foreign countries I’ve visited…they all approach me, and speak to me in their native tongue, as if I’m one of them.  It’s a funny thing, but it happens everywhere I go.  I’m some kind of a magnet for this, or have a helpful look.

 

They are always surprised when I have to answer back in English or a terribly accented version of their language, and they say, “Oh, you are American.”  All through the night, Germans approached me asking for directions to the toilet, or where to find their tables.

 

 
Below on the left is the ideal way of looking in a dirndl dress with thick, braided hair and proper cleavage. On the right, women are choosing lederhosen as an alternative style.  Some wear heels with them too…

 

dirndl and lederhosen

 

You might get a lederhosen kick out of this…

Here I am in my new lime and forest green dirndl with Carolina and Boris in his lederhosen…

 

dirndl and lederhosen

 

dirndl and lederhosenProst!

 

~Courtney


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German Fashion…The Dirndl and Lederhosen are Back!