German folk costume

MissDirndl · Post by **MissDirndl** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:29 pm

Hello ladies,
so I'm making the dirndl (hence the unimaginative sign in!)
but for the girdle I'd like to decorate it traditionally.
Did different areas have varying local symbols? I've come across oak leaves and other patterns -can anyone point me in the right direction?
cheers
Kate

axis sally · Post by **axis sally** » Wed May 31, 2006 8:40 pm

Hi Kate,

as you go for the Dirndl and thus the Bavarian style, the Edelweiß is a must. Furthermore hearts seem to be always included.

Sorry I could not find a decent website..but will keep my eyes open.

Liebe Grüße,
Beate

MissDirndl · Post by **MissDirndl** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:50 pm

Cheers Beate!
I'll let you know how I get on.
K x

Post by **Alex** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:21 pm

I know that a lot of the catholic german districts have distinct colours for men's clothing ... so if you went to a gentleman's outfitter in Steiermark you'd get a very differently coloured jacket from those in Tirol.

Is it the same for women's dress?

axis sally · Post by **axis sally** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:09 am

The traditional German clothes vary in colour, style and even accessories form area to area. One most prominent accessory is for example the hat the women wear in the Black Forest, as seen on this picture.

By the way...the Winterhilfswerk dedicated one of their series just to that theme...with a bit of luck you might just get one at Detling

Kate

here is "something nice" I found while looking for patterns for you. If you do not have any luck, let me know, will gladly ask for patterns on a German "cross stitching" forum.

Liebe Grüße,
Beate

MissDirndl · Post by **MissDirndl** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 7:49 pm

Thanks again Beate!
thats really pretty, my embroidery is pretty good so I think I could take elements of that and incorporate them into my frock!
thanks m'dear!
Kate

BDMhistorian · Post by **BDMhistorian** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 4:58 pm

The Dirndl style goes back to the traditional folk costumes, or Tracht. Trachten vary by region and area - one valley over may have an entirely different style of Trachten clothing than the next. The Dirndl itself is loosely based on this traditional clothing and worn mostly in Southern Germany and parts of Austria. They became fashionable after World War I and then, obviously, during the Third Reich because they fitted in well with the "traditional German" concept.

As such, a lot of the Dirndls produced at the time were fashion items rather than items that denoted where the wearer came from or what their social standing was (both elements of the actual Tracht). Dirndl style dresses worn by younger girls and most women were generally fairly plain aside from the pattern of the fabric.

The photo below shows some common styles of the time period. It's from color footage of a parade I have on DVD, I believe it's from "Das Dritte Reich in Farbe".

Some period publications also warned against mixing and matching traditional elements for the sake of fashion. Says the 1938 book "Noch guter Ton?" (a book on manners), that the changing of traditional clothing is kitchy and "while the ladies mean well, one doesn't quite know whether to laugh or cry when you see the girls with embroidered hearts on their dirndls, bizarre trachten-style jackets with embroidered jumping mountain goats, men's hats, and - to top it off - a Japanese parasol."

If anyone is interested, I have an issue of "Unsere Kleidung" from the Association of German Women's Culture" that has patterns for dirndl-style clothing, including the traditional jumper-style dress that's worn with the white blouse. The pattern is confusing to say the least - it's several patterns in one, which you can only tell apart by the different styles of outlines used - but I could put it onto my scanner and scan it in two or three parts of anyone is interested in decyphering the mess.

MissDirndl · Post by **MissDirndl** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 7:28 pm

Thanks! Fascinating, although did they really wear them so tight?
Ahem...

BDMhistorian · Post by **BDMhistorian** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 9:34 pm

Fascinating, although did they really wear them so tight?

I'm not sure what you mean. Tight as in the ones pictured in the photo? If so, yes. The main part of the Dirndl is a jumper style dress, the bodice of which is meant to be very close fitting. They usually button or lace in front.

And note that the dirndls worn by proper women and young ladies at the time were VERY modest and closed off. The "balkonette" style dirndls that are popular at Oktoberfest were not particularly common at the time....

Schäfer · Post by **Schäfer** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:41 pm

Every August I usually visit a family run hotel on the Bavarian/Austrian border. All the female staff wear traditional dirndls and look very fetching indeed. Birgit, the nice lady who runs the hotel, says that she always wears the dress because it is timeless and is never out of fashion. There is one particular white and yellow creation that she often wears that she says she has worn for over 10 years.

I must admit though, on my last visit there I saw her sneaking out the back wearing jeans one afternoon as she had to go to Salzburg on a shopping trip!

Birgit is on the right in the photo:-

http://www.neuhaeusl.de

axis sally · Post by **axis sally** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:54 pm

Fascinating, although did they really wear them so tight?

Yes...so be adviced if buying one, get it one size bigger if you are very feminine.

Liebe Grüße,
Beate

Wilder Feger · Post by **Wilder Feger** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 2:09 pm

axis sally wrote:
Fascinating, although did they really wear them so tight?

Yes...so be adviced if buying one, get it one size bigger if you are very feminine.

Liebe Grüße,
Beate

I wish there was a place here to try them on... and I wish I could sew!!
I'm so hesitant to buy one from Ebay because it looks like it needs to fit "just right". Beate, I think I owe you a PM come to think of it...

Kel

BDMhistorian · Post by **BDMhistorian** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 4:05 pm

I'm so hesitant to buy one from Ebay because it looks like it needs to fit "just right".

I bought mine on eBay. Ask them to send you exact measurements. If you are unsure, buy a size larger. You can always have it taken in a bit at the seams. Any tailor shop will do that for you.

Also, a lot of the ones they sell are really great and correct for the time period. Pick a fairly "plain" one and make sure they have no polyester content. Unfortunately a lot of the current ones come with horrible polyester blouses so you may need to replace the blouse once you get it.

A good place to get linen / cotton blouses is http://www.touchofeurope.net/ They also sell bloomers, slips, nightdresses and the like. I bought my dirndl blouse and a work apron there.

Wilder Feger · Post by **Wilder Feger** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 4:21 pm

Appreciate the info, Chris. I'm trying to get one together for Detling. I've looked on Ebay (US and Germany), but am just weary...and they go so high! I'd like a kind of plain one (in a blue, green, red or even dark brown), but one that the corset is almost an underbust where you would have to wear the blouse and one with an apron. I'm just having a difficult time getting style, colour, price and size to all come together really.
Thanks!
Kel

BDMhistorian · Post by **BDMhistorian** » Wed Jun 21, 2006 4:38 pm

Keep away from the underbust ("balkonette") style for 1930s since you don't see them worn. You want one that is fairly closed up. They're all worn with a white blouse and apron, of course.

This would be a good style, very closed up, though.
Or something like this. It's a little bit more "open" at the top.

The second one is similar in cut and style to the one that I have. But mine is green and white checkered.

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German folk costume

German folk costume

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