Attending Festivals in Germany

Introduction

Europe is known for its rich culture and heritage. Many tourists flock to the continent in order to attend festivals and learn more about their culture.

Examples of festivals include the Carnival of Venice, Vinterjazz in Copenhagens, St Patrick’s Day in Ireland, and Oktoberfest in Germany. Some festivals are particular with their customers. Such as Germany where men are supposed to wear lederhosen for Oktoberfest.

Trachts

Dirndl and lederhosen are collectively known as trachts. They first appeared between the 18th and 19th centuries. They were initially worn by labor workers, farmers, or servants and indicated their social class.

Dirndl

Dirndl was the clothing for women. It was the most popular  German outfit worn by women in Southern Germany. It consisted of four main pieces of clothing: a shirt, a bodice worn over the shirt, a skirt, and an apron worn over the skirt.

Transformation

Dirndl was as mentioned above, initially worn by servants and peasants. It was made out of soft and breathable material making it easy for women to work in them. Later, under Jewish influence, the dress was transformed into much more formal wear which was then worn by the aristocracy.

Popularity

Dirndl lost its popularity after the Second World War due to western influence over clothing and culture. But it was brought back by heritage preserving german outfits festivals such as lederhosen for Oktoberfest.

Lederhosen

In Germany, the most well-known outfit for men is the lederhosen. Translated to English, lederhosen means ‘leather trousers. They were originally made out of deer leather.

Popularity

Initially, they were worn by farmers, hunters, and riders but then the industrial revolution came about and so it was also preferred for hard physical labor activities.

The leather material could withstand harsh weather and dirt could be washed away easily. Stains wouldn’t seep through the material, protecting the clothing underneath.  They were so enduring that they were passed on from father to son and so on.

Where to Buy

Nowadays, you can find lederhosen in many different forms and materials. They are easily available all over Germany and are most popularly worn at their cultural festivals. Wearing Lederhosen for Oktoberfest is the best way for tourists to impress the locals and respect their culture.

The Complete Outfit

Although leather trousers are the main component of the outfit, it also consists of a shirt which is usually white in color or check in print. In winters, a woolen sweater is preferred over it including wool socks and a jacket and hat.

The outfit’s style varies from region to region. In Bavaria, the original version is still worn today. In other regions, clans have made their outfit look different through color patterns, embroidery, and accessories.

The length of the pants varies. Short leather trousers are usually worn by young boys or men while longer versions are worn by older men. Although previously, the lederhosen was worn by the working class. More recently, it has been embraced by royal families making these german outfits a matter of pride.