A Look at Oktoberfest Attire
Posted on September 17, 2019
With Oktoberfest in full swing, nearly 6 million people from around the world have flocked to Germany to celebrate its largest volksfest of the year. This celebration is known for its large consumption of beer, but it’s also known for the people’s Bavarian-style of dress. Let’s take a look at some of the traditional outfits men and women wear when attending Oktoberfest in Munich!
Traditional Men’s Oktoberfest Attire – The Lederhosen
Traditional men’s attire for Oktoberfest consists of a dark or light brown leather pant called Lederhosen. These pants are usually tight-fitting and stop above the knee. Some other variations of these pants are the Plattlerhosen, which stops closer to the knees, and Bundhosen, which are capri-length pants.
Accompanying the Lederhosen is a tratchen shirt that is usually checkered with red and/or blue (the official colors of Bavaria). However, there are many alternative colors and styles of the shirt that can be worn underneath traditional Lederhosen.
Fun Fact: Lederhosen were originally worn for hard, physical labor, as they were more durable than fabric. They are now commonly worn as leisurewear.
Traditional Women’s Oktoberfest Attire – The Dirndl
Women typically clothe themselves in a one or two-piece dress called a Dirndl. The dresses vary in length from long to short and are made from lightweight cotton. In the wintertime, the skirt is heavy and warm, made of thick cotton, wool, or velvet.
Accompanying the Dirndl is a white, short, puffy-sleeved shirt and an apron. Although modern dirndls may look plain and simple, they are often highly tailored and cut from fancy hand-printed or silk fabrics.
Fun Fact: The location of the bow on the apron communicates a woman’s relationship status. A bow tied to the left means that the woman is single, a bow to the right means the woman is taken, a front-center bow means that the woman is a virgin, and a bow tied in the back means that the woman is a widow.
Oktoberfest Attire FAQ
Q: What types of shoes are traditionally worn to Oktoberfest?
A: Women commonly wear comfortable close-tied booties or shoes. Heeled shoes are few and far between, as attendees are on their feet for many hours of the day in celebration and prefer to be comfy. Men wear closed shoes or boots, often choosing a pair they don’t mind spilling beer on!
Q: Do any attendees wear normal clothes for the celebration?
A: Normal, everyday dress is certainly allowed, however, most attendees dress up for the festivities as it makes them feel more involved in the tradition. Even those that attend in normal dress typically sport a checkered shirt with jeans to stay with the traditional theme.
Q: How do you pronounce the traditional outfits of Oktoberfest?
A: Men’s attire, Lederhosen, is pronounced LAY-DER-HOZEN.
Women’s attire, Dirndl, is pronounced DURN-DULL.
*We look forward to seeing your traditional Bavarian outfits at this year’s Carroll Oktoberfest!*
Categories: 2019
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