In Austria, the wearing of folk costume was promoted by Viktor von Geramb (1884–1958), professor of folk culture at the universities of Graz and Vienna. He saw folk costume as a means of rejuvenating Austrian identity after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy during the First World War. [11] Von Geramb was critical of the tracht associations for insisting rigidly on the historic designs, which were treated as a uniform of the association. He argued that, for folk costume to be a living tradition, it needed to express the individuality of the wearer; thus designs and materials needed to be adapted to contemporary culture and technology. [53] Accordingly, he worked with commercial firms on finding material and designs that would allow the production of folk costume in large quantities. Consequently, Alpine tracht gained in general popularity and even spread to eastern Austria, where it had not been part of the traditional clothing culture. The dirndl was increasingly perceived as the Austrian national dress. [11] [54]

a b c d e Daniela Müller and Susanne Trettenbrein. Alles Dirndl. Anton Pustet Verlag, Salzburg 2013. ISBN 978-3-7025-0693-3 Painting by Johann Baptist Reiter (1813–1890), Frau in oberösterreichischer Tracht (Woman in folk costume from Upper Austria) A traditional dirndl apron is a piece of clothing that covers the front part of your torso from chest to hip and covers the dirndl skirt. It's usually made from cotton, linen, or silk and can be styled with traditional dresses like dirndls. Nevertheless, many others continued to wear the dirndl as a dress for festive occasions, both in the countryside and in cities such as Munich. Dirndls were regarded as suitable clothing for attending church, public holidays, Oktoberfest and other festive occasions. The dirndl was especially popular in Bavaria as a bridal dress. [70] Now I place the lining on the bodice, right sides together, and using a straight stitch sew them together right along the piping cord.

Stylish Components of an Apron

In Austria, the dirndl is a symbol of national identity, seen in Austria as a national symbol. [84] In tourist settings, staff in offices, restaurants, wineries and shops often wear dirndls as a work uniform; this is also the case in the non-Alpine regions in the east of Austria. [11] Even in everyday life, many Austrian women wear dirndls as an alternative to other fashions. [11] [18] I have found the best fabric selections in stores in Germany. This store is one that I know will also ship to the US.

The dirndl is regarded as a symbol of Bavaria. It is often worn by women working in businesses related to tourism or traditional culture, including Volksmusik, restaurants and beer gardens. [20]Whether you’re planning a visit to Oktoberfest or just like to have one, a traditional Dirndl is always flattering for women.

While I actually grew up in the Western part of Southern Germany (Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg to be exact), classic Dirndls are more of Bavarian or Alpine dress style.The closest English equivalent would be “Bavarian dress” or “Tyrolean dress,” but these terms do not really capture the full meaning of the word dirndl. Underneath a Dirndl, women typically wear a blouse made of white cotton or lace. The blouse may have short or elbow-length sleeves and is designed to provide modest coverage while still showcasing the fitted bodice of the Dirndl. Some women also choose to wear a petticoat beneath the skirt to add fullness and accentuate the traditional look.