Traditional German Clothing

Did you know that in the past, clothing in Germany was actually a reflection of the social and legal status of a citizen? Studying the outfits that Germans wore traditionally helps you get an insight into their culture. Every region in the world is easily identifiable by the kind of clothing that was traditionally worn there. Clothing that was traditionally worn in Germany is no different. The clothes that men and women wore traditionally tell people a lot about the country and its culture. To actually understand the German clothing of the years gone by, it is important to understand the concept of tracht.

If you’ve been to Oktoberfest, which is celebrated all over the world, you are familiar with lederhosen and dirndls. Lederhosen, which means “leather trousers” in German, are the short leather pants worn by men. These are usually knee-length and are the historically worn by working-class German men with rustic shoes and wool socks. These pants were worn with shirts and sweaters made of coarse linen or wool. Other clothes teamed with the pants were wool stockings and country shoes. Jackets and hats vary according to region and occasion.

The dirndl is a ruffled apron dress worn by German women that consists of a bodice, or blouse, and a skirt. In the 19th century, the dirndl was the standard uniform of servant girls, but today it is mostly worn in Germany and Austria, and like lederhosen, usually for celebration. Each of these garments is a type of tracht, which historically was used to help identify people as members of a certain status.

In many regions, especially Southern Germany, Bavaria and Austria, it is still acceptable to wear ‘tracht’ on official occasions like weddings, festivals, etc. Contemporary fashion adapts to traditional elements, the production of dirndl and lederhosen is a thriving industry in Germany.