A dirndl () is a dress which originated in German-speaking areas of the Alps. It is traditionally worn by women and girls in some Alpine regions of Austria, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.Anette Dralle & Christiane Mackenzie (eds.): Standardwörterbuch Plus Englisch mit Wörterbuch-App: Englisch-Deutsch, Deutsch-Englisch, PONS, Stuttgart, 2019, p. 714. A modern dirndl consists of a close-fitting bodice with a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt and an apron.
The dirndl is regarded as a folk costume (in German Tracht). Today it is generally considered traditional dress for women and girls in German-speaking parts of the Alps, with particular designs associated with different regions. The usual masculine tracht counterpart of the dirndl is lederhosen.
In the late 19th century the dirndl was adapted as a fashion mode by the upper and middle classes, and subsequently spread as a mode outside its area of origin. There are many varieties of adaptations from the original folk designs. The dirndl is also worn as an ethnic costume by German diaspora populations in other countries.
Name is a diminutive of , originally meaning "young woman". In Bavaria and Austria, Dirndl can mean a young woman, a girlfriend or the dress. The dress can for clarity be called Dirndlkleid (literally 'young woman's dress') or Dirndlgewand ('young woman's clothing'). is the form of the word in Standard German. In the Bavarian and Austrian varieties of German, the word is interchangeably Dirndl or Diandl.
Speakers of German have conflicting opinions as to whether the name Dirndl can be used for traditional as well as modern designs. Some speakers make a sharp break between traditional folk costume () and the "Dirndl", a word which they use only for modern designs. For instance, Tracht scholar Thekla Weissengruber distinguishes between renewed Tracht (based closely upon historical designs) and (tracht clothing), including dirndls and lederhosen. She says: "In this category the designs in general keep to patterns which go back to the historical costume models; only the materials, skirt lengths and colour compositions change from season to season and correspond to the trends coming from centres of fashion." This distinction assumes that the term "dirndl" describes only clothing of more modern design.
However, many other German-speakers use the terms "Dirndl" and "Tracht" interchangeably for a woman's dress in the general dirndl style, regardless of whether the design is traditional or modern. For instance, tracht scholar Gexi Tostmann, who sees the modern dirndl as having evolved from traditional tracht designs, also uses the term "Dirndl" for historical designs. A developing consensus is that a dirndl can be described as "tracht" when it has been traditionally worn by a distinct group of people over a long period. This implies that a dress based on the design principles of Alpine tracht can also be called a "dirndl", even if it has a documented history of centuries as a folk costume. For example, the traditional blue polka-dotted dress of the Wachau region of Austria can be referred to either as "Wachauer Tracht" or as the "Wachauer (everyday) Dirndl". In English, the name "dirndl" is used interchangeably for traditional and modern designs.
Basic design The dirndl consists of a bodice, skirt, blouse, and apron.
The bodice (in German: Mieder or Leiberl) is tight to the body, with a deep neckline (décolletage). It is typically made in a single piece, with the join in the front centre, secured either by lacing, buttons, a hook-and-eye closure or a zip. A zip can alternatively be on the back or the side. Traditionally, the bodice was made from dark heavy cotton, so that it would be hard-wearing. In more modern designs, the material is often cotton, linen, velvet or silk. The material is coloured or printed. The neckline () of the bodice is traditionally round or rectangular (called "balconette"). In more modern designs, it may alternatively be high, V-shaped, heart-shaped or extra deep. The bodice often has embroidered decoration, especially when worn for public events.Daniela Müller and Susanne Trettenbrein. Alles Dirndl. Anton Pustet Verlag, Salzburg 2013.
The skirt () is full, with folds gathered in at the waist. Before the 1930s, the skirt was separate from the bodice, but since then the two have been sewn to one another. Long skirts are more traditional, but in more modern designs the skirts are normally mid-length; there are also miniskirt versions. The skirt typically has a pocket on the side or in front, hidden under the apron.
The blouse () is worn under the bodice, and is cropped above the midriff. It is typically white, although other colours are possible. The blouse material is usually cambric, linen or lace. The cut of the blouse neckline changes the overall effect of the dirndl: a deeply cut blouse combines with a deeply cut bodice to accentuate décolletage, whereas a blouse with a high neckline gives a more modest effect. In traditional designs, the blouse neckline is at the base of the throat, but more recently V-shaped, balconette or heart-shaped necklines are popular. Short puff sleeves are typical, although narrow sleeves (short or long) are also common.
The apron () is attached to the skirt and is narrow, covering only the front of the skirt. Traditional apron designs vary according to local tradition and are typically only a single colour. In modern designs, the designs are more elaborate.
The winter style dirndl has heavy, warm skirts, long sleeves and aprons made of thick cotton, linen, velvet or wool. The colours are usually brown, deep green or dark blue.
Traditional dirndls
Traditional dirndls vary in design between regions and even villages. The different details may indicate the place of origin and social status of the wearer.Franz C. Lipp, Elisabeth Längle, Gexi Tostmann, Franz Hubmann (eds.): Tracht in Österreich. Geschichte und Gegenwart. Brandstätter, Vienna, 1984, . As with other folk costumes, traditional dirndls often come in two forms: one for everyday occasions, the other for traditional festivals and formal wear. Dirndls used on formal occasions are usually made with materials, designs, colours and embroidery specific to the region.
Some traditional designs feature pieces which drape over the breast, often combined with an elaborate collar. This has the function of concealing décolletage, in line with traditional Catholic ideas of modesty.Paul Wolff, Alfred Tritschler and Harald Busch: Deutschland Süden Westen Norden: Ein Bildband von deutscher Landschaft, ihren Städten, Dörfern und Menschen. In German, with English translation by Eberhard Beckmann. Umschau, Frankfurt am Main 1950. Pp. 9–11.
Wedding dirndls Wedding dirndls are ceremonial forms of the dirndl worn by brides in Alpine regions of Germany, Austria, and South Tyrol. Rather than a standardised bridal gown, traditional wedding attire historically consisted of the bride's finest festive dirndl, adapted according to local customs and regional dress traditions.
Wedding dirndls are typically made from higher-quality materials than everyday dirndls, including silk, fine cotton, velvet, or linen. Colours traditionally varied by region and period and were not limited to white. Light shades such as ivory, cream, and pastel tones are common in modern examples, while darker colours were historically worn in some areas, particularly for winter weddings.
Formal elements often include lace or long-sleeved blouses, decorative aprons made of silk or organza, and traditional jewellery such as chokers or brooches. Contemporary wedding dirndls range from historically accurate reproductions of regional Tracht to modern interpretations that retain traditional structure while incorporating modern design details.
Accessories Jewellery worn with the dirndl includes necklaces, earrings, chokers and chains. Also popular are brooches made of silver, the antlers of deer or even animals' teeth. Décolletage is often enhanced with a balconette bra (), especially for large public events.
In spring, the front of the bodice is sometimes decorated with a corsage of fresh flowers. Other popular accessories include waistcoats, silk aprons and vibrantly coloured, hand-printed silk scarves (the latter especially in the Austrian Ausseerland). In colder weather, long-sleeved woollen jackets () are worn, as are knitted woollen shawls.
The dirndl is often worn with a hair ornament called the : a small floral wreath traditionally worn by unmarried women. In Hinterskirchen in Bavaria, unmarried women wear a small crown (). In more formal settings such as church festivals, a hat or bonnet is traditionally worn.Ulrike Kretschmer, Frank Duffek and Bettina Schippel, Bayerischen Alpen: Traum in weiss-blau, Reader´s Digest, Stuttgart, 2013, pp. 54, 56. In some regions of southern Germany and Austria, married women accompany the dirndl with a bonnet called a . This headgear developed in the 17th century from a veil or headscarf and was worn by middle class urban women; later the custom spread to the countryside. The goldhaube is characterized by interwoven silk and golden threads, embroidered with lamé, gold and sequins. There are many regional varieties, including the in Munich, the in Linz and the in Wachau.
Shoes worn with the dirndl are typically court shoes (pumps) or flat, ballerina-type shoes. Knee-length socks or tights are commonly worn on the legs.
Dress etiquette The dirndl is meant to be tightly fitted and worn with a blouse. Since the dress is meant to look rustic, plastic dirndls are considered inappropriate by some.
In the past few decades, a modern tradition has developed around the placement of the knot on the apron. According to this tradition, tying the sash on the woman's left side indicates that she is single and available, while a knot tied on the right means that she is married, engaged or otherwise not interested in dating. In some versions, this is extended to a knot in the centre of the front (underage or non-disclosing) or the centre of the back (widow, waitress or child).
Adaptations A dirndl skirt is a full, wide skirt, gathered into folds at the waist.Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 12th edition, ed. Angus Stevenson and Maurice Waite. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2011, page 406.
The German terms Trachtenmode and Landhausmode (literally "country house style") describe clothing of various styles borrowing elements from folk costume, such as colour, cut or material. Examples would be single-piece dresses featuring a dirndl skirt.
In recent decades, fashion designers have been creating their own interpretations of the dirndl. While appearing to be simple and plain, a properly made modern dirndl may be quite expensive as it is tailored, and sometimes cut from costly hand-printed or silk fabrics.
A recent adaptation is the African dirndl (), which is a fusion fashion: the bodice and skirt are made from African printed material. The idea was innovated by two Cameroonian sisters and Chief executive officers of the Noh Nee label in Munich, Marie Darouiche and her sister Rahmée Wetterich. The African dirndl was premiered at Oktoberfest in 2019.(In Italian)(In German)(In French)
Similar designs Other traditional European folk costumes are sometimes mistaken for dirndls, since they include similar design elements. Examples of such folk costumes include different tracht traditions in German-speaking countries (e.g. the Gutach valley tracht from the Black Forest), as well as traditional folk costume in Norway (Bunad) and Denmark. Traditional women's clothing from Slovenia also contains similar design elements, but has its own distinct ethnic traditions.
History