Ankle garters: the hot tip for the Oktoberfest 2014

There are only two short weeks left until the Oktoberfest 2014 starts, and we’re going through our dirndls to work out precisely what to wear and how to wear it: which earrings? Which scarves? What make-up will complete the look? Then there are our new, trendy lederhosen-and-top combinations…

And when we put on these lovely leather pants, we suddenly had a moment of doubt. Not because they’re short and sexy (which they undeniably are), but because they somehow aren’t quite enough to make an outfit. Maybe we’re too used to all the bells and whistles in the average dirndl outfit, but somehow, the lederhosen and a Bavarian top – as good as they look – alone just don’t cut it. I mean, we’re going to the 181^st Munich Oktoberfest – and we need to look like we put some thought into our outfit!

So we were delighted to hear about the revival of an old Bavarian tradition which had all but disappeared: the “Loverli”. This was originally a garter (didn’t know exactly what a garter is? Us neither.) which was worn low, around the ankle, and occasionally came into view from below a long, old-fashioned dirndl – and told the viewer whether the wearer was taken (right leg) or not (left). If that sounds familiar, by the way, it’s because this left-right distinction is also used when tying dirndl apron strings.

In other words, regardless of its lacy raciness, the very purpose of these garters is not without a certain erotic connotation. Nevertheless, we’ve seen photos of people wearing the new-style Loverli garters on their wrists (which looks silly) and, given that the most of the new versions seem to feature black lace, they don’t look great with dirndls – which almost always have white as a base colour and are worn with white blouses. So we were slightly suspicious of this and thought it would be a passing trend that we wouldn’t really need to deal with.

However – and here comes the “big but” – we’ve discovered that they do look good in a completely non-traditional context: worn with ladies’ lederhosen. If you put on a black lace garter with a pair of shiny new black leather pants – e.g. the nappa leather pieces doing the rounds at the moment – and some delicate little pumps, you turn what you’re wearing into a proper outfit.

Although they attract attention to your lovely long legs, they also make you feel like your “wearing more”, so if you’re looking for a last little detail to complete your lederhosen outfit, we really can’t recommend anything better – or cheaper, or easier to get your hands on before you set off for Munich.