Bavarian winter clothing: full-length dirndls and lederhosen

Welcome to the Winter Wonderland – or rather, welcome to the second part of our mini-series on Bavarian winter clothing in which we will be showing you how traditional pieces can keep you both warm and stylish this winter. Last week we were talking about knitwear; this week, we’re going to be looking at dirndls and lederhosen long enough to really cover you up.

After all, if your contact with Bavarian costume and fashion has been limited to the Oktoberfest to date, then you might not necessarily be aware that lederhosn don’t by definition need to leave your calves to freeze, or that not all dirndels end at around knee length.

In fact, it’s quite to the contrary in the case of ladies: for years, dirndls were always ankle length, as anything else would have been considered as scandalously short. And in winter, this classic background comes into its own, as dirndls measuring between 90cm and 100cm in length, when combined with petticoats and thick tights, are far warmer than leggings or even jeans (including when worn with tights). After all, the layers of fabric trap air and create an insulated layer of warmth.

The more expensive, hand-crafted type of full-length dirndl tends to be good for winter in as much as it will often be made of wool or other heavy fabrics such as loden, cottonweave, or fulled woollen fibres such as felt. Yet even today’s value off-the-peg models, mostly made of polyester, do a great job of keeping out the cold when combined with the right underwear. Oh, and full-length dirndls also look amazing, just the right side of costume to be retro.

For guys, of course, the primary raw material for lederhosen is by its very nature a great barrier against the cold. Whether its deerskin or made of buck, lederhosen leather is made for winter. It combines a low level of water permeability with active breathing capabilities: so while your body heat is kept in by the trouser, steam can get through, keeping you warm, dry, and sweat-free. Worn with knitwear and thick socks, your short or knee-length leather breeches can easily be made winter-proof.

If that isn’t enough for you, though, then there are plenty of full-length lederhosen out there. With their slim-waist and straight-leg cut, long leather trousers give you a great silhouette and offer real protection from the cold all the way down to your boots. With a range of small details like stitching and deer horn buttons, these lederhosen are clearly Bavarian, but can be worn day-to-day without you looking like you’re on your way to a fancy dress party.

Knitwear, long trousers and dirndls – all we need now are coats to match and the right shoes to make it through the winter warm and dry. And don’t worry about that: we’ll be giving you all the information you need in the coming weeks!