How To: Dirndl Time

La Pulcinella Lanz Dirndl

Slightly against the promise I made to myself after visiting the world-famous Oktoberfest (- Wiesn for the real connoisseurs..) last year for the very first time, I will (very) soon find myself on the most popular beer fest again.

But everything deserves another chance. Especially if spent in great company. And a dirndl.

All these years of having had the possibility to test what it feels like to drink huge amounts of beer in a tight dirndl, I never really jumped on the bandwagon, nor did I understand the hype – yet I’m still in search for an answer (and hope for a good & convincing one tomorrow.. maybe I will capture that on Snapachat by then – @lapulcinella).

In some parts of Austria, it’s quite a normal thing to wear the dirndl throughout the year but the Wiesn seems like the ultimate Dirndl get-together for half of the world and the whole of Germany.

And there is a huge discussion on what kind of dirndl “one wears” and a billion different theories on what’s classy, trendy, chic and sexy.

While I’m a great supporter of believing in fashion as a liberal and freeing tool to express yourself, the dirndl contains of one rule for me – it’s timeless, implying that you keep it on a certain standard.

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Two things to get clear on:

– A dirndl will suit any woman and any body type. Whether you’re a skinny bitch or slightly over-fed, the dirndl will make you look pretty in any way – given that you’ve chosen a good type of dirndl. And with good, I mean something with quality and certain class.

– Class has absolutely nothing to do with price, nor does price necessarily correlate with what’s looking cheap or not. There are a gazillion dresses that are sold at very high prices, yet they look cheap and simply vulgar – and make you look like you don’t know anything about dressing yourself.

After I’ve witnessed first-hand what many see as appropriate to wear as (and call) a dirndl (I guess it’s rather a misunderstanding of clicking on the carnival online shop instead of choosing a real dirndl store), I need to address the dirndl crisis that rules over Oktoberfest directly.

804f717a579d828206059f504c783384 picture credit: Lena Hoschek

I’m a dirndl snob if you’d like to categorize me. I’ve been raised with lots of dirndls around me and I can surely spot a classic, beautiful dirndl amongst all others immediately. Show me your dirndl and I tell you who you are.

And there are some things that I concluded in hope that someone will read this and learn from it before I send you off with my favourite Dirndl pieces:

1. Let your boobs do that whole sexy-part – the blouse is meant to give you the most-wanted cleavage

2. And push-up bras the most-faked one if God decided that you’ll receive the low-fat version of boobs

3. Let your thigh gap be covered and your bladder without an infection

4. There’s no such thing as polyester at any part of a real dirndl

5. There are no neon colours, no glitter, no cow bells or any kind of weird strings for dirndls

6. Also no green light for leo print at any part or any time or any occasion

7. There is a purpose for a dirndl blouse to wear beneath your dirndl, so please use it properly…

8. …meaning that: The dirndl blouse covers your shoulders at any time

9. With other words: it sure as hell is not hanging below your shoulders unless you’d like to be an uneducated basic

10. “Trendy is the last stage before tacky” – what Karl said.
A dirndl is not something you treat as a one-timer for some season “back when everyone had those dirndls with pink frills” or “cup-shaped tops”. It’s something that hopefully hangs in your wardrobe for a longer time, thus being timeless is the way you shall look at it. If you really only use it once, at least make sure you don’t look like a lost carnival celebrator

Lanz Dirndl 1-numbers 1. Lanz Dirndl via mytheresa.com; 2. Cardigan by My Herzallerliebst via Lodenfrey.de; 3. Necklace by Lodenfrey; 4. Mary Jane pumps by Dolce & Gabbana

It’s great and interesting to see how there appear new designer that try to re-interpret the dirndl – with success like Lena Hoschek demonstrated.
But (looking at most of the others apart Hoschek) trying to make something too trendy, which is intended to be timeless gives me a headache.

Having said this, there is one type of Dirndl that will never fail to make women look exceptionally great. Taking it from my post way back a few years and as seen on several social media outlets over the past years, I prefer the Salzburg based tradition house Lanz. For more opinion on Lanz Trachtenmoden, click on my previous posts published in 2012 and 2013.

I’ll leave with my favourite Dirndl to order online at the moment. They appear pricey but they guarantee one thing for sure: Class and quality. And that’s what matters…. even if you’re surrounded by carnival dirndls on an insanely huge beer fest. ;)

Lanz Dirndl 4 numbers 1. Lanz Dirndl via mytheresa.com; 2. Jacket by Silk & Pearls via Lodenfrey.com; 3. Ballet flats by Rochas;
4. White flowers crown by Forever21; 5. Small suede shoulder bag by River Island via ASOS