Saturday, Sept. 17 marked the kickoff of Oktoberfest in Munich. For two weeks, the city will look like it did hundreds of years ago, as the locals and even some tourists don their traditional Bavarian garb of lederhosen and dirndls.
Lederhosen, the suspenders with shorts brought to life in yodeling farces and Ricola lozenge commercials, are not a long-dead fashion item. During the next two weeks in Munich, the young and old, hip and homely alike, will drink liters of beer and eat links of sausage, decked out as their ancestors would have been.
For women, there are a wide variety of dirndl styles. These figure-flattering dresses hug the waist, dip low in front and are worn with blouses underneath. While ankle and below-the-knee lengths are traditional, some modern women have adopted mini-dirndls to up the sex appeal.
“There is an unspoken rule that says that if you wear a dirndl that doesńt go beneath your knee, you are looking for boys to make out with,” Munich resident Silvia Caccia said. She explained that such a dirndl typically elicits male skirt lifting and flesh grabbing. There are no rules about cleavage, however, and combined with the corset-like bodice of the dress, push-up bras flatter every woman’s assets.
During these two weeks of delight, however, the youth of Munich cannot shelve their impulses toward contemporary fashion. They often find innovative ways to marry the traditional with the trendy. While women may carry designer bags and accessorize with layers of baubles and beads, the men have fewer options for standing out. The fashion-forward m?nner wear designer shirts under the strappy lederhosen suspenders, and some combine Timberlands with chunky watches to provide the finishing touches.
Although this colorful costuming only happens on a massive scale during these two weeks in September (up until Oct. 3), the world should take a cue from the Southern Germans. They value their roots not only in culture and history but in fashion. And such reverence is understandable for clothing that would have a hard time looking bad on anyone.
O that the country of my citizenship should celebrate such a holiday! Then again, if the people of the United States were to value the garb of our forefathers, it would not be such an interesting sight. As Puritan values shaped the culture of society we have grown to know, conservative, monotone apparel clothed the masses, and this is not a fashion statement I wish to see rejuvenated outside of Colonial Williamsburg. If I want to celebrate history, I suppose I will just have to visit Munich during Oktoberfest and dress in my own dirndl, push-up bra and all.
