Oktoberfest Time is Dirndl Time. We visit the world's largest folk festival with dirndl designer Carolin Engelhardt to explore the colourful history of this traditional dress. Along the way, we delve into the latest trends, timeless designs, and the many shades of blue – Engelhardt's favourite dirndl colour.
If we peer inside the Oktoberfest tents today, it's hard to believe that, for a long time, traditional clothing was primarily worn at village festivals and shooting clubs. Photos from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s show bar staff in traditional attire, but most guests were dressed in jeans, T-shirts, or blouses.
The trend toward the dirndl (women's tradional Bavarian dress), krachledernen (traditional leather pants), janker (traditional Bavarian woolen jacket) and haferl shoes (traditional Bavarian shoe) only took hold over the last 20 years – a development welcomed by Carolin Engelhardt, founder of 'Münchner Dirndl.' With 25 years of design experience, she’s the perfect guide for an Oktoberfest stroll, offering insights into traditional dress, the latest trends, recurring cuts and the season's top colours.
“I look forward to this excitement each year. It's like entering another world.“
You can already feel it on the way from the Theresienwiese underground station to the entrance of the Wiesn (Oktoberfest fairground): There is a special vibe – a vibe that captures Munich every September. “I look forward to this excitement each year,” says Carolin Engelhardt as we step through the gate onto the festival grounds. “It's like entering another world.”
Glazed fruit sparkles in the sun, the chain carousels spin in circles, shooting galleries beckon with bright red letters: “Moanst dass'd was triffst?” – Think you'll hit the target? The smell of roasted almonds wafts through the air. Around us are ladies, mostly in dirndls, senior citizens and youngsters – deep Bavarian-speaking locals and tourists. It feels as if it has always been like this. Yet, the history of the dirndl is not as long as one might initially think.
Regional traditional dress has existed for hundreds of years, but it was only worn on special occasions. Women's outfits across Europe looked quite similar: always a long skirt, richly embroidered tops, scarves, elaborate hats – all very colourful. The dirndl in its current form became popular in the late 19th century as a light summer dress worn by women of the urban upper class in Upper Bavaria on country outings. A simple, floor-length dirndl skirt was paired with a colourful apron and a blouse, usually in a matching shade.
The trend was finally sparked by three Jewish brothers from Bielefeld, who owned Wallach traditional dress store in Munich's Residenzstrasse. From 1910 onwards, they transformed the dirndl into a supposedly authentic Bavarian fashion statement. From today's perspective, this was a double appropriation: The city ladies imitated the rural population with their fashion, while the rurals happily joined in and adopted the new image. At the end of the 19th century, numerous traditional dress clubs emerged, bringing with them the great Upper Bavarian clothing traditions: the Miesbacher Tracht with dirndls in striking dark blue or the Chiemgauer Tracht in black and green.
Carolin Engelhardt has a particular fondness for traditional dirndls, such as those often seen in the parades of traditional dress clubs. These designs achieved a classic, enduring style: “A linen top and a cotton skirt. They are here to stay and won't change."
She is rather sceptical about trends in traditional dress. “Traditional clothing isn't meant to follow fleeting fashion trends; it's timeless. You take it out of your wardrobe and wear it year after year. And if you love dirndls, you'll probably have a few in your collection. But the basic shape actually remains constant.“
This also applies to colours. She believes that blue and green will always be popular classics. Of course, there are frequently emerging new trends – like the bright pink seen this year in the Käfer Wiesn-Schänke celebrity tent. However, Engelhardt suspects that these Barbie-style dirndls are likely just a passing fad.
“You look so much more beautiful in a dirndl, it's an incredibly feminine piece of clothing. Everyone looks great in it, regardless of their figure.“
Despite her love of tradition, Carolin Engelhardt is not entirely opposed to trends, especially considering that – in a broader sense – the entire dirndl phenomenon can be seen as a huge trend. She can only speculate why, starting in the late 1980s, traditional dress went from being worn mainly by costume clubs to becoming popular among the general public. Maybe, it's because the dirndl is inherently dressy: “You look so much more beautiful in a dirndl, it's an incredibly feminine piece of clothing. Everyone looks great in it, regardless of their figure,“ she says. Engelhardt is also excited about the growing diversity in traditional clothing. “In recent years, there has been more variety – more styles, more cuts. That's wonderful.“
As we wait in the queue at the entrance to the Oidn Wiesn fairground, Engelhardt expresses her admiration once more. For four euros admission, you can experience what the Oktoberfest might have looked like in the past: historical rides, brass bands and plenty of tradition. This is also reflected in the dirndls around us in front of the entrance: many aprons are fastened with buckles instead of bows. “That's copied from the traditional dress clubs. They often have buckles, which are still made for the individual clubs,“ she explains.
She points to a woman in a blue dirndl and says: “Wow, that's beautiful.“ What does she like so much about it? “For one thing, the length – I think that ankle-length dirndls are much sexier than short ones. The colour is a dream and perfectly complements the skin tone. The print on the apron is also particularly beautiful.“
“You can usually spot a cheaply made dirndl by the hem, which is only folded over once to use less fabric. And the apron strings can give away that they have been skimped on if they're too short.“
Our final stop is the Schottenhamel festival tent, known for attracting the youngest Oktoberfest crowd. On the way there, an elderly couple catches Carolin's eye. The gentleman is wearing lederhosen and a hat, his wife a dark green and red dirndl with a peplum. What makes this dirndl so special? “The button placket instead of a zip, for example,“ Carolin points out. “If a dirndl has a zip instead of hooks, this indicates a cheaper finish. Sewing on hooks is much more time-consuming and therefore more expensive.”
In the hustle and bustle of the Schottenhamel tent, we wonder: Who is wearing the more beautiful dirndls – the younger or the older generation? “Things have really changed in recent years,” Carolin says. “Young people are now also wearing classic styles. My clientèle is getting younger and younger, which I think is fantastic. In the past, most of my customers were in their 40s or older, but now I'm seeing more and more 18-year-olds coming into my shop.”
18-year-olds often can't afford expensive dirndls. While that is understandable, it may compromise the quality: “You can usually spot a cheaply made dirndl by the hem, which is only folded over once to use less fabric. And the apron strings can give away that they have been skimped on if they’re too short.“ Carolin shares a simple rule of thumb for buying aprons: “The cotton apron should be about three to five centimetres shorter than the skirt.”
Even if you don't have the budget for an expensive dirndl, you can still find a beautiful one by following a few tips or making simple upgrades. “Plain-coloured dirndls always exude a certain elegance and timelessness,“ says Carolin Engelhardt. “With these, you avoid falling into trend traps. I recommend a simple cotton dirndl with a matching apron. It doesn't have to be expensive, and it will always stay in style.“ And what’s the perfect accessory? “A small traditional handbag – like the ones we sell. You can carry it diagonally, keeping your money and mobile phone secure and you are free to focus on dancing.”
As we leave the Oktoberfest, Engelhard is struck by inspiration once again. The steel-blue metal beams of the Ferris wheel catch her eye. “I'd love to design a dirndl in that colour one day,” she enthuses. “Maybe paired with a cherry-red apron.”
