National German costumes did not immediately acquire their present look. Over time, some details were added or removed. The main image took shape around the 16th century.
History
At first, the clothes of the peasants were in many ways similar to the costumes of the inhabitants of the city. Images of people of the 15th century show that gentlemen dressed modestly, their wardrobe was not much different from the things of servants. The main differences were in the quality of the fabric, its color and the ability to wear wardrobe items decorated with fur. Gentlemen could also afford jewelry.
Since the 18th century, people were able to use black and white lace when sewing clothes. The peasants used loden as a fabric. Loden is a warm fabric that is made from wool and is renowned for its water resistance.
Until the 19th century, Germany was fragmented, which led to the fact that the costumes of different federal states, despite the fact that they have common features, are very different.
It so happened that German national costumes, the photos of which are presented in the article, indicate age, status, profession, marital status. An ornament, if present, can even indicate how many children a person has.
What about ethnic costume
For several centuries, national clothes include:
- capes;
- jackets with fur;
- scarves;
- straw or wooden shoes.
Shawls and collars were made with the addition of red, as it was believed that it was a talisman.
The most common materials for sewing things are wool, leather and linen.
What influenced the appearance of clothes
National German costumes were greatly influenced by the geographical features of the area, fashion trends, and historical events.
Climatic conditions strongly affected the appearance of clothes:
- In warm, flat terrain, linen products prevailed.
- People living in the mountains used thick cloth as material.
- Those Germans who lived in a drier climate, most often in the foothills, preferred woven shoes made of straw and oats.
- Due to rainy weather on the coast, people had to wear shoes made of wood or leather.
Why national clothes are so popular
The Germans are a nation that honors its traditions, history. They wear such clothes is considered a sign of exquisite taste.
Another reason is that ethnic clothing has strong support from above. Representatives of the highest layers of society in the federal state of Bavaria are happy to wear national costumes. For them it is a matter of pride.
This clothing continues to evolve. If earlier only natural materials were used in sewing, today designers can allow themselves experiments with the choice of fabric.
To this day, the folk costume remains an object that continues to be studied in detail.
Varieties of national costume
It is called traditional clothing Tracht. The name comes from the verb "tragen", which translates to "wear". This is the name of the national costume for both women and men. If we are talking only about women's clothing, then it will be called Dirndel.
National German costumes, like clothes of other cultures, are divided into women's and men's. There are costumes that were sewn for everyday occasions and for holidays. There is also a national German children's costume.
In addition, it should be borne in mind that there are winter and summer clothing options.
Men's suits
It so happened historically that men had earlier begun to abandon ethnic clothing.
The national German men's suit contains the following elements:
- vest;
- a jacket in the summer version and a jacket in the winter;
- trousers.
If we consider a modern folk costume, then trousers often replace leather pants.
Now the pants are short, but sewing them that long was not always a tradition. In the 19th century, fashion for long pants came from Paris to German lands. They were not only long, but also wide. Only after years it became popular to wear harem pants. They used to wear stockings with short pants. The material for their manufacture has changed over time, as well as the appearance and patterns. At first you could wear blue, gray or white stockings made of wool. Today, men, putting on a folk costume, choose only white hosiery.
Previously, as now, great importance was given to choosing a hat. It was hard to imagine that a man would appear in society without a hat. Even in the beloved beer houses they did not take off their hat.
In Bavaria, where the influence of traditions is the strongest, it was customary to wear a green headdress decorated with an eagle feather.
Women's costumes
The German national women's costume, which is called Dirndl, was first regarded as the work clothing of a maid. Then this name was attached to all women's clothing.
Dirndl includes:
- A white blouse. If this is a festive option, then the sleeves will be wide.
- Sundress, which consists of a corset and a wide skirt. If this is an option for everyday life, then the corset will be on the fasteners, if for special occasions - then on the lacing.
- An apron, which is usually sewn from variegated fabric.
The skirt of a sundress has many folds, which resembles the forms of the Renaissance. The material that was most often used for sewing a sundress is wool. A little less often linen and silk served for this.
Apron - one of the most important attributes of a suit
The apron is sewn so that its length is shorter than the sundress skirt. Usually this product is assembled so that large folds are obtained.
The range of aprons is quite large: there are plain products, striped, with embroidery. For their tailoring use linen, cotton and silk. Often you can see aprons trimmed with ribbons and lace.
If you look at the apron, then by how it is tied, you can determine the marital status of a woman:
- If the apron is tied to a bow on the right, it means that the woman is married or engaged.
- If the bow is on the left, the young lady is free.
- If the knot is in the middle, then the meaning here depends on the federal land: in some it means that the girl is chaste, in others - that she is ready for various acquaintances.
- If the apron is tied behind, this can have two meanings: either a woman is a widow, or she simply works as a waitress.
Additional items of women's costume
In addition to the basic elements, the national German costume for women also contains additional:
- vests;
- corsages;
- jacket;
- coat.
There are more than 100 kinds of corsages and vests; they have changed over time. Most of them are black, with silver or gold embroidery.
In the summer version of the dress, the sleeves of the shirt can be of various lengths.
A flared coat and a vest of wool complement the winter versions of the suit.
Accessories
Women's costume suggests the availability of accessories. The most common:
- black shoes with a buckle;
- bright scarf;
- a handbag;
- jewelry for the neck.
Very rarely, the hat can complement the image. Today it is very rare to meet a lady with a hat, although before it was impossible to walk with her head uncovered. Only very young girls could afford such behavior.
German national costume for a boy
Boys often dress up in folk clothes. They wear breeches, often with suspenders, a shirt, a vest and shoes. And to make the boy look more interesting and traditional, he also puts on a hat with a feather.
National German costume for girls: photos
Clothing girls in all attributes repeats the outfits of adult young ladies. They wear a sundress or a skirt with a vest, a shirt and an apron.
The German national costume for the girl is made in bright colors, often decorated with lace.
Wedding national costume
From ancient times, it was laid down that the bride should marry in the best outfit. In the countryside, a national costume was made of coarse fabric, which was decorated with embroidery. In cities, preference was given to simple, strict sundresses, which could emphasize the figure.
In the federal state of Bavaria , the tradition of putting on a folk costume for the wedding is still preserved. The bride’s bouquet is added to the dress, which is then stored for many years in the family.
Bavarian national costume
Bavaria is a federal state where a person in a national costume can be found everywhere.
The items of clothing in each region of Bavaria (Algoi, Lower Bavaria, Upper Bavaria) have their own differences, which are expressed by the choice of color, embroidery and decoration. All traditions are respected from year to year.
It is especially important to come in folk clothes to one of the most important holidays - Oktoberfest. This is the time of fairs, festivities and festivities. Crowds of tourists from all over the world annually seek to visit Germany at this time.
Often, tourists want not only to try on national German costumes, but also to buy them in order to be better able to feel the atmosphere of the holiday, to feel the life of the Bavarians. The clothing industry makes good money on this, especially during the holidays. For tourists, cheaper options are made. If necessary, clothes are sewn to order.
The national costume of Bavaria is one of the best gifts you can bring from Germany.
Price
A true German national costume is very expensive. Its average price is 600-800 euros. You can buy it in Germany, they also sew national clothes on order.
Costumes that are sewn for tourists, and those models that can be bought in Russia or other countries, can not be attributed to the standards of ethnic outfits. These products are much cheaper, for example, in Russia you can buy such a suit for 3000-8000 rubles.
Having familiarized yourself with the attributes of ethnic clothing, you can sew a national German costume with your own hands. For this, it is best, as laid down in tradition, to choose only natural fabrics. Learning more about color symbolism, you can sew a product that will comply with the rules for creating folk costumes.
In no other European country has the tradition to constantly wear national clothes. Only here you can see how the original costume, the features of which have evolved over the centuries, are worn in everyday life. Even those residents of the federal land who do not wear such clothes all the time, nevertheless always have a folk costume and are proud of its rich history and beautiful appearance.