National German costume

The national German costume is easy to recognize. Its silhouette and shape are very popular in the world, thanks to the German festivals. There are many national costumes that are synonymous with their culture and nation. Be it Japanese kimono or Russian kokoshnik, Indian saris or Scottish plaid skirts. Germany is no exception in this case. Thus, the national attire reflects the culture of the whole country and is saturated with characteristic distinctive features.

The history of the German national costume has very ancient roots. The first settlers on German territory did not have national clothes as such - they wore what nature could give them, mainly animal skins and caftans created by their furs. Clothing in those days had a functional component rather than aesthetics for the sake of it. In this way, people could keep warm and protect their bodies.

Then the ancestors of modern Germans borrowed their costumes from the Romans, as they encountered because in the conquered Roman areas the Germans also encountered the indigenous population, who already had their own national clothes.

In the middle of the 16th century, during the Reformation period, an important milestone in the development of the national attire of the Germans took place. Linen and woolen fabrics began to be used. Each region had its own characteristic features of the costume. Commoners could not afford the luxurious outfits worn by bohemians. The law allowed them to wear only gray and brown shades of clothing. Commoners sewed outfits from coarse and cheap fabrics.

According to the national dress of a person, one could learn a lot about his position in society, status and type of activity, profession and place of residence.

The female analogue of the German attire consisted of a corsage or jacket, a pleated skirt. The skirts were layered and of different lengths. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Bavarian women wore long dresses instead of skirts. In those days, the female population had a certain assortment of hats. Scarves, straw hats and caps. Scarves were tied in different ways.

To date, two of the most striking national types of German attire are known. This is a tahten and a dirndl. Tahten is universal for any gender. Dirndl belongs exclusively to the feminine. This is an outfit consisting of a bra, fluffy blouse, corset or vest, a multi-layered skirt or sundress with an apron or colorfully decorated with embroidery, ribbons or lace, an apron.

The geographical features of the area had a great influence on the features of the German national costume. The territory on which the borders of Germany are located is in a fairly warm climate. The landscape of Germany is mixed. In flat terrain, linen fabric predominated in suits. The inhabitants of the mountainous territory most often found thick cloth.In the foothills, where the climate was rather dry, shoes made of straw or oats were preferred. On the coasts, due to the damp terrain and frequent rains, people were forced to wear leather shoes or shoes made of wood.

In addition to climatic factors, fashion and historical events influenced the national German costume. The national character of the Germans also influenced the appearance of the costume.

Mostly the costumes were light or gray colors. Quite often there are outfits of brown shades. For holidays and Sundays, blue or blue clothes were used. On holidays, the peasants did not work and put on special outfits in blue tones. The clothes of wealthy citizens differed in elegance and solemnity from the costumes of commoners. Rarely, but there were red and green colors.

Costume patterns were dominated by natural, especially floral, motifs and national symbols. In addition, distinctive symbols of the area, heraldry, orders and coats of arms could be sewn on.

Ordinary peasants mostly wore coarse and inexpensive fabric. The most common materials for tailoring a German suit were linen, woolen fabric and leather. As an addition, lace fabric could be used. Some costumes were made from loden. This is a warm impermeable wool fabric. Wealthy people could afford expensive fabrics such as silk.

The cut of the German suit is free and voluminous. The armhole is large, the sleeve itself is wide. The outfits did not require too careful care. The suits kept their shape well. The distinctive features of the cut are the reliability and practicality inherent in the German people.The outfits had tightly buttoned buttons and very taut forms.

The heads were covered with a knitted cap, which was tied under the hair. Colorful jewelry and ribbons were the distinctive accessories of the nobility. Hats, often miniature, could be decorated with feathers. Various scarves were used. Ribbons and small decorations were worn around the neck. Some decorations carried national symbols. Costumes were supplemented with signs or coats of arms, giving along with belonging to a certain territory.

Buckle shoes completed the costume.

Shoes mainly consisted of low shoes, without heels, with a small platform (comparable to modern dudes). Shoes were worn on knitted stockings in white or blue. Shoes were made of wood or straw, sometimes with leather additions. There are some models that are similar to modern Czechs.

The national costume is called Trachten. This name translates as "wear". This is a universal name for both women's and men's suits. Specifically, women's clothing can also be called Dindrl. Like most national costumes, German is divided into women's and men's, casual and festive. The costumes were divided into winter and summer periods.

There is also a children's national dress.

Women's German national costume was called Dirndl. Initially, it was considered a servant's suit. Then the name became universal for all women's clothing. The costume consisted of a white blouse. For festivities and Sundays, there was an option with a wide sleeve. It included a suit and a sundress, consisting of a corset with fasteners or lacing and a skirt with many pleats.The outfit was complemented by an apron made of bright fabric.

The apron was sewn below the skirt and had many folds. Aprons were striped, plain or embroidered. By the apron and the bow tied on it, you can determine. I would also like to note that where the apron bow was tied was of great importance. Widows tied it in the middle, unmarried women on the left, and married women on the right. The national women's costume also consists of vests, corsages, jackets and coats. A more summer option were dresses with sleeves. And they put on leg warmers with boots with fairly thick soles.

Children were often dressed in national clothes. The boy's costume consisted of breeches with suspenders, a shirt with a waistcoat and shoes. The addition was a hat with an eagle feather. Clothes for girls repeated the outfits of adult ladies. The costume consisted of a sundress or dress, a skirt with a vest, a shirt and an apron. The colors of the outfits matched the colors of the adults.

The national men's costume consists of a vest, jacket or jacket and trousers. Pants are often replaced with leather pants. Trousers were usually wide and had a short length. Together with the pants they wore low stockings of light, mostly blue hues. The pants had a front flap fastened with two buttons. A karma for carrying a hunting knife was often sewn onto the pants. Suspenders were not a mandatory element of clothing, but quite common. Sometimes suspenders were replaced with a regular belt. From the bottom, the pants were assembled using ordinary laces with tassels. Bloomers were also popular. The coat was usually double-breasted.

The length of a man's frock coat could tell about his marital status.

Great attention was paid to hats. It was often customary to wear green hats with a feather attached.A tie was often attached to the suit.

Wedding attire has always had a solemn character. At the wedding, they usually wore a national costume, decorated with embroidery. These could be strict suits of light colors that emphasized the figure. In addition to the outfit, there was a bouquet of flowers, which, according to tradition, were kept as a keepsake after the wedding.

The traditional clothing of the colonists for women consisted of a white shirt and a blue skirt. An apron-apron and a lace-up corsage bra and cap were worn on top. The male version of the costume consisted of a white shirt with collars, a vest, short trousers and a jacket. Shoes or boots with a buckle were usually worn on the feet. The main headdress was a black wide-brimmed hat or cap.

In the modern world, the inhabitants of Bavaria still wear the national German costume on a daily basis. There it is considered a very prestigious indicator of good taste. National outfits are quite expensive, so the outfits are worn with great dignity. A modern suit is made exclusively from natural fabrics: cotton, linen, wool, natural leather.

Modern models do not particularly adhere to the canons of the national costume. There is a deviation from the acceptable length of the skirt. It used to be customary to wear skirts no higher than the height of a beer mug from the ground. Now skirts have a chaotic length, but still they are below the knee. Some modern outfits are complemented by national features, mixing they personify the continuity of generations.