dirndl

Sartorial Saturday–A Touch of Magic

Did you ever think the word “luxurious” could be applied to a dirndl?

To be honest, it’s not a word I would have associated with my favorite form of national dress, either, but here we are. When Rare Dirndl offered a 50% off sale last month, I knew that it was (possibly my only) chance to add another piece from the “Zirkus” collection to my wardrobe…this time, the Magician dirndl. I had been admiring it since it first came out, and at half off, how could I resist?!?

I accessorized with an edelweiss necklace and bracelet, and a comb from Vixen by Micheline Pitt that is the perfect elegant hair accessory for this look:

I love the deep color of the dress and apron:

The fabric of the dress is so pretty, and catches the light so well!

Here’s a close-up look at the luxury. The beautiful jacquard dress, the sumptuous velvet apron, and the hooks, ribbon trim, and even bodice lining all scream opulence:

I love how it looks with my black lace dirndl blouse, but I’m already thinking about other ways to style it, too!

I can’t wait to see what Rare Dirndl comes up with next!

Sartorial Saturday–Valentinstag

Valentine’s Day is almost here! Or, if you’re German, Valentinstag. From what I understand, it’s pretty 50/50 whether or not you celebrate this holiday in Germany, but even if it’s not a popular holiday there, I still wanted to use my red Everyday Dirndl from Rare Dirndl as the basis of a themed outfit! I added a bright pink apron, plus flowers and hearts to celebrate the day:

Here’s a closer look at my accessories, including both a heart edelweiss necklace and an edelweiss wrap bracelet turned necklace with a red cord. I also added a touch of retro with my pink and red stack of Splendette Duchess Bangles and an Erstwilder brooch:

I love a good twirl!

When I was younger, I always thought you couldn’t wear pink and red together, but in retrospect, I have no idea why, because I really like the combination!

You can’t have Valentine’s Day without flowers, so I added my red floral crown:

I love a bright and cheerful outfit, especially in the middle of winter!

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day!

Sartorial Saturday–Joy to the World

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…the time when I add a new Christmas apron to my dirndl closet!

I’ve really come to look forward to Rare Dirndl’s new Christmas apron every year. This year was extra special, though, because they tried something different. Instead of offering just one print, they let you choose between a “kitschy” or “classic” print, and then sent you a mystery apron to fit the theme. For the members of their Facebook group, they also offered a live event where they previewed the available fabrics, and allowed group members to request specific prints before the sale was made public. I went into the sale knowing I wanted something primarily green, and I was thrilled to find this gorgeous print with phrases from familiar Christmas carols printed on it!

I added a green ribbon to my “Die Heimat” dirndl to go with the color of the apron…I really love the way it pops against the grey!

I chose red accessories, including a necklace and bracelet from Rare Dirndl, plus a fun pair of Christmas ornament earrings I found at Target:

It’s a lot of fun to wear a dirndl to the local Christkindlmarkt!

I’ll be wearing the apron again for Christmas, but in a completely different way…stay tuned!

Sartorial Saturday–Lace Dirndl Blouses

I’ve been wearing dirndls long enough now to know what I really like in a look. While I do have a few other true dirndl blouses, and a few tops beyond those that also work well with a dirndl, I’ve come to realize that my favorite type of blouse to wear is the always-elegant lace dirndl blouse! I’ve built up a good collection of them in my wardrobe, so I have options for different occasions/events/weather.

My first lace dirndl blouse (and still one of my favorites) is a lovely, elbow-length, v-neck style in white:

I love white, but sometimes, it’s a bit too stark (for example, with the harlequin dirndl pictured here, which has a background that is definitely not white), so I was really excited when I was able to add an ivory blouse to my closet:

I know lace isn’t a warm fabric to begin with, but sometimes in chilly weather, you want something that provides a bit more coverage, even in sheer lace, and this three-quarter sleeve blouse in white is perfect for that. It also has a crewneck, which is very different from anything else I have, and also adds a bit extra coverage:

I also have a three quarter-sleeve blouse in black, and not only does it have longer-length sleeves than some of my blouses, it also has some added sparkle:

Finally and most recently, I added a true short-sleeve, v-neck blouse in white, which is great for summer:

White is the most popular color choice in my wardrobe which makes sense because it goes with everything and is easy to wear in bright sun or on hot days. I love that even though I have three blouses in that shade, they’re all different, from three different sleeve lengths to different patterns of lace and even a special overlay on one. I also love that for the times I don’t feel like wearing white, I have some other good options, too. Thanks to the fact that Rare Dirndl imports beautiful blouses in a wide variety of styles, and more importantly, sizes, I wouldn’t be surprised if I added something else to my closet eventually!

Family Oktoberfest 2023

Today I finally got around to preparing our annual family Oktoberfest! Of course I had to wear a dirndl…I think I wore five of my six dresses to various Oktoberfests this year!

I didn’t make fondue this year, but I did make pretzels, and I even experimented with making a few larger ones. I need to work on rolling them out a bit thinner, but they were good!

Of course I had to celebrate in Animal Crossing, too:

I made our favorites for dinner…Schnitzel (which at this point, I think I’ve perfected!), spaetzle, and rotkohl. I still haven’t been brave enough to make sauerkraut from scratch, so that was store-bought. I did make Jäger sauce this year, though!

Yes, our house smells like a German restaurant!

For dessert, I made our favorite Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte…I wouldn’t dare make something else!

This is always a delicious day!

Sartorial Saturday–Inspired by Austria

I have shared quite a few looks featuring dirndls, aprons, and blouses (not to mention accessories!) from Rare Dirndl, but my new red Everyday Dirndl is extra special, because my inspiration for styling it came from the red and white Austrian flag, the flag of my grandfather’s birth country!

My accessories are also inspired by Austria, with a red flower crown, a pair of Rare Dirndl necklaces (one an edelweiss, and one inspired by the Austrian flag itself!), an edelweiss clip in place of a brooch, and a red edelweiss wrap bracelet. I’m also wearing edelweiss earrings, but you can’t really see them.

The Everyday Dirndl comes with an apron in the same color and fabric as the dress, but you have an option of adding a “Surprise Me” apron to your order, and Erika will choose something from her stock that she thinks will look great with your dirndl. This was my first experience with this apron, and I asked her if she’d be willing to find me something special in white to complete my Austrian flag-inspired look, and she obliged. I couldn’t have designed something more perfect myself!

The “Surprise Me” apron is so lovely…it has gorgeous flowers embroidered on it, lots of sparkle, and a tie that is red on one side and white on the other.

I feel like I could go frolicking in the Alps in this outfit!

I added a new white lace dirndl blouse to my wardrobe, as well. It has an absolutely gorgeous neckline!

This whole look is everything I dreamed it would be, and I like to thank my grandfather would be happy to see me in it!

I continue to be impressed with the quality of Rare Dirndl’s products, their fabulous customer service, and the way they help me honor my heritage in a fresh, modern, unique way!

Sartorial Saturday–The Perfect Dirndl Shoes

Let’s get straight to the point…the perfect shoes to pair (if you’ll pardon the pun) with your dirndl are the ones you’re comfortable in! Even going to relatively small Oktoberfest and Maifest celebrations, not to mentioning visiting a fairly small Christkindlmarkt, I know there is going to be a lot of walking when I wear a dirndl, so having supportive shoes that you’re comfortable in is super important! But so is style…

When I first ventured into the land of dirndl-wearing, I wanted to wear traditional-looking shoes…typically, black, low-heeled Mary-Jane style shoes. I found a pair from LifeStride that are quite comfortable and easy to wear, and I love the way they look with all of my dresses!

But of course I wasn’t going to stop there. Next I tried a pair of short black boots, which are especially nice with tights in the winter:

Speaking of boots, my iridescent Docs are perfect with my Everyday Dirndl for a kind of punk princess look:

I also like ankle boots, especially in the fall:

And sometimes, when I’m feeling fancy (Hello, Christmas!), I wear sparkly silver t-straps. They are the only pair of shoes that I wear with a dirndl that aren’t comfortable to walk any great distance in, which is why they’re special occasion shoes. (The rest featured here, however, are all great for walking around places like Grant’s Farm and Oktoberfest!)

Speaking of comfort, most recently, I’ve paired my faithful old Birks for summer style!

I still haven’t worn traditional heels with a dirndl, but I have an idea that I may try out eventually…what footwear do you like to wear with a dirndl?

Sartorial Saturday–Colorful Harlequin

Late last winter, Rare Dirndl announced a new collection that they were offering in a new way. The Zirkus collection, which was introduced with five dirndls plus a dirndl vest, was crowdfunded before it was put into a production…like a Kickstarter without the middle man. The full collection was funded fairly quickly, including my favorite piece, the Harlequin!

This beautiful dirndl, which was “inspired by the playful and colorful world of harlequins…is full of energy, fun, and whimsy.” As soon as I saw it, I fell in love, because I had been dreaming of a harlequin print dirndl which would reflect not only my love of German national dress but also vintage patterns. It’s even more beautiful in person than in the sketches, with a bodice featuring shades of green and orange, a lovely copper-colored skirt, and a pretty, sheer apron. It was designed with a mini skirt, but Erika at Rare Dirndl kindly offered to make mine in my regular mid-length, instead!

I accessorized, as I so often do, with lots of edelweiss:

I also added my first-ever Rare Dirndl brooch, which is a fun pin with, you guessed it, more edelweiss and a charm in the perfect shade to go with the dress!

To start, I paired it with a black lace sparkle dirndl blouse…I think the darker color adds a bit of elegance, and is also great for fall (if fall ever gets here!).

It also looks great with an ivory blouse!

This may be my prettiest dirndl yet…it’s definitely the most colorful!!!

I can’t wait to see what Rare Dirndl comes up with next!

Sartorial Saturday–A Fancy Floral Apron

Recently, Erika at Rare Dirndl reached out to me and asked if she could send me an apron in return for some of my photos she’s used on her website. She even offered me a selection of choices that she knew would go well with the dirndls I already own, and as soon as I saw this beautiful embroidered floral mesh and lace apron (the same one that comes with the lovely new “Sweet Iris” dirndl, I believe), in a lovely taupe-y/silver-y/champagne-y color, I knew it was the one!

I’m a huge fan of sheer aprons, because of how well the color of the dress shows through them…it also means they take on a completely different look with each dirndl you pair them with! Here I’m wearing it with my beautiful periwinkle Everyday Dirndl:

I accessorized, as I often do, with flowers, including a floral crown, my edelweiss necklace and an edelweiss clip in place of a brooch, my edelweiss earrings (I promise they’re there!), plus some Homes bracelets:

This is such a pretty look for summer, but I think it will transition well throughout the seasons:

I do love experimenting with different dirndl/apron combinations!

I’m really looking forward to pairing this gorgeous apron with more of the dirndls in my wardrobe…stay tuned!

Sartorial Saturday–What a Difference an Apron Makes!

One of my favorite things about dirndl-wearing is how much you can change the look of the dress by adding a different apron (changing the color of the ribbon lacing also makes a difference)! While I love the pairings of my four dirndls with the aprons they were designed with, I also love experimenting with different looks…I have a total of 10 aprons now, so I have lots of options!

To begin, a look at my very first dirndl, the solid colored “Purple and Floral” dirndl. Not only do I wear it with the flower print apron it came with, but I’ve also styled it with both of my Christmas aprons, a lovely plaid, and my lemon print charity apron from last summer…which look is your favorite?

If I don’t want it to be obvious that I’m wearing a dirndl (who am I kidding…I always want it to be obvious!), I wear my “Everyday Dirndl” with its matching, solid apron, but I’ve also mixed it up with two different lace aprons and the lemon-print…what do you think?

My “Die Heimat” is my most versatile dirndl, as you can see from the fact that I’ve worn it with a total of six different aprons (and counting!). The stag print is the one that came with the dirndl, but I’ve also paired the dress with both of my Christmas aprons, my extra fancy crystal apron, the lemon print (again!), and most recently, my magenta lace apron, which is my new favorite look…what’s yours?

And finally, my “Herbology” dirndl, which came with a plaid apron and also a bonus lace apron, giving me two options right off the bat. I also love the way it looks with my crystal apron, the stag print from “Die Heimat” (very Sound of Music!) and my newest Christmas apron…which do you like best?

Stay tuned to see how I style my dirndls next!