As I’ve been collecting dirndls from Rare Dirndl to add to my wardrobe, I’ve also been collecting dirndl blouses. If you’ve never worn a dirndl blouse before, they’re kind of a unique item…they’re (usually) an extreme form of a crop top, often with a drawstring at the bottom so you can decide how much coverage you want.
I now have four blouses…three white and one black. Two of my white blouses are lace, and I think they’re my very favorite, because they have such a traditional look. The other two blouses both have puff sleeves, which is really fun! I love how switching out the blouse can give a dirndl a totally different look…it allows for so many more styling options!
I’ve already shared my experiences with shopping for unique and beautiful dirndls with Rare Dirndl…now it’s time for a look at something a little more subtle from their shop, but still a form of National Dress that reflects my heritage!
Rare Dirndl offers an “Everyday Dirndl,” which has the same great structure and design as all of their dresses, but in a a solid color palette, where the apron matches the dress. There are also no hooks or ribbons on the front of the dress (although there is an option to add those for an additional fee), so at first glance, anyone who sees you out and about in your dirndl will think it’s a simple sundress…perfect for the first-time dirndl wearer!
I kept my accessories simple for this look, with some Homes Bracelets and a RockLove Nightmare Before Christmas necklace.
Oh, and my Docs, which are the perfect footwear for this dress!
I clearly have no qualms about wearing a full dirndl in public, but I had to get this more simple one because it’s my very favorite color, Pantone’s Color of the Year, periwinkle. The Everyday Dirndl is also available in a multitude of other colors, too, which vary by season.
Because the Everyday Dirndl is made in an easy-to-care-for fabric, you don’t have to worry as much about getting it dirty, since you can throw it in the washing machine!
The Everyday Dirndl is a made-to-order item, which means you have to be patient while it’s created, but that also means that it’s customizable which makes it feel even more one-of-a-kind! I’m looking forward to seeing what colors are available in the future, because you never know when you just need to add another dirndl to your closet!
This Easter, I decided to go with something completely different, fashion-wise!
As I understand it, the Tyrol region of Austria has a tradition of “Heiligen Tracht,” holy folk-costume, which is traditional dress like this dirndl that is worn only for church holidays, not secular drinking days. As I have worn this dirndl almost exclusively to church, and never to a drinking festival, I thought it fit the bill perfectly for Easter!
Instead of my traditional “Easter bonnet,” I paired it with a flower crown, as well as an edelweiss necklace and wrap bracelet. All these flowers are perfect for spring!
I love how the whole look came together…the lace dirndl blouse is perfect for spring!
I’ve now worn a dirndl for Christmas and Easter…which holiday will be my next dirndl holiday?
I have come to realize that my personal style falls into three categories (when I’m not bumming around the house in my jammies, that is!).
There’s the “Let me grab my hat and gloves. Is my petticoat full enough? Pearls go with everything!” 1950s style.
Then there’s the somewhat related, because it’s also a fashion flashback, “I’m still living in the 90s in my overalls” style.
And finally, the newest look I’ve been sporting, the “Does this dirndl make me look Austrian/German enough?” national dress style.
I think it’s interesting that my personal fashion falls into such distinct categories, and that those categories are such a great reflection of who I am!
2021 was a year where I explored new options for my wardrobe, found some new favorite retailers, and really discovered what I like and I want I don’t in my clothing and accessories. I added some special pieces to my collection, starting with this Erstwilder brooch inspired by Animal Crossing:
Speaking of Animal Crossing, I have never been as excited about a makeup collection as I was about the ColourPopxAnimal Crossing collaboration!
Miss Candyfloss quickly became my favorite vintage-inspired clothing brand in 2021, and I think the Myrtle-Sun dress was my favorite out of the ones I purchased (although, everything I have in my closet from their brand is simply amazing!):
I explored my heritage in a sartorial way this year by adding two dirndls from Rare Dirndl to my wardrobe. They’re both beautiful, but I’m sharing “Die Heimat” because the other was a gift, so not technically something I purchased myself.
And finally, a look at a few pieces from Splendette’s Christmas line…this is my favorite Christmas collection they’ve offered to date!
I’m looking forward to discovering what new things all of my favorite brands offer in 2022!
I’m back with the a new styling for “Die Heimat” dirndl, just in time for Christmas!
As soon as Rare Dirndl shared photos of a special gnome apron for Christmas, I knew exactly how I would style it, and it turned out even better than I imagined!
I added an Austrian flag inspired necklace I picked up from a Rare Dirndl jewelry party through their Facebook group…it’s both a perfect representation of my heritage, and the perfect colors for Christmas! Edelweiss are also represented through my hair clip and new red wrap bracelet.
You didn’t think I’d stop at just one dirndl, did you?
When Ryan bought me my very first dirndl as an early Christmas present, there were two options that really stood out to me…the beautiful purple floral dirndl he ordered, and “Die Heimat,” a dress that features a gorgeous suede bodice and comes with an apron that has a lovely print of deer and old script. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I decided to save my money and go ahead and add a second dirndl to my wardrobe…let’s call it a gift to myself for my (almost) 100 day streak of German lessons with Duolingo!
As always, accessories are everything. I added a fierce-looking Hirsch necklace from Rare Dirndl to go with the outfit, and on Black Friday, I got this beautiful lace dirndl blouse for a steal! I added my edelweiss clip to a grey fedora, and a pair of dirndl-style shoes and some nice warm tights that aren’t quite the right color depending on which part of the outfit you compare them to, but let’s just overlook that, shall we?
One of my favorite details of this style, and something that I think makes it extra special, is that there is both a ribbon and a chain for lacing. I’m not going to lie…trying to figure out how to lace them both without getting them tangled was a challenge, and I was pretty slow at it, but I think I’ve maybe got it figured out now, and it looks so good!
I feel Austrian when I wear this!
Stay tuned to see how I style this dirndl for Christmas!
Today I’m taking a look at something completely different!
I have always loved national dress, from Norway’s bunad to the sari of South Asia. And I have long lamented the fact the the US really doesn’t have ethnic dress, unless you count jeans (which I don’t). But my ethnic heritage (Austrian and German) does have a traditional garment for women in the form of the dirndl, something I have long wanted to add to my wardrobe, and Ryan bought me a purple and floral one for an early Christmas present!
This beautiful dirndl is from Rare Dirndl, a small business located in Chicago (where else?!?). It consists of a purple dress and a gorgeous floral print apron, and I’m wearing it with a Rare Dirndl puff sleeve, lace-trim blouse. Also, the best clothing designers know that women want pockets in their dresses, and Rare Dirndl is no exception!
The details on the dress are amazing (look at the pleated trim around the neckline and the piping down the front!), and the workmanship is outstanding (check out how well the hooks on the front are sewn on, and with such a beautiful color of thread, too…it almost looks like they’re set with gemstones!). The print of the apron is fantastic, too…it has a metallic sheen, and the colors are so vibrant…and the strings are actually long enough to fit me properly, which was a huge concern of mine. It is seriously the most well-made and best fitting dress I have ever had (and I have a lot of dresses!).
To accessorize, I added a purple fedora and a petticoat with a lace edge meant to be seen:
I added a leather Edelweiss clip to my hat (also from Rare Dirndl), and then moved it to my hair, just for fun. It can also be worn as a brooch…I love a versatile accessory!
Here’s a look at the whole outfit sans hat:
Rare Dirndl also offers some lovely jewelry, and many of the pieces feature Edelweiss, a flower often associated with Austria. The scalloped necklace is so delicate and beautiful, and I love the pop of color of the wrap bracelet! (I added one of my Lake Michigan HOMES bracelets in a coordinating color, since I’m celebrating my heritage.)
I’m ready to twirl my way through the Alps!
This is my first dirndl, but it won’t be last…I’m already waiting for my second Rare Dirndl dress to arrive! Erika was such a huge help in answering all of my questions and making sure I got the dirndl of my dreams, so I’m really excited to support her small business again! It’s really not a jump for me to go from retro dressing to ethnic dressing, because they both include a nod to the past in a new, modern way, so I feel comfortable wearing this outfit not just to German events (I can’t wait to style it for Belleville’s Christkindlmarkt in a few weeks), and it’s definitely not a costume item to me. I’m looking forward to sharing more photos of my national dress(es) as I style them in different ways throughout the seasons!
