national dress

Sartorial Saturday–The Custom Dirndl: Part One

As promised, here’s a look at my completed Rare Dirndl custom dirndl, and just in time for Mary Blair March!

It looks just like I imagined it would. I love the yellow bodice against the grey background of the Mary Blair butterflies print skirt:

And the sheer blue apron pops beautifully!

You may have noticed this dirndl is slightly shorter than my other dresses…the construction of the original dress was kind of weird, and to even out the skirt, it had to made a bit shorter. With the petticoat underneath, though, it’s really not that noticeable, and I think the fullness of the skirt also creates the illusion of length.

I accessorized with a pair of SUGARFIX by Baublebar butterfly earrings that I got at Target last year (it’s scary how well well they go with this look!), an edelweiss wrap bracelet from Rare Dirndl, and a pair of necklaces inspired by Mary Blair…an “It’s a Small World” style from Crislu, and an Alice in Wonderland spinner from RockLove:

I also added one of my Rare Dirndl zipper pulls:

Keeping the volume from the skirt of the original dress makes it extra good for twirling!

Two of my favorite features of the dirndl are the trim around the neckline…not only did Erika include two different types of pink ribbon, she also added a beautiful ruffle made from the extra fabric from the dress…and the cool buckle on the apron, which is a totally new style for me!

I love how bright and cheerful this look is…it’s perfect for Mary Blair March and the happiness of spring!

I did actually send it back to Rare Dirndl to have it let out a bit because it was fitting pretty snugly in the bodice, but when it’s back, I’ll have another styling of this dirndl featuring the second apron I had made to go with it!

Sartorial Saturday…On a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Eight

We have made it to the final step of the Rare Dirndl custom dirndl experience!

On Monday (which just happened to be the 113th anniversary of my Austrian grandfather’s birth!), I opened the custom dirndl shipping box for the last time:

It has been about 11 months since I first inquired about having a custom dirndl made, and almost five months since the kick-off call that really began the process. It was so exciting to see the project come together, and a total thrill to see the finished product!

Since I last saw it (and since the post office tried to lose it!), the final elements were added, including the hooks (a new style for me!), and the lacing. I also got to see the second apron I requested (which has a really cool, new-to-me buckle!), for the first time. No detail was overlooked, including the “Hidden Mickey” I asked Erika to include somewhere on the dress:

Stay tuned for the first of two stylings of my new dirndl on Saturday!

Sartorial Saturday–Dirndl Socks

If you’ve been looking closely at my dirndl photos for the last few months, you may have noticed that I added a pair of dirndl socks to my wardrobe:

I have been interested in dirndl socks pretty much since I started wearing Trachten, but I was worried about how knee-high socks would fit my plus-size calves.

Last year, Rare Dirndl imported a few options from designer Luise Steiner, and when I noticed that they came in three sizes, including XXL, which fit shoe sizes 10-14, I figured it was finally time to give them a try. I went with the grey pair, because I thought they would go with most of my dresses (they do!).

They also look great with a wide variety of shoes, including my dirndl-style Mary Janes and also ankle boots, Docs and Adidas.

The fit is fantastic…they’re not too tight at all. The cable knit pattern is really pretty. And they’re a nice, heavy material, which is great for keeping my legs warm in the colder months!

Now that I’ve discovered that I can indeed wear dirndl socks, I may add some other colors to my wardrobe!

Sartorial Saturday–The Lederhosen Handbag

Today I’m looking at one of my favorite dirndl accessories…the lederhosen handbag!

When Rare Dirndl imported a batch of these, I knew it would make the perfect addition to my wardrobe. I didn’t really have a bag that went well with my dirndl looks. I love that it’s a nice, neutral olive shade, because it goes with most of my pieces.

There is no mistaking that it’s designed after lederhosen!

The details on the bag are amazing. I especially love the beautiful, detailed buckle on the removable shoulder strap:

It’s the perfect size to hold all my essentials.

I really love that it’s from an Austrian company!

As you can see from the handful of the looks I shared here, it’s very easy to style, and it walks the line between whimsical and practical perfectly!

Rare Dirndl is scheduled to get another shipment of these bags next month, and they always go fast, so if you’re interested, make sure you don’t wait!

Sartorial Saturday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Seven

It’s been a while since I shared a custom dirndl update!

I received my dress sans apron this week for another fitting. For the most part, the uneven skirt length issues have been sorted out, and I was able to get a feel for how short the skirt actually is. My number one concern was that I wouldn’t be able to wear it with my favorite petticoat, but as you can see here, it works just fine! (It’s a good thing I always let my petticoat show a bit, though!)

The twirl factor is still good, too!

I’ll be sending it back for what I assume will be the final touches…I can’t wait to see how the whole ensemble looks together!

2024 in Outfits

Time for a look back at 2024’s outfits of the day!

I was very intentional about putting together outfits this whole year. I wanted to really wear my wardrobe, so I put together looks for trips to the library and Target and anywhere else I went (except Walmart, because Walmart doesn’t deserve my best except at Christmas when I try to spread a little holiday cheer wherever I go). I think there are over 250 unique looks here, so obviously I didn’t wear something notable every day, but it was the vast majority!

I haven’t decided if I’m going to keep a record like this again in 2025, but it really helps me pay attention to what I’ve worn (and what I’ve neglected), and how I’ve styled things differently, which I really enjoy!

Sartorial Saturday…On a Thursday–The Most Festive of Fashions

This year has been all about the festive fashions…for the last month, I’ve been wearing Christmas pieces almost exclusively, and on the rare occasions I didn’t, I was still on point with colors and festive accessories. You’ll get a snapshot of all of those looks in my daily outfit recap next week, but for now, let’s take a look at the ensembles I put together for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

My look on the 24th was full of holiday cheer, but pretty standard:

But I especially liked the placement of my hair comb:

And of course I wore my Miss Candyfloss dressing gown when we got home from church…it’s the perfect glamorous piece for celebrating!

I was really happy with my look for Christmas Day, which featured my red Everyday Dirndl from Rare Dirndl, and my new Christmas apron:

And I think I did really well with accessories, too, especially the addition of a mini ornament brooch from Erstwilder on my zipper pull:

Back at home, I also got to wear the elegant new Miss Candyfloss robe I received for Christmas:

I’ve really had a lot of fun with my festive fashions this year!

Sartorial Saturday–A Velvet Apron for Christmas

It’s that time of year again…a new Christmas apron from Rare Dirndl has been added to my wardrobe!

This is a newer tradition that I really look forward…once fall hits, I start wondering what this year’s apron will look like. I was super excited to see this green velvet variety with holly-print ties (it was also offered with plaid and Santa-print ties)…velvet just screams “Christmas” to me!

It’s so luxurious, and is such a great match for my elegant brocade dirndl!

I accessorized with a tiny pair of wreath earrings, an Erstwilder brooch worn as a necklace, and a stack of Splendette duchess bangles:

I love wearing a festive dirndl to the Christkindlmarkt in downtown Belleville!

I bought a new pair of ankle boots to go with some of my Miss Candyfloss dresses, but I discovered that they are also a perfect match for my Magician dirndl!

This is such a fun way to dress for Christmas!

What festive fashion are you planning this season?

Sartorial Saturday…On a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Six

It’s only been a week, but I already have my Rare Dirndl custom dirndl in hand for a fitting, so here’s an early look at how it’s coming along!

It definitely needs some tweaks…the skirt on the dress I’m having it made from wasn’t straight (which wasn’t entirely a surprise to me in retrospect), so that’s going to need to be adjusted, and may end up being shorter than the dirndls I normally wear, so I’ll have to decide if I’m comfortable with that or if I want to add a border to it. The colors Erika picked are gorgeous, and the apron is especially lovely…I wanted something sheer enough to let the butterfly pattern of the dress show through, and she found just what I had in mind!

I’ll be sending it back so she can work on it some more…stay tuned for the next update!

Sartorial Saturday…On a Wednesday–The Custom Dirndl Experience: Part Five

I got a little glimpse at how my custom dirndl from Rare Dirndl is coming together and I’m so excited I wanted to share!