Traditional costume in Salzkammergut

Folk costume as identification

If you are on holiday in Salzkammergut, you will quickly notice that people wear traditional costume out of conviction here. Any given local has at least one set in his wardrobe that they wear on more or less formal occasions. Whereas a guest may feel dressed up in folk costume, people here enjoy wearing it every day.

Men don short leather trousers, which are preferably made of deer leather. These should be artfully embroidered. In addition, a knife bag is indispensable for a "deer hunter". On your feet one wears green, hand-made knee socks and coarse leather shoes. A green waistcoat and a hat with a tuft of chamois hair complete the look for the men.

Ladies like to be seen in dirndls. The design of the garment refers to the region within Salzkammergut, as the colours and buttons differ from place to place. Each has its very own identifying mark when it comes to the execution of the dirndl.

There are many different features of a traditional dirndl. The skirt, apron and buttonholes are hand-sewn and the hem of the skirt is usually adorned with smocking. By the way, a zipper has no place in a real dirndl.

From clothes and especially from a dirndl you could and still can tell from which area a woman comes, whether she is married or single or, for example, in mourning.

If a lady wears the bow of her apron on the right, she is taken, but if it is tied on the left, an admirer can get his hopes up. A bow tied at the back may indicate that a woman is widowed. But waitresses traditionally tie their bow at the back as well.In the past, if the bow was tied at the front, this could have indicated that the lady in question was a virgin, but today it is more likely to mean that the wearer wants to keep her relationship status private. On children, the bow is also tied at the front. The apron bow thus has a language of its own and sends clear signals to those who know how to interpret it.

Folk costume has evolved in its diversity, cut, colour, pattern, length, and materials, as well as in quality and appearance. The dirndl is therefore a living garment and reflects the different generations. This folk artform was and is an important cultural vehicle that shapes the region, towns and populations.