With only a few short months left in the world’s largest beer festival, it’s time for you to get your German dirndl dress ready. The Munich air will soon be rife with the whiff of fresh pretzels and the finest beer in all of Germany will line the tables once more at this year’s Oktoberfest. Dressing up in the traditional Bavarian outfit that dates back to the 18th century is a once in a lifetime experience that you just don’t want to miss out on. 

Yet, the dirndl has more to it than meets the eye! The true purpose of the dirndl dress is to ignite an understanding and appreciation for the culture and customs of the region where Oktoberfest originated. So you can’t go overboard when putting together your dirndl dress. You need to be aware of the unofficial do’s and don’ts so that you can thread the needle between what is appropriate and what is fashionable. 

Luckily, we’re here to help. We’ll tell you exactly how the dirndl dress can be misconstrued and what you can do to avoid it. So let’s take a look at the top 4 ways your dirndl dress can give out all the wrong signals.

No-Go’s for the German Dirndl Dress 

Do NOT Place the Apron Bow on the Wrong Side

There’s a lot of connotation behind the placement of the apron bow. Women tie the apron on top of the skirt and place the bow on the left, right or in the centre. This shows whether they are available or in a relationship. You don’t want to place the bow in the wrong place and put out the wrong signal since this is an established way of approaching women at Oktoberfest. Just remember:

1:-Knot tied on the left means you’re single and are open for a relationship.

2:-Knot tied on the right means you’re in a committed relationship, engaged or unavailable.

3:-Knot tied in the centre means you’re a virgin.

4:-Knot tied in the back and centre means you’re a widow or a waitress. 

So tie your apron knot according to what fits you, because you don’t want a guy hitting on you while you’re standing next to your husband. Yikes!

Do NOT Get the Color Scheme Wrong

You can combine an endless array of colors to make your dirndl dress stand out this Oktoberfest, but there are just a few color combinations you better steer clear from.

Plain Black and White

A black and white dirndl dress is most commonly worn by tavern servers in Bavaria and you don’t want to spend your Oktoberfest being mistaken for a waitress. Besides, with all the color options available, why would you want to go for a boring plain black and white combo?

Neon Colors

At the other end of the spectrum, you don’t want to stand out for the wrong reason. Shocking neon colors in dirndl dresses are frowned upon by locals and have never been quite popular in Bavaria. Paris Hilton actually got banned from Oktoberfest for wearing an over the top sparkly gold dirndl dress!

Do NOT Keep the Skirt Above the Knee

Though the dirndl dress has come to be associated with seduction, sensual appeal and attractiveness, you don’t want to overdo it. Traditionally, the dirndl dress has always been ankle length but with the passage of time, the skirt has become shorter reaching just below the knee, known as the midi dirndl dress (and that’s where you want to keep it). 

Any shorter than this and the skirt will go above the knee which is unusual, to say the least. Not only is such a short dirndl offensive to the original attire, but it can also expose the underdress sometimes which is not what you want when you’re surrounded by thousands of drunk strangers.

Do NOT Wear Flip Flops & Sneakers with Dirndl Dress

The last part of any woman’s ensemble is the shoes. There are a number of shoe options you can wear with the dirndl dress including classic or vintage heels, high heels, and tennis shoes. But stay away from flip flops and sneakers if you don’t want to be ogled at throughout Oktoberfest. Dirndl dress has always been a somewhat formal attire and to wear such blatantly casual shoes under it is an atrocity in the eyes of the locals. 

Now that you’re up to speed on how to keep your dirndl dress from giving out the wrong signals, it’s time to put your outfit together. You’ll find the best options available on the Lederhosen Store in terms of styles, sizes, prints, patterns, and colors. Try going for a traditional look with our Vintage Traditional Dirndl Dress or if you want to keep up with the times then take a look at Midi Checkered Dirndl Emily Satin Blue. Whatever you decide, you can be sure we have it at the best prices at the Lederhosen Store.