Dirndl Store
A dirndl is a traditional German dress worn by women in Germany, especially Bavaria, and it is based on the historical costume of Alpine peasants. According to one of the saleswomen at a dirndl store, girls normally wear dirndls to traditional weddings and celebrations. After walking the streets of Munich and seeing tons of these dirndl stores, my friends and I couldn't resist going into one of these stores and trying on dirndls (pictured above). A dirndl is made up of a few pieces - a bodice, blouse, full skirt, and an apron - so it was quite an ordeal to figure out how to wear the dirndls properly. According to the saleswoman at the store, the placement of the knot indicates a woman's marital status: a right knot means the women is married or taken, while a left knot means the women is single.
The dirndl store we visited had a huge assortment of styles. Like many clothing stores, it catered to different tastes; there were brightly patterned dirndls as well as muted, more conservative ones. Most of the time, dirndl stores also had traditional German wear for boys, which also offered a large variety. Moreover, all of the saleswomen wore dirndls.
The dirndl-selling business is huge in Munich, most likely because tourists (like us!) are enthralled by the opportunity to try on traditional German wear. When someone travels to a different country, they want to bring a piece of the culture back - and that's why dirndl stores are so successful. Although German women buy dirndls at these stores to wear to traditional celebrations, it seems like a lot of the revenue comes from tourists that love the look and culture of dirndls. As a result, the dirndl-selling business would not work in the U.S. because the business thrives on German culture - why would anyone want to buy an inauthentic dirndl from the U.S. that doesn't have any cultural meaning? One reason: Halloween. Perhaps costume stores could sell a selection of dirndls, but there is no market for stores that exclusively sell dirndls.
The dirndl store we visited had a huge assortment of styles. Like many clothing stores, it catered to different tastes; there were brightly patterned dirndls as well as muted, more conservative ones. Most of the time, dirndl stores also had traditional German wear for boys, which also offered a large variety. Moreover, all of the saleswomen wore dirndls.
The dirndl-selling business is huge in Munich, most likely because tourists (like us!) are enthralled by the opportunity to try on traditional German wear. When someone travels to a different country, they want to bring a piece of the culture back - and that's why dirndl stores are so successful. Although German women buy dirndls at these stores to wear to traditional celebrations, it seems like a lot of the revenue comes from tourists that love the look and culture of dirndls. As a result, the dirndl-selling business would not work in the U.S. because the business thrives on German culture - why would anyone want to buy an inauthentic dirndl from the U.S. that doesn't have any cultural meaning? One reason: Halloween. Perhaps costume stores could sell a selection of dirndls, but there is no market for stores that exclusively sell dirndls.