Wearing a dirndl is not cultural appropriation, but it is, in fact, the appreciation of the culture. Dirndls are frequently worn by foreigners at the Oktoberfest so the people of local communities are accustomed to the use of women’s Oktoberfest attire by other cultures. The locals admire it when a dirndl is worn to celebrate the Bavarian culture. For them, foreigners investing in good quality dirndl is a respect for their craft and heritage. The answer can be this simple, too, but to understand why this question is even raised, we have to look at the bigger picture.
“Cultural Appropriation" Vs "Cultural Appreciation”
There is a difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. Cultural appropriation is the insensitive use of some cultural elements by other cultures without understanding them, or worse, to stereotype the culture. Power imbalance is often involved in cultural appropriation, and the powerful groups use the other group's culture to offend them.
Cultural appreciation, on the other hand, involves genuine understanding and respect for other cultures. The cultural elements are still used by other cultures, but it is done with appreciation, to admire different cultures and learn about them.
Local Communities Approve of Tourist Dirndls
The locals are in favour of the use of dirndls by non-Bavarian people. They are very accustomed to tourists wearing the dirndls and are often happy to see them. Styling modifications and personal touches are also generally accepted. The only condition is that the definition of festival costume is not stretched and the traditional outfit is worn to appreciate the culture instead of mocking it.
When it comes to the cultural appropriation of the dirndls, the opinion of the locals matters the most and should be considered.
Historical Tracht Roots Relevant to the Dirndl Appropriation Debate
Like any other traditional outfit, dirndls have their own story. Before becoming a festival costume, it went through a series of evolutions to reach its current status. Discussing this history is essential to understanding why the appropriation of dirndls comes into question.
Appreciation by the Upper Class
The dirndls were initially created as the workwear for Alpine ladies. When the upper class visited these rural areas in the 1800s, they liked the dirndls and started wearing them to fit the idea of folk romanticism. The villagers liked this idea as it appreciated their craft.
Weaponization by the Nazis
The history of dirndls became controversial when in 1930s, the nazi regime used these traditional outfits to spread hyper-nationalism. They associated dirndls with the idea of a perfect German woman. And prohibited other ethnicities from wearing dirndls, especially the jews.
The Wallach brothers, who reinvented the dirndls and popularized them in fashion were not even allowed to claim their designs.
Relaunch as Festival and Traditional Wear
The dirndls gained their reputation back in the late 1990s as the festival wear. And then became the symbol of cultural identity of Bavaria. Now the dirndls seem to be the official dress code of Oktoberfest as well as the heritage of Bavaria so they should be worn in a way that does not disrespect their culture.
Cultural Appropriation in the Context of Dirndls
Cultural appropriation of the tracht or traditional dirndl happens when these outfits are worn to mock Bavarian culture. Wearing cheaply made imitations or overly revealing versions of dirndl dress without understanding the history and craft behind these outfits is not appropriate. Make sure when you wear these traditional outfits, you respect the culture instead of parodying it.
Considering Costumes Instead of Authentic Clothing
Treating a dirndl as a costume is not appreciated. Buying cheap, low-quality dirndls just to wear at the festival and then discard is not appreciating culture. In this way, dirndls are reduced to mere costumes that are brought out during the festival season without understanding of culture.
Mockery of the Bavarian Heritage
Wearing a dirndl to make fun of the Bavarian culture is very inappropriate. Stereotyping the dirndl to make fun of German culture is very disrespectful and should be avoided at all costs.
Over-Sexualization of Dirndls
The oversexualized versions of dirndls are frowned upon by the locals. There is a growing trend of very short and revealing dirndls, giving it a sexy costume vibe. Some girls wear this type of dirndl with tags like 'party girl' and 'beer girl,” such variations are deemed disrespectful and far from the Bavarian culture.
Over-Commercialization by Fast Fashion
Over-commercialization is the production of cheap, quality dirndls by the fast fashion industry. These organizations do not understand the meaning behind this traditional outfit and make cheap quality disposable dirndls only to be worn once. Such practices are a threat to the local craftsmanship as well as the environment.
Conclusion
The point of view of the locals is clear, they are okay with tourists and foreigners wearing the dirndls as long as it is in a respectful manner and the sentiments attached to it are not mocked. The Bavarian locals feel joy when people from other cultures appreciate their traditional attire.