The Frauentracht, the best-known traditional outfit worn by women in southern Germany, is the Dirndl. A Dirndl is a dress consisting of four main components: a bodice (connected at the front), a skirt, and a sleeve. Tracht today is a modernized twist on many traditional regional Tracthen outfits, which is why most Germans don’t feel it’s rude or culturally inappropriate.
Tracht clothing, also known as “trachten” (pronounced like “trahkt”), represents German cultural pride. Originating in Bavaria, Dirndls and Lederhosen are the most recognizable symbols of traditional German clothing. These outfits originated in Bavaria but have been widely adopted elsewhere. Dirndls for women and lederhosen for men are the traditional outfits of Oktoberfest, and are highly encouraged.
Tracht clothing has had a revival in recent years, with traditional Bavarian clothing now more popular than ever. Tracht, a distinctive form of dress, was once worn day in, day out by men, women, and children in the Alpine regions of Bavaria and Austria. The lederhosen and dirndl may be the most recognizable country-specific outfit in the world, representing German pride even centuries after they were first introduced to Bavarian life.
Tracht clothing, broadly known as Tracht, pertains to the regional costumes worn historically by people across various parts of Germany. Lederhosen, meaning “leather trousers”, are short leather pants worn by men, usually knee-length, and are historically worn by women.
📹 German fashion: Is there more to German style than socks and sandals? | Meet the Germans
Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares …
What is dirndl and lederhosen?
The dirndl is a traditional dress with a structured bodice, tightly tied, and decoratively embroidered. It dates back to the 19th century and originated from traditional clothing worn by farmers in Austria and Bavaria. The dress consists of at least two pieces: the dress itself and an apron. A cropped dirndl blouse is usually worn under the bodice, covering shoulders and upper arms. The bodice is tight, while the skirt is wider and gathered at the waist, falling in pleats.
Today’s fashion dirndls offer a variety of shapes and styles, with options for a traditional look or a more contemporary look with a wider range of colors, patterns, and details. Most dirndls are made of cotton, linen, or velvet, with exclusive designer dirndls using silk or leather. The apron may be made of the same fabric as the dress, but may also be silk or finished with lace trimming.
Is lederhosen German or Dutch?
The lederhosen and dirndl are recognizable country-specific outfits that represent German pride and are often worn during Oktoberfest and other German culture festivals. These unique and unorthodox outfits have a long history that parallels the lifestyle, development, and antiquity of Germany. The lederhosen were created as work wear for peasants, using leather as a high-endurance material for laborers and farmers. In the 16th century, French culottes (or knee breeches) popularized in Europe, and by the 18th century, German and Austrian workers in the Alps took the culottes style for their own use.
However, instead of using soft French fabrics, they used their trusty leather, creating the lederhosen, which literally translates to “leather breeches”. The lederhosen and dirndl are a symbol of German pride and tradition, and their unique and unorthodox style make them a symbol of German pride and tradition.
What is a classic German dress called?
The lederhosen and dirndl are recognizable country-specific outfits that represent German pride and are often worn during Oktoberfest and other German culture festivals. These unique and unorthodox outfits have a long history that parallels the lifestyle, development, and antiquity of Germany. The lederhosen were created as work wear for peasants, using leather as a high-endurance material for laborers and farmers. In the 16th century, French culottes (or knee breeches) popularized in Europe, and by the 18th century, German and Austrian workers in the Alps took the culottes style for their own use.
However, instead of using soft French fabrics, they used their trusty leather, creating the lederhosen, which literally translates to “leather breeches”. The lederhosen and dirndl are a symbol of German pride and tradition, and their unique and unorthodox style make them a symbol of German pride and tradition.
What is Germany’s fashion?
Germany is a major player in the fashion industry, alongside France, the UK, the US, Italy, Spain, and Japan. It is known for its unconventional young designers and manufacturers of sports and outdoor clothing, ready-to-wear, and custom-made creations. Berlin, the capital city, is the world’s fashion capital and hosts Berlin Fashion Week, where young and creative German fashion designers showcase unique creations. Other important cities in the German fashion landscape include Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne.
Smaller places like Herford, Metzingen, Herzogenaurach, Schorndorf, Chemnitz, Albstadt, and Detmold also play a significant role in the industry. Berlin Fashion Week, held twice annually in January and July, has gained international attention for its many creative young designers.
What are German outfits called?
Dirndls and lederhosen are traditional German clothing, originating in Bavaria but widely adopted elsewhere. Dirndls consist of a blouse, bodice, skirt, and apron, worn by servants or peasants. They were made of sturdy cloth and were worn by aristocratic ladies in the 18th century. Lederhosen are breeches worn by men, typically made of leather from cows, goats, or deer. They include suspenders, knee-high socks, leather shoes, a checkered shirt, and a jacket.
While dirndls and lederhosen are well-known trachten, many regions have less well-known but equally beautiful traditional costumes. This blog article provides a visual survey of traditional clothing in many regions, including Hesse and Baden-Württemberg.
What are iconic German outfits?
Traditional German clothing, including Dirndl and Lederhosen, originated in Bavaria and has gained popularity throughout the country. Tracht, the German word for traditional, historical, or regional fashion, includes clothing, hairstyle, accessories, jewelry, symbols, and insignia. These outfits follow strict traditions and codes, with some examples of the best traditional German clothing being the Dirndl and Lederhosen.
How do you say outfit in German?
The text provides an overview of the terminology associated with attire, encompassing such concepts as clothing, fashion, fancy dress, uniform, and uniform. Furthermore, the text underscores the significance of having a new outfit and a uniform. Furthermore, the text emphasizes the significance of adhering to a uniform code and the importance of having a uniform for a scout.
What is a stereotypical German outfit called?
Dirndls and lederhosen are traditional German clothing, originating in Bavaria but widely adopted elsewhere. Dirndls consist of a blouse, bodice, skirt, and apron, worn by servants or peasants. They were made of sturdy cloth and were worn by aristocratic ladies in the 18th century. Lederhosen are breeches worn by men, typically made of leather from cows, goats, or deer. They include suspenders, knee-high socks, leather shoes, a checkered shirt, and a jacket.
While dirndls and lederhosen are well-known trachten, many regions have less well-known but equally beautiful traditional costumes. This blog article provides a visual survey of traditional clothing in many regions, including Hesse and Baden-Württemberg.
What is the German word for clothing?
Die Kleidung, a common German term for clothing, encompasses various terms used to describe various aspects of outfits. Understanding German clothing vocabulary, including essential clothing items, descriptors, and clothing-related verbs, can prepare you for conversations with fashion-forward German speakers. This post covers topics such as basics, accessories, regional clothing terms, description of clothing, clothing verbs, putting it all together, example sentences, and questions about clothing in German.
Is it OK to wear a dirndl to Oktoberfest?
Women typically wear dirndls to Oktoberfest, a traditional German folk dress that signifies both girl and the dress worn by women. The dirndl, in Bavarian dialect, consists of a bodice, blouse, skirt, and an apron. The bodice, called meider, is a traditional German dress with puffy sleeves and can come above the knee for a mini style, below the knee for a midi, or all the way down to the ankles for a more traditional look.
The skirt length can vary depending on the style. The apron is tied with a ribbon, indicating the wearer’s availability, whether single, taken, virgin, widow, or working. Pre-ordering Oktoberfest dirndls can save 20.
What is the German slang for clothes?
In German, “Knitten” is the proper way to say clothes, with no singular or plural form. Some slang terms for clothes include “Klamotten” or “Anziehsachen”. Understanding basic clothing terms is useful in various situations, such as visiting German-speaking countries for clothes shopping, referring to someone’s name by their clothes, and complimenting someone’s clothes. For example, knowing how to say “The lady in the brown coat” or “The guy in the yellow shirt” can help avoid impolitely pointing fingers. Complimenting someone’s clothes is also a safe and easy way to express appreciation in German.
📹 Why Were The Nazis So Stylish? // Secret History Revealed
Chapters: 0:00 – Why Were The Nazis So Stylish? 1:11 – Unification of Germany in 1871 2:05 – World War I Uniforms 3:24 – Rise of …
I was working as a tailor and I can say there is a German style. It’s simple. If u come in a pink shirt with blue suit and a purple tie in Germany that’s way too much. Mostly dark blue white shirts and a normal tie. Just don’t wear something at work which gives u attention. No red socks. No button holes in a different color or extreme colors. If we look at german designer brands also it is clear. Boss, Jim sander is all minimalistic. I think Minimalism is just something very german. Also when we look at watches. Bauhaus Bauhaus Bauhaus Bauhaus.
Germans have a style. It is minimalistic. We didn’t invent Bauhaus for nothing. And who the f… cares if someone wears a jeans to the opera? I mean, if you want to dress up, you can (and a lot of people do), but if you don’t, it’s fine, too. And you can even dress up with a jeans, provided that it is an elegant cut jeans combined with a fitting top. A little bling on it, and you are good to go. Also the woman with her “maybe it was the war” theory is full of sh… Back then AND in the years after the war, fashion was still pretty much a dictatorship. Every women who didn’t want to look “low class” went to the hair dresser regularly and wore some sort of hat, and naturally they all owned some lacy blouse for Sunday. Rejecting fashion altogether is actually a pretty new thing even for Germans. I think it was in the 1990s when we moved from “okay, what is the current trend” to “f… the current trend, just wear whatever you like because if you wear it long enough it will eventually be in trend again anyway”. Which is btw a very healthy attitude. If those designers want to see their work on the street, they should create something which is both chic and practical, which is designed for a woman who has actually some curves. Even the Italians are able to do this and sell just fine into the German market.
I have basically two types of clothes: 1. “official” – that includes everthing from “very formal” through “chic to go out” all the way to “business” 2. what my mother used to call “Räuberzivil” that is comfy and praktical clothes, i can wear every day.. and yes that sometimes includes sandals and socks^^
I remember my German teacher gave me examples like Adidas and Puma. Adidas is more about Black-n-white and function, while Puma is more colourful n casual. In a class presentation i said Adidas even once collaborated with Yoji Yamamoto (correct spelling?) in the brand Y3, which was chic. I still love the Y3 blazer with iconic 3-stripes of Adidas.
Personally, I hate the expectation to dress up. It’s not like I don’t have my own style. I’ve never met someone looking quite like me. But having to wear a suit or what have you on certain occasions.. it just feels like a lie. So I’d never expect it of anyone else. That being said, wearing a suit on certain occasions is definitely a thing in Germany.
Best part of my day is finding Rachel Stewart has posted another new article essay. Interesting information on German life found nowhere else. Wish she would do some articles in German also but with subtitles of course for those of us with just the basic understanding of German speech. If you haven’t seen them she covers everything from asparagus to baseball to money, check them out!
There’s a big difference in generation too. Yes, I think most people (no matter how old they are) prefer simple and practical clothing over looking “gorgeous”, but especially teens value fashion a lot more. They spend a lot of money on expensive brands. Elders above 55 years dress rather elegant and adults just dress casual and simple, but the combinations are terrible sometimes xD
Re-using clothes until they are worn out is not a WW2 thing, it was a common thing all over the world because fabric and clothes were extremely expensive for centuries. The art of making it work in a fashionable way got lost with fast fashion. How are these girls fashion students when they don’t know basic fashion history facts? Gurl please.
Es kann nun einmal nicht jeder ein Hipster sein, der durch die Großstadt läuft und sich als Holzfäller aus gibt, was ihn nicht zu einem Repräsentanten von Mode macht, sondern zu einem Imitator. Grundsätzlich kann man alles tragen, solange es einem selbst gefällt, ob es sich nun um einen Mantel aus Opas Kleiderschrank handelt, oder schlicht um ein bunt gefärbtes Bettlaken. Jeder ist Einzigartig und so sollte es sich auch mit der Kleidung verhalten.
I’m a Berliner and honestly people from Berlin know unfortunately nothing about fashion. I always feel overdressed when I hangout with my friends which is just a simple outfit for me but for them its WOW! They say WHATEVER… I do what I like. YES exactly do what you like but don’t call it fashion because its a disgrace. LoL. so my fellow Germans please learn to dress up, specially men)))
Clothing and the attempt to took “right” causes me stress and I hate it. It’s open-ended. There is no right answer and whatever you do will earn you snarky comments from someone or other. It also costs a fortune. It’s sort of like we’re trying to fit in to some tribe and the members of the tribe are trying to keep everyone out. The fashion has to change so that people are continually encouraged to pay more to get their feeling of being accepted.
There are definitely visible social class and ingroup distinctions in Germany. While they’re not as overt as in some other countries, the upper and upper-middle class definitely attempts to distinguish itself. But that’s primarily the case for Munich, Düsseldorf, the Taunus, Hamburg and certain more rural areas in the North.
I don’t think that it has to do with WW II (what both women said). Because after the war, many people in Germany still were “well-dressed” (men wearing costumes, ties and shirts; women wearing dresses or skirts). It changed in the late 60s and the 70s, where people in Germany started to prioritise comfort over classic fashion (and rebelling against the social “prohibit” of women wearing trousers).
I don’t think you have enough fashion impressions if you’ve only been to Berlin. I don’t really like this city because everything is too “leger” and chaotic. Fashion also depends on society, workplace etc. You also couldn’t summarise the American style. But usually I really like your articles 🙂 greetings from Frankfurt
The Designer that talks about the Berlin Fashionweek is right, the fashion doesn’t hit the street. In my case I never wear something really “fashionable” from a big designer, because: 1. it’s expensive 2. it’s not my size (with 46 you barely get some) 3. as a teen/ young adult I tried to follow the usual recommondations what to wear and whats trendy. And it often was not practical, uncomfy or ridicolious. Thats a real waste of money in my eyes, and now I just try to get whats comfy and I can wear most of the time. I sometimes miss it, to dress up for occasions, but I although like that I can wear my favorite sweater at work AND at home and try to have nice accesories. But its true, as a traveller you recognise Germans in other countrys. Thats the people with “Regenjacke”, scarf and backpack (if its a cold country).
Frankly, German fashion still has some roots in the post-war era, when new clothing was a valued gift for Christmas and your stuff had to last for years. Besides that, the Germans have a strong differentiation of 2 clothing styles. Working clothes and clothing for representation purposes. People of my age buy jeans and expect them to last 10 years or we buy a pair of shoes and that is used for decades, with frequent repairs of course. If the piece of clothing does not last long we are often disappointed and will not buy the brand again. i.e. I still have and wear a pair of shoes I bought at the age of 15 and I’m 53 now, it still fits perfectly and it has received new soles and new heels about every two to 4 years. The younger generation does not care so much, if a pair of pants last a season they are satisfied. But I want to spend my money on other things. And the low-quality pants are often not cheaper than the higher-quality ones. Often fashion trends are perceived as stupid by the older Germans. i.e. the pants with holes in them. How stupid do you have to be to buy a pair of trousers which are beat-up beyond repair from the beginning? Pants are worn for protection from the weather, to avoid being scratched etc. those pants do not protect your knees if you stumble and fall … The people in Berlin are NOT really Germans. They are doughnuts… 🙂
Jeans, ein einfaches Shirt und darüber ein Blazer…wahlweise mit Sneakers oder etwas feineren Schuhen (wenn ein Meeting im Job ansteht zum Beispiel) ist ein absolut gewöhnlicher Anblick zu jedem Anlass bei uns im Bayerischen Wald. Dass man Klamotten aufträgt wurde mir auch noch beigebracht, weshalb es sich also eher rentiert in etwas hochwertigere Produkte zu investieren. Praktikabel muss es sein und lange halten. Alte Kleidung kommt im Anschluss oft in die Altkleidersammlung. Wenn man auffällige Outfits trägt wird man bei uns auf dem bayerischen Dorf eher schief gemustert… Auffallen will man hier für gewöhnlich nicht, oder nur die wenigstens. Was man hierzulande dann auch sehr häufig sehen kann sind Outdoor-Klamotten und Wanderstiefel.
That was new to me. And I guess there are big differences, like in every country of the world, between cities and villages or the countryside. When I visited the UK or the USA, I noticed a big difference on everyday fashion. To be honest I think in general germans have a bigger interest in fashion than those two countries. Doesnt mean tgey are dressed better. But when I walk through a smaller city in western germany mamy people look like they are going out all the time, whereas my experience in the uk and usa were that everyone is just wearing cozy things. Of course not in New York or London.
germany and fashion….hmmm…thats a “Widerspruch” in itself……example?….Fashion “guru” J.Pahnke explains german “fashion in a lumberjack checked shirt!!…;-)priceless….but i must admit i love a checked shirt, too…but so did Rory Gallagher… hey…and don’t get me started at the way young “ladies”get dressed to go out in UK….
I know this attitude from my upbringing „don’t throw away, if you can still use it” . Well today we call it sustainability and it is the right thing to do 🤷♀️ I might never in my life been too fashionable?(with few exceptions), but at least I live sustainability. Which means today I am so en vogue 😄
I think, there is a fashion in Germany. It’s naturally different from other countries. I am not German, but I think favorite German color is black. They like to style, but more minimalistic. Everything need to be good quality and not so expensive. Germans enjoy shopping in Italy, and Spain. Very important part play ecological and fair products. They not like to attract a lot of attention, for that they have Karneval.
I can go with the practicality than looking like a rotten garbage with no sense of, up or down Also HUGO BOSS Where is the nice cotton or wool dark gray trench coats? Where is the quality Jack boots? Petition for a (Back to the Clasic) day where you can buy a good winter and autumn clothing, ie. Early ww2 trench coats and other things
I have to disagree with the casual everyday…at least back in the 90s… as canadian/german the tee Tucked into jeans with runners as the 90s were hip in america and laughed at in germany, i got even bullied for that look… perhaps today it changed, when moving back to canada in 2000 it seemed that the well put together german fashion sence was always overdressed in canada. Lol
Men’s fashion here rarely changes, but If the German ladies want to know what the fashion will be next year, they just look at what the fashion in England was two years ago. I went to court once and I was more smartly attired than both my lawyer and the judge. I had a job interview last week for a promotion at work and everyone was astonished because I arrived in a suit and tie.
Okay wenn ich mal wie ein Idiot aussehen will kleide ich mich in Berlin ein. Gab es da keine besseren Beispiele? Das gesehene jedenfalls überzeugt nicht wirklich dazu sich “modisch” zu kleiden ^^ Zumal sich “modisch” und “nachhaltig” ja prinzipiel ausschließt. Der Modetrend ändert sich ja permanent während eine Jeans zum einen zeitlos als auch robust genug ist um mehr als ein Jahr getragen zu werden 🙂 Also mehr als “nachhaltig” 😉
I’d rather not multiply my descriptive words. Germans simply wear their German fashion. German’s set of values reflect heavily on what they wear and what they are fond of doing such as watch football games, travelling and discovering cultures. ( Just the opposite of Filipinos. Philippines may have built its own name in fashion designs even in the international level. But its population may be composed of 35% fashion-lovers and fashion-conscious while the rest due to poverty have to be satisfied with ‘just anything to wear’.. )
Why did that one woman say that you can’t wear jeans to the opera? I mean, I know there is a social expectation there, but what harm would possibly come from this?? Is anything physically keeping you from entering the opera house in sweatpants? Will the building collaps if you wear a lab coat and cargo shorts? See that’s why I will never understand the idea of dress codes, like why do people act as if it’s not a real wedding unless everyone is wearing suites or dresses?
Using clothes for a longer period of time sounds like a bad thing, but in fact it is very environmental friendly. I’m German myself and there is so much I love about other cultures, but when it comes to clothes, I love being German. Simple, practical and sustainable. Edit: This does not apply to the footwear horror on some people’s feet! I wish the sandal people would finally die out! Horrible! May their socks burn in hell!
One thing you got wrong is why germans wear jeans and casual. The older generations were still very formal. It wasn’t until the 50s with american music becoming popular that jeans became popular. This only increased in the 70s with casual clothing being symbolic of non-hierarchical movements, for instance, in schools and universities.
okay! this sounds stupid and idiotic at the same time. but I was visiting a shoe shop to buy white shoes the other day and remembered her shoes out of no where! you don’t believe me when I say it, but I watched the whole series to find this specific episode to take a good look at her shoes, and then buy them!! after a month, I finally find them! so, anybody able to help me identify the shoe model or something? I look at every shoe in the market and they look the same, but I’m just like nah, this isn’t that! (I usually wear boots, so not used to the look!)… I don’t want the exact model or type, just wanna know how it actually look so I can buy the this style! :)) hope I don’t sound too creepy!
I spent my childhood as an American travelling extensively throughout Europe. It always struck me how despite Germany being my favorite in many ways, they were back then the only poorly dressed Europeans (except in Dusseldorf and parts of Frankfurt). Nowadays, most people are poorly dressed, but they still strike me as more poorly dressed than others.
I am German born 8 years after WW II. When I was a child, women wore pencil skirts and moderate heels and men wore suits, ties and hats. I left Germany in 1974. Clothing had become slightly more relaxed by then, but not like now! So, this way of dressing is NOT a result of the poverty after WW II. I don’t know the reason. It would be worth an investigation!
As a German I cannot agree with you in many points. You draw a picture of the older generation over 50+. These days younger people are much more fashionable even in smaller cities. We are not a highfashion country, but not everybody wears jeans, T-shirt or sandals. Also you can find a lot of individual styles like Gothic, Punk, Rock, etc. on the streets, which I have never experienced this much in other countries. To be honest this article is quite disappointing and marks a lot of foreign stereotypes. Also Berlin people think they have a lot of style but if you go to Berlin you can find the particular “Berlin” style. They also look quite similar in their style in Berlin. Even in this article you can see those Designer look quite “Berlin” woke.
🔴youtu.be/L60URzYo4o4?list=PLbAUemeg-KycCVBNsalYyoyPZk2gw3cx- – Click here to watch Why Are Bikers So Stylish? ▶ youtu.be/QSb70rYMwws?list=PLbAUemeg-KyeRRxP8UuOVvD2Ivj4GV9R_ – Click here to watch 7 ICONIC American Styles That Transformed The Fashion World. Do you want more clothing history articles? Comment below!
There’s a reason George Lucas used the Nazi uniforms as inspiration for the Empire. He even used the term “Stormtroopers” as well. The black, white and red colors used in Star Wars was purposeful and meant to bring the Nazis to mind when you saw them. Even Darth Vader’s helmet has influences of the Stahlhelm.
Aesthetics have a profound psychological effect on morale too. It doesnt seem obvious at first that fancy uniforms and symbolism would make a big military or political difference but it does. Just think about how confident you get when you get a fresh hair cut, look in the mirror in a sharp outfit or get a new tattoo. It might give you the confidence to go talk to that girl, or take any risk. We overlook that in the west.
As a teenager, I’d watch Indiana Jones movies,see the Nazis,and reluctantly say to myself, “those were some evil MF’s…. But damn,they dressed well!” Edit: My God,it’s only been a little over a week, and my brief observation regarding my teenage thoughts has turned into a source of discussion and civilized discourse! Glad I could contribute!
Just discovered your website and quite glad I did. Can’t wait to see some more. That being said, I see the schultzstaffel (SS) uniforms as one of if not the most iconic military uniforms of the 20th century. As they seamlessly blend style, class and sophistication with a foreboding sense of terror and ruthlessness. Again, really enjoyed your article. Quite informative stuff. As I too was under the impression that the fashion house Hugo Boss was responsible for the designing of said uniforms prior to having watched your article. Anyways, thanks again and look forward to seeing more of your work.
One thing that is not mentioned here is that to get into the SS you had to be at least 180cm tall. This obviously added to the whole “master race” mystique and made the uniforms look even more impressive. The irony is that many of the high ranking officers did not actually meet the height requirements of their own elite club, yet demanded this from “lesser” mortals.
Himmler actually did have Military experience. He was in reserve units during the first world war. His unit was even called to the front, but recalled at the last minute. He continued to serve in reserve status until after the war. Once his time was fulfilled re went back to his family home. His main regret was not ever seeing combat. This was one of the driving forces that lured him to the Nazi Party. Mark Felton has a great article on this subject.
A friend of my father is descendant of Croatians, he knew absolutely nothing about his father who abandoned him at birth, the only thing he knew was that he was Croatian and came to Argentina after the war, since that was were he was born. Approximately 40 years later, no signs from his father at any point, suddenly, an inheritance appears out of nowhere. My father’s friend goes to claim it, everything was inside one of those old travelling trunks. When he opens it, he finds the black leather SS coat, together with a picture of his father using it and some silver cutlery with the German eagle imprinted. I saw it, stylish AS FUCK, but it had an otherwordly, very sinister aura to it that smeared everything and everyone in the room.
As someone swinging by from the historical dress community, I would like to add that across the vast majority of history, it was very difficult to dye fabric black and to ensure the colour didn’t fade. Making it extremely expensive, thus only available to the rich and powerful. Eventhough at the time of the nazis it was more accessible, there was still this subconscious association that they where wearing black and thus must be of high status and rich. With synthetic dyes and fast fashion, everything is now easily and cheaply available, so it’s easy to forget how costly some things would have been before all of that A source: Medieval fabrics and the use of colour, part 2. By Sidsel, on May 22, 2019
I’m a Marine who was issued my Blues at 8th & I, but I gotta say the Allgemeine SS and the Waffen SS dress uniform (black also) are the most striking of all time.I heard one person who was German and a child in the 30s say that they looked at the men in their black uniforms as if they were “knights”.
As a younger adult, seeing the uniform fit so well and look like a wanted style. I can see how the Uniform would encourage more “enlistment”. Just like the marines, in just about every commercial, ad, photo. They always include the Dressed Blues. Drags the eye to “Damn, they’re badass and they even dress as such”. I believe that’s also the reason for the SS uniforms. If that makes sense
The SS uniforms were like black death itself!!! I couldn’t imagine the terror they inflicted upon the millions of innocent lives they destroyed. Imagine having next to nothing, hiding from the Nazi’s, desperately trying to escape whatever fate awaits you, and the SS discover your hiding location. They march in, guns drawn, and wearing that black leather, with the skull emblem. Absolute terror and dread on an unprecedented scale. Unimaginable.
Hmm. I’ve never thought about that. The fact that the uniforms were usually worn by fit young men adds to the appeal. And you’re right. When I picture the SS uniforms, I don’t usually picture Himmler, I picture the 6 foot plus, blond haired, blue eyed picture of the ideal Aryan male. The Nazis demonstrate again how they were the masters of propaganda. They trained you to see the SS uniform and immediately associate it with pure Aryanhood. Clever.
The Germans also created a focus group who’s responsibility was to observe and evaluate the attractiveness of uniforms which were being developed for the German soldiers under the Nazi Reich. The evaluators were women, since the uniforms were also to be used for purposes of recruitment from German citizenry. I have worn these German uniforms (Wehrmacht) as a WWII reenactor and understand their appeal as a propaganda tool. They project efficiency and masculinity as part of their design, not only intimidation. The arms are shorter by modern standards. The sleeve cuff terminates at the wrist, not below as in modern suits. Also, the belt line was raised to about the naval. The effect was to make the soldier appear taller that he really was, an image of strength.
I think the thing that makes the SS uniforms so iconic is that they can fit ANY scenario. Remove the context of negative connotations due to history, and I can easily see an SS uniform being worn in combat (both modern and historical like a dry dusty dune in the middle east or a rainy muddy trench in WW1/WW2) and have that uniform still looking good in a “stylish yet rugged” way. But with a simple trip to the dry cleaners, I can equally picture that same uniform on someone coming home and going to a high class restaurant next to world leaders. No matter what you do in it, it’s virtually impossible to look out of place or like you aren’t damned good at whatever you’re doing. (Again, provided you don’t have the negative context of modern-day history knowledge.) Like, if we were in an alternate timeline where the nazi party never existed and no one had ever seen these uniforms before so they never got a negative “oh that’s a bad guy’s uniform because history” reaction. You’d want to take off all the insignias so they weren’t readily discernable as out-of-place in the alternate timeline, but do that and you could drop someone wearing the uniform into any of these situations (trench warfare to high class dinner party with heads of state) and they’d look like they absolutely belonged. Honestly, i’ve never seen ANY other uniform that was THAT versatile. Visually, it’s incredibly sleek yet rugged, powerful, and masculine all at the same time. There’s no branch of any US force who’s uniforms can even hold a candle to that, and I’ve yet to see any modern European uniform that can say it’s any different.
I am Austrian and the elders in my family, eye witnesses of that time, used to tell how the Wehrmacht and the SS marching by in close order would give them chills. They were only children back then but the appearence of those guys had a huge impact on them. Thank you for that in depth analysis and the insights on how the Nazis took good care of their image.
Our brains, and this goes to a majority of cultures, associate sharp edges, geometrical patterns, and broad single colors to neatness and symmetry, and symmetry is a major key to understanding our idea of beauty. The lines and broad strokes in the collar also look like they were influenced by the art deco style if not totally imitate it. Art deco is already considered a major aesthetic preference at the time so I think it also contributed to the view of the uniforms being stylish.
Not only SS but Wehrmacht also stylish….helmet, uniform, marching style like Prussian style and confidence and massive inner strength. Todays Germany armed forces far behind the 1939 armed forces. Look like all came from Hollywood movie. WW2 British and American uniform are boring while USSR bit better with stylish cap
I don’t agree with RMRS’s opinion of the SS uniform… at least not his conclusion. I will agree with the fact that it was primarily worn by fit young men helps, but it is not simply “Good design” but is “Great Design”. Also, sorry to say, but the US Marine uniform doesn’t even make it into my top 5. 1. Scottish Ceremonial uniform 2. Nazi SS Uniform 3. US infantry combat solider in full kit (Form and high-tech function equals GREAT style) 4. The 1st US Calvary Horse Detachment (The 1870’s hat alone makes the uniform awesome, but add to that the boots, sword and the horse, and it becomes a girls wet dream.) 5. US Navy whites (Like with the SS uniform, the navy whites are a simple and elegant design)
Honesly I think a few of the armed forces in the US would see improvement in recruitment numbers if they had better looking uniforms. Its a big factor. Some people just join the Marines for the Dress Blues, and the Dress Blues aren’t even in the top 5. Coast Guard/Navy/AIrforce make me want to puke. The army did good going back to the ww2 style. Marines are Ight
I don’t think it’s just primarily repetition and exposure as you imply. The design elements are key: Black: Power, strength…makes people actually look larger than they are. High, tight collars: They make a person appear upright, tight, tense. The uniforms are spring-loaded. Patch placement: Nazi symbols on the uniforms are unmistakably both mysterious and aggressive. In addition, they are often placed around the uniform in a slightly asymmetric fashion, which makes them interesting for the eye to follow. Shots of red in black…blood and ash. Yikes. Hat: Like all hats, they make the person wearing them look taller. Put an eagle on the front of the hat, and you are a mountain from which the eagle flies. Tailoring: As you mentioned, tailoring and fit are very important. Fat slobs can’t make these things look good, though the Nazi full length black trench coat on a large man would be pretty intimidating. I’d seen the uniforms worn by characters on TV and in the movies, but when I saw them in person for the first time in the Holocaust museum in LA several years ago, I absolutely got the willies. When you see one of these things in person, you realize that these people were deadly serious about scaring and killing people without remorse. Imagine a group of humorless, soulless SS guys at your door. Not a good time.
When I went through Officer Candidate School at Ft Benning, the WWII museum was putting together a collection of uniforms. A seamstress had painstakingly tailored a Nazi SS uniform. One of us candidates was a handsome, fit six foot man, and she had him put on the uniform. It was breathtaking. Put chills down my spine. That uniform on the right Soldier is powerfully impressive.
It’s just classy in general I think. Take away all the nazi symbols and medals, it’s striking, imposing, confident, and most importantly it’s a simple design and resembles a well tailored, modern, black business suit. Wear it today and it will still look very stylish and modern. A classic design is classic because it will never go out of style.
Throughout history, German officers have always cherished the Prussian tradition of iron discipline. Those elegant WW2 era uniforms were a delineation of that disciplined way of life. The neatness and tidiness of how the uniforms were cut and fit to the body, as well as the clean grooming habits of German officers.
Good article, and semper fi, brother fmr Marine. (Btw, my father fought at Iwo Jima, and was an officer in Korea, and was severely wounded.) The color black is definitely intimidating, and during my 18 years in Washington DC I met someone who told me that the US Secret Service had rejected the color white (which would have made sense in a hot, humid, sticky southern city, reflecting the sun’s rays ) and was adamant that its vehicles had to be black — for that intimidating effect you brought up. This applied, of course, to “the Beast” — the presidential limousine — and to all the SUVs that accompany it or protect visiting VIPs. When some foreign prime minister, king or president visits DC, there are four of these SUVS that surround his vehicle, especially if they hit a red light, and they all are jet-black. Oh, and the Marine Corps officer’s dress uniform is also black, whereas that of enlisted Marines is dark (navy) blue.
I think they’re the most stylish uniforms ever, easily #1. The hairstyles were also very nice looking imo. Ralph Fiennes in his SS uniform in Schindler’s list looks so freaking handsome, especially in the picture you chose as the thumbnail for this article. The overall style coupled with his incredible acting performance were so effective in creating a stylish and intimidating character that was so easy to hate. Disregarding the fact that the real Amon Goeth was in fact incredibly ugly, it made for such a powerful portrayal of that absolute monster.
Some nuance about the ☠️ on the uniforms. The “totenkopf” was widely used in german units as from 1750, mostly hussards regiments. Brunswick used it a lot during the napoleonic times too, also the black uniforms. Besides this, the german army of WW2 had great uniforms, also the regular wehrmacht. Officers were very stylish, specially compared to American or even British units.
When I was a cadet at Marine Military Academy in 1975 some of my fellow cadets and I had a conversation about “best looking military uniforms of all time.” Despite our obvious partiality and STRONG bias for the Dress Blues of the United States Marine Corps, we all readily conceded that our dress blues came in as a close second to the black and silver uniforms of the Nazi SS which were, in our sincere opinion, the hands-down, most bad-assed and handsome uniform designs in all of military history. Nobody there was a Nazi sympathizer – just honestly impressed by how damn good those uniforms looked. The dirty little secret of nearly all men who find the military fascinating is that we’d all like to see what we would look like in the mirror wearing one of these stylish and bad-assed uniforms.
I think what cements the Nazi uniforms in the public conscious is that they’re one of the few military uniforms to live on not just literally but also in the abstract. Think of how many sci-fi/fantasy movies have their villain’s costuming clearly inspired by the SS, like the imperial officers in Star Wars and you get it immediately
I was always struck by how Germany did not differentiate between dress uniforms and field uniforms as much as the western allies, especially M36 and M43 used by all ranks below major general. You might see a German officer dressed in the field (with muddy boots) much as he would be dressed for a meeting in Berlin (with clean boots). There were, of course, exceptions to this but in many cases the same uniforms were seen in both dress and field duty, possibly with the adornment of braid and belt variants for dress occasions.
Honestly I don’t understand that people just blurred the Swastikas in their articles In my country (Malaysia) we have Chinese people putting their swastikas to their home gates to simbolizes good luck (Although not many you can practically find them in their practice) The fact that MANY of the westerners finds it controversial when the symbols was truly misused and was WAY of the track with their true meaning
The uniforms had a sense of style but also a fright factor. They screamed “DON’T MESS WITH ME OR ELSE”. The black uniforms, boots and the skull and crossbones on their caps of the SS were very intimidating. I remember and interview I watched once with a German woman who lived in Berlin at this time and she told how dapper (but scary) they appeared to the average citizens.
I live your statement/quote about politicians: “Politicians were just as bad then as they are now. They are not good at anything except making themselves look good at the expense of the public.” In many countries, including the Netherlands where I come from, they often make an absolute bloody mess and the citizen often has to accept it. This is a very good article by the way. 👍🏻
6:48 Ralph Fiennes as officer Amon Goth will always give me chills. He looked so good in that uniform, terrible and cruel yes, but damn did he rock that look. Victims that survived Goth (which were featured as background characters in Schindler’s list) also said that Fiennes’s resemblance was uncanny, one woman started trembling when she saw him.
germans are truly a superior nationality, they have functioning brains and with regards to this article … clean shaven and truly impressive and obedient and dedicated and just look at all the discoveries and inventions germans have offered the world! is there anyone greater than beethoven who went deaf and then created the most magnificent classical piece of music ODE TO JOY symphony number 9, and schopenhauer and hegel and nietzsche and catherine the great (who was german, not russian) martin bormann, the red baron, kepler, bismarck, goering, luther, benz, rommel, zeppelin, jacob astor, einstein, grimm, werner von braun and so so so many other contributor to mankind who were german, but not only german but GREAT … GREAT is the word for germans❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Quick correction: The SS combat divisions did in fact have armor. Some of their units are the most feared and effective armored units from the entire war. If you made a list of all the armored units and wanted to pick the most effective its probably one of the SS divisions. For what its worth some of them had pretty cool names too, and often got their hands on the best equipment, such as the infamous Tiger and Panther tanks. They were rightly feared right up until the last days of the war, even thought many of them were battered in heavy fighting around Kursk and follow-up to D-Day. I would argue they were the toughest units in the whole war. It goes without saying they weren’t great guys, but they were damn sure good at the fighting part.
The history of fabrics, black is a symbolic color usually associated with modern power, the yakuza wears black, the mob wears black, satanic cults wear black, priests wear black, Orthodox Jews wear black, it’s associated with positions of authority or faith. Black is a powerful color. White might as well be the opposite, its associated with purity and cleanliness of spirit or of heart and mind, so black might as well embody everything opposite of white, black would represent by that logic, things like control, will power,
dude i disagree with you… the regular german army uniform is also fantastic…. much better than other armies at the time. Also The SS did have tanks.. whole tank battalions.. in fact the most famous tank commander of ww2 in his tiger tank was an SS soldier… I suggest you get better at history, as youre wrong on this article.. The SS had entire divisions, 38 divisions in armor alone
A misstake I noticed, Infact the “armed SS” were not just foot troops, They had their own Panzer Divisions and were often armed with the best weapons available before the Wehrmacht. I don’t want to defend them in any way but most of the waffen ss fought as regular troops and had no more or less blame than the regular army had for ww2 atrocities.
SS Standartenfuhrer Joachim Piper would have been surprised to hear that the Waffen SS didn’t have any tanks when he led the Schwerpunckt of SS Tiger mk2’s at the Battle of the Bulge. Americans massacred at Malmedy by them. However, congratulations on not falling for the Hugo Boss myth. They where only one of over 17 companies producing uniforms for all the forces and weren’t involved until the later production increases in the mid 1930’s. The Das family firm made boots for the German army. The grandsons started their own companies well after the war near each other. One brother started Puma and the other brother Adi called his ADIDAS.
i’m from germany, my grandfather was in the SS he was a SS-Standartenführer the us equivalent to a colonel i thing . after he die at 2001 we found his old uniform on the attic of his house in a old ammo box with all his medals, ID card, and a old pistol with 2 magazines and 1000 rounds of ammunition . its realy rare to have a complete uniform with medals that have the papers and ID . we give that to the german museum in Munich as a permanent loan and we can visit the museum all the time we whant . i thing the uniform looks not bad, but out there are many other cuntrys with great looking uniform, but the thing is the SS uniform have more than the look, he have the symbol and the story of the 2nd WW . i thing its a uniform we will still remember in 500 years like the look of some zenturio or the look of the samurais, it the story not the look of the uniform that make it look outstanding .
Just a small correction regarding the Waffen-SS, they did have numerous Panzer and Grenadier divisions (i.e armoured and ground support divisons) with both tanks and artillery. It can obviously be confusing since they, for the most part, were parts of “normal” Wehrmacht field armies, but did also in some cases act like separate Kampfgruppes. The latter were more common throughout the waning parts of the war because of the army structure collapsed.
One side aspect is the effect these uniforms had on Germany after the war. In order to distance themselves from the nazis visually, Germany switched to the ugliest uniforms you can imagine. Black was obviously unacceptable. Police uniforms, for example, used horrible brown and green combinations for decades.
You didn’t touch on the black leather trenchcoats or the black leather accoutrements the Nazi’s wore. The perfect combination of black, white and red combined with the superb tailoring all wrapped in black leather was just next level badassery. I don’t think any other military in history has topped this. As striking and truly fine as the U.S. Marine Corps uniform is, it still doesn’t incorporate the intimidation factor of black nor the badassery of black leather.
What made the German officer’s uniform stand out head and shoulders above all others (apart from the design and tailoring), was the cap. It wasn’t just a rounded hat with a peak, just like in all other armies since. It was beautifully shaped and rose at the front. It was so stylish. Just look at the old portraits of officer’s wearing caps!
My parents remembered the German Army, as young children. Not just the uniform but their synchronised goosestepping, their military marching songs, their discipline were impressive and their presence intimidating. It was meant to cause fear. Certainly, propaganda was a major factor and Hollywood makes the villain look stylish and Ralph Fiennes is an excellent actor even playing Amon Goeth, but it was more than that. The Nazi machine was well organised and there were a lot of skilled, educated people committed to the Nazi cause, either out of opportunism, fear, or ideology, at least in the first phase of the regime. Nazism had many sympathisers and willing collaborators in Nazi-occupied Europe and even today remains a mystery how such an evil cause had so many supporters in countries that suffered under German occupation. The issue is that if you place skilled and educated people to work for a good cause you make the world a better place, but if these individuals commit themselves to serve evil they can become dangerous for humanity and catastrophic for the planet. I remember a conversation I had in 1990 with a veteran of Operation Barbarossa and Blau, he had served in the Waffen-SSAH, and told me ” it was not just the cold and the Russian resolve that brought defeat to the German Army. It was the spirit of our campaign, the essence of our cause that was so wrong and evil, that was self-defeating, Universe or God or whatever you want to call it had to stop us. Looking back, I think it was for good reason Germany was defeated, despite the tragedy it went through after the war’.
Best uniform (not necessarily military) in order: 1. USMC NCO dress blues (bravo > alpha) 2. USMC officer dress blues 3. USMC junior enlisted dress blues (blood stripe matters) 4. Royal Canadian Mounted Police 5. Black SS 6. Gray SS 7. Swiss Guard 8. King’s Guard 9. Scottish Military dress uniform 10. Royal Danish Life Guards
Another interesting study is the uniform you showed briefly, used in the film series The Man In The High Castle. The American Nazi uniforms were very well designed, borrowing heavily from the original German uniforms but updating and Americanizing the evil look. I thought the uniform was a brilliant character in the series.
Loved the article, very informative. However I disagree with the last statement, I do think that this uniform is top of the line, to the point that almost 100 years later, it’s still talked about and ranked as one of the most impressive. I also love the uniform from the RAF in WW2, our B3 sheepskin coats and the A2 pilot jackets from WW2 as well
Great article! Understanding who designed the uniform, apart from the manufacture was eye opening and I appreciate having this information. As a collector of military artifacts, I was aware that the successful German designs were borrowed from the past, and not a new invention. Fashion in general seems to rotate through what was popular in the past, as many young people don’t realize they are wearing their grandparents styles!
Sidenote: I, as a german, didn´t know this, and frequently got it wrong, so I decided to share this: Within the regular german Army, the tankers also had black uniforms, for 2 reasons: a) they traced their tradition to the cavalry, aka the prussian hussars, who already had worn black uniforms with silver applications. (von Mackensen had been in charge of the hussars, so there goes) b) practicality. Riding a ´30s tank, the crew would soon be covered in oil, grease, and soot, anyway. These tankers uniforms and the SS uniforms are easily confused, but they are not the same. The army had the iron cross as symbol, never the Sol-rune, and the tankers wore a pink ribbon on their breast pocket, and, I think, shoulder patch. Also the waistcoat was tailored differently, with as few lose edges as possible, so it wouldn´t snatch on anything (beware of the turret monster…) in the cramped interior of a tank. It was really more of a mechanics working attire.
Think, actually the Wehrmacht uniforms were much more elegant, due to the two reasons. First, the feldfrau color of the fabric, which made them look more formal than typical military green uniforms, like Polish or English. Second, the shape of the collar with those reversed “Latin two” emblements made them look more like past (XIX century) era looking like. Also their hats that could be formed to make the front a bit higher made the job too. As a couriosity, in Poland, we have a facebook fanpage called “the Nazis were bad, but dressed well” :).
Also it’s worth pointing out that boots were shined, most men had clean haircuts and kept it combed, and were clean shaven for the most. It contrasts the ‘rougher’ look most American troops had. I know this has nothing to do with the uniform but it still brings the whole image together, especially for those that were in pictures and film.
Movies now have such good attention to detail when it comes to performing the roles of high classed, well dressed nazi’s. It is astonishing to me how stylish they looked and dressed putting aside how horrific they were. If you have seen Inglorious Bastereds, any scene with Nazi officers looks and feels amazing with the vibes they give off. Back then,, they knew they were awesome and cool. If your going to be a bad guy, do it in style.
Another piece of the puzzle is the use of simplicity. Looking at the SS symbol, the swastika, the matte fabrics, you might also be drawn to the collars of the uniform denoting an officer’s rank. Beyond the occasional Oak Leaf and the trim, the use of simple shapes like squares contrasting with the blacks and whites can be noticed and easily recalled. We remember simple things more vividly than the ornate. I feel this was a deliberate choice to instill not only prestige in the officer’s rank, but also fear.
SJ or Jesuits of course yeah related to higher education because Jesuits work in education, research, and cultural pursuits… But the higher class? I don’t really think about it because Members of the Society of Jesus make profession of “perpetual poverty, chastity, and obedience”. And about the clothing, “The clothing too should have three characteristics: first, it should be proper; second, conformed to the usage of the country of residence; and third, not contradictory to the poverty we profess.” Also the use of the ‘skull and crossbones’ or the ‘Totenkopf’ as a military emblem began under Frederick the Great, so long before the August von Mackensen…