Lederhosen...Germany's Kilt

**O'Searcaigh** · 3rd November 11, 11:43 AM

Perhaps as a point of clarification -- I admire a person in well turned-out "western wear" (or even if not-so-well turned out, depending on the circumstances) and indeed that is a style which has frequently been associated with "American" culture (and with some modification perhaps with Australia (e.g. drovers) or with a Spanish flare, Mexico.) I can even admire someone smartly turned out in a T-shirt and shorts, depending on the occasion. I suspect this may be more a function of time than geography. Being born in the first half of the last century it just seemed that people "did their best to dress their best" when presenting themselves in public. No one, not even the poor, would have thought of going to the market in what amounts to their underwear (e.g., just a T-shirt and shorts -- which might nevertheless be perfectly acceptable at say, the beach). Moreover, I agree that America is much more and much richer than Walmart, McDonald's etc. but that's the point. How sad it is that this is what we have largely become and how the world thinks of us. All of this aside, however, it is much less important to me what anyone wears on their body than what they hold in their minds and their hearts!

**Bugbear** · 3rd November 11, 12:14 PM

It was my understanding that Lederhosen are working and casual, every day garments. I don't know that much about them, so if I'm wrong, sorry about that.

I often wear polo shirts and some sort of casual trousers, ever so often a pair of jeans that are not faded, ripped, or worn out, to go to the market or out in public where casual attire is worn. In the summer I do wear nice shorts and sandals or shoes etc. in some of those situations; I sometimes replace the shorts with a khaki kilt. My yard, where I often work, is not included in the public about which I am talking. If I need to, I will dress less casually on up to a suit. Except for the casual trousers which replace slacks to some degree, and the khaki kilt, that is what I saw growing up,.

Casual trousers: khaki and other colors made from some sort of new cotton-like material that doesn't wrinkle.

**Father Bill** · 3rd November 11, 12:59 PM

My late father-in-law used, as a child, to don his lederhosen, complete with a magazine lining if he thought he was about to get his backside warmed by his dad.

**Tobus** · 3rd November 11, 01:10 PM

smartly turned out in a T-shirt and shorts

Can a t-shirt and shorts ever really be classified as "smart"?! If so, I think perhaps we need to raise the bar a little!

This isn't to say that I never wear a t-shirt and shorts. But when I do, I definitely don't feel like I'm smartly turned out. At best, it's extremely casual wear that's best suited to daytime outdoor events in hot weather. With beer involved.

**O'Searcaigh** · 3rd November 11, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Tobus

Can a t-shirt and shorts ever really be classified as "smart"?! If so, I think perhaps we need to raise the bar a little!

This isn't to say that I never wear a t-shirt and shorts. But when I do, I definitely don't feel like I'm smartly turned out. At best, it's extremely casual wear that's best suited to daytime outdoor events in hot weather. With beer involved.

Point well taken/made, although when I was in the Navy we had a uniform designated as "tropical whites short" which consisted of white shorts and white short sleeved shirt, which for the British version was their square-neck T-type short sleeved shirt. I was and saw lots of such "smartly dressed sailors" throughout east asia and the south pacific during Vietnam!

**GoodGirlGonePlaid** · 3rd November 11, 01:31 PM

*giggles*
This thread just reminds me of a very interesting conversation I recently had about the power of dirndls.

**Ryan Ross** · 3rd November 11, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by MacMillan of Rathdown

This was discussed in detail over on the now-defunct site "Umlaut Marks the Kraut".

Bwahahahahaha...

Seriously though, I have heard this advice before, as a guideline for coolness (whatever that is):

"Do wear a kilt to celebrate your Scottish heritage. Don't wear Lederhosen to celebrate your Bavarian heritage."

...all that said, if I had some German heritage, I know that I'd want to (and WOULD) make leather shortpants look sexy... on a man.

**artificer** · 3rd November 11, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by GoodGirlGonePlaid

*giggles*
This thread just reminds me of a very interesting conversation I recently had about the power of dirndls.

Don't get me started. If ANY country has a more eye-popping

national/regional dress for women, I actually DON'T want to see it.

Originally Posted by Ryan Ross

Bwahahahahaha...

Seriously though, I have heard this advice before, as a guideline for coolness (whatever that is):

"Do wear a kilt to celebrate your Scottish heritage. Don't wear Lederhosen to celebrate your Bavarian heritage."

...all that said, if I had some German heritage, I know that I'd want to (and WOULD) make leather shortpants look sexy... on a man.

I blame Ren & Stimpy for the death of the Lederhosen in the US. I'm basically 100% German (or areas that WERE Germanic at the time my respective relatives left), and I've never owned a pair- Even though my father and his father, & so forth were widely photographed in them as children.

I will admit to internet 'window-shopping' for a pair recently. Something with a longer leg in loden green. But if I get a pair, I MUST get a pair for my son (he's six).

ith:

**Tobus** · 4th November 11, 09:55 AM

I actually saw a guy wearing lederhosen at the Renaissance Festival last weekend. He looked pretty good, and was obviously wearing them with pride. The Festival has a pretty large German village, probably due to the large number of German settlers that make up so much of Texas history.

And this weekend is the beginning of Wurstfest just up the road from me in New Braunfels, TX. There will undoubtedly be plenty of guys there wearing lederhosen. It's a bit costumey, even for German folk festivals, but I think it's awesome that people try to keep the cultural history alive. And I'm pretty sure that everyone around here feels the same way.

**Sir William** · 4th November 11, 10:31 AM

Having a German heritage on my mother's side, and having lived in both Germany and Austria, I've long been tempted to get a pair of lederhosen or perhaps some bundhosen (the knee-length breeches).

The primary reason I haven't done so is that they have regional distinctions and I'm not exactly sure (yet) where the family came from. I used to think it was a region in former East Germany but now I'm thinking it was closer to Stuttgart.