Figure 1.--Here we see a German boy, probably during the 1950s wearing Lederhosen with a leather halter. Notice the nicely done design. Click on the image to see boys wearing Lederhosen with embroidered cloth halters.

We note Lederhosen being worn with a number of accesories or other associated garments. Lederhosen might be worn with a kind of Alpine cap. I looks to be made of felt and is often green. Some boys and men wore a hat with a Gamsbart (beard of a chamois) or a bird feather. When dressing up, boys might wear Lederhosen with Bavarian jackets. These are often green are done with green trim. Lederhosen are often wore with coloful checked shirts. This is a relatively recent innovation. Lederhosen were often worn with halters. Many boys did not wear halters, but others did, There were dififferent kinds of halters. Commonly they consited of leather suspenders (braces) with a decorative cross piece in the general design of H-bar shorts. Lederhosen were commonly worn with both knee socks and split socks (loferl). The split stockings consist of a calf band and a foot part. Loferls were particularly common in areas of Upper-Bavaria when wearing short pants lederhosen (kurze lederhosen). The knicker-length lederhosen were always worn with kneesocks. The shorts style was worn with both kneesocks and the cloth band. During the summer boys might also wear them with ankle socks.

Headwear

Lederhosen might be worn with a kind of Alpine cap. I looks to be made of felt and is often green. Some boys and men wore a hat with a Gamsbart (beard of a chamois) or a bird feather.

Bavarian Jackets

One popular fashion in Germany was to wear a Bavarian jacket, often with lederhosen, instead of a suit. When dressing up, boys might wear Lederhosen with Loden wool Bavarian jackets. We also see them referred to as Alpine jackets or Trachtenjankeas because they were also worn in Austria. Loden wool is a Water-resistant material made from sheep's wool, the better grades from lamb's wool. There is a special processing technique does not remove the oily lanolin. This also gives the jackets good temperature regulating characteristics. The jackets are thus usually done in a greyish green color green and used in Austrian and Bavarian traditional clothing. As a result, this greyish green color is named loden green. We see boys wearing Lederhosen with and without Bavarian jackets. A dressy look could be achieved with just a white shirt and tie. When a jacket was needed for dressy occassions are on cool days, a Bavarian jacket was a common choice. A regular suit coat or sports jacket could be worn, but Bavarian jackets seem more common. LikeLederhosen, they were once exclusevely worn in southern Germany, especially Bavaria, but after World War II became popular in northern Germany as well, in part because Bavarian styles had been popularized by the NAZIs as aind of natiional dress. While now worn throughout Germany, but are still most commonly seen in the south. Bavarian jackets are made in two ways. Some were made without lapels and little or new collars. They thus were made to button at the collar, but boys often did not do so. Others were madec with high-set lpels. The lapels were often decorated. An oak leaft was a popular decoration. We also see the lapels done with velvet. The button material varied, including metal, buckhorn, or coins are typical. These jackets are often green and done with grey trim or visa versa. The border of the collar and the embroidery typically is in a dark green. The German language term is "„Tegernsee“. Thwy are done with slit pockets which are commonly dcirated with trim. Two side pockets and one left breast pocket was a common arrangement. They are not boys wear as such, but seem nore common for boys than older teenagers and adults.

Vests

Vests also make up part of the traditional Bavarian attire. They are comminly made of wool or velvet and are popular for festive occasions. They are commonly worn instead of a Bavarian jacket instead od with one. The traditional colors include: green, red, grey and black and various sjades of brown.

Shirts

Lederhosen are often wore with coloful checked shirts. This is a relatively recent innovation.

Halter

Lederhosen were often worn with halters. Many boys did not wear halters, but others did, There were dfifferent kinds of halters. Commonly they consited of leather suspenders (braces) with a decorative cross piece in the general design of H-bar shorts.

Regular

Lederhosen were normally worn with front suspenders (straps/braces) that cross over in the back, rather like suspender shorts. Lederhosen did not originally come with belt loops. Modern lederhosen, especially those worn by Scouts, however, however, have been made with belt loops. The cross piece of the halter was often commonly done in leather with elaborately decorated with embroidered designs (ausziehr). We have also noted the cross-pieces done in cloth with embroidered designs. A good example here are two brothers about 1920.

Norwegerhosenträger

This type of braces for Lederhosen has instead of a cross-bridge at chest-height, has two usually woven belts before the stomach, flowing together in direction of the flap and are supported at the middle pants-head. Through five instead of four stops, this type of the suspenders is especially for heavy lederhosen ideally and is often used for kniebundlederhosen.

Hosiery

Lederhosen were commonly worn with both kneesocks and split socks (loferl). The split stockings consist of a calf band and a foot part. Loferls were particularly common in areas of Upper-Bavaria when wearing short pants lederhosen (kurze lederhosen). The knicker-length lederhosen were always worn with kneesocks. The shorts style was worn with both kneesocks and the cloth band. During the summer boys might also wear them with ankle socks.

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Created: 12:26 AM 9/4/2005
Last updated: 3:33 AM 12/1/2011