Figure 1.--Lederhosen developed in the European Alps, especially in regions of Austria and Bavaria, Here we see an Austrian boy and his mother at a local landmark. We are not sure just where it is, but perhaps our Austrian readers will know.

Lederhosen are particularly associated with Alpine area (especially Austria and Bavaria) but also in other parts of Europe. There is a long tradition of wearing leather pants of varying styles dating back into the early Middle Ages. Some historians date leather pants back to the 6th century AD. It was in in the 16th and 17th Centuries in Bavaria and in the Alpine part of Austria that the modern lederhosen as we know it today emerged. One source suggests that the style of lederhosen evolved from French knee breeches (culottes) in the 18th Century. The French of course did not use leather, but a variety of materials, including silk and satin for the rich. It was the more practical Germans who began making long-wearing pants out of leather. The first lederhosen were kniebundlederhosen, knicker like knee breeches commonly worn in the 18th century. Lederhosen is a city in Thüringen. I'm not sure how the city got its name, but perhaps lederhosen were made there. Another factor is the developing interest in folk dress among royal courts in the Rococco period (18th centuty). This gave status to a fol style that may not have survived to the 18th century. We are not sure precisely when short pants lederhosen (kurze lederhosen) were first worn. We see portraits of Austrian royals in short pants Lederhosen in the late 19th century. We see them more after the turn of the Century. It was in the 1920s that large numbers of boys began to wear them. They were most common in Bavaria and neighboring Alpine areas, but boys in several neighboring countries also wore them.

The Alps

Lederhosen are particularly associated with Alpine area (especially Austria and Bavaria) but also in other parts of Europe. There is a long tradition of wearing leather pants of varying styles dating back into the early Middle Ages. Some historians date leather pants back to the 6th century AD. We do not yet have any detailed information on this early period. Many Alpine people are involved, including Styrian, Tyrolean, Carinthian, Salzburger, and Bavarian.

Leather Clothing

Leather is historically one of the materials commonly used for clothing. Today it is seen as an expensive material, but this has varied depending on the circumstances. Native Americans and Amercan frontoiesmen commonly used leather where game was easily available and growing and weaving cloth was much more involved and tme consuming (and thus expensive) than fashioning clothes from animal skins. The samewas true for Alpine farmers who raised aimals. The leather garments were also much more durable than cloth clothing and therefore practical. Medieval farmers could buy cloth in markets, but this could be more expensive thn clothing they fashioned on the farm.

Appearance

It was in in the 16th and 17th Centuries in Bavaria and in the Alpine part of Austria that the modern lederhosen as we know it today emerged. It could not have been earlier because this in the time that pants actually developed. One source suggests that the style of lederhosen evolved from French knee breeches (culottes) in the 18th Century. The French of course did not use leather, but a variety of materials, including silk and satin for the rich. It was the more practical Alpine farmers who began making long-wearing pants out of leather. The first lederhosen were kniebundlederhosen, knicker like knee breeches commonly worn in the 18th century. Lederhosen is a city in Thüringen. I'm not sure how the city got its name, but perhaps lederhosen were made there.

Folk Costuming

Leaderhosen developed as practical, utilitarian cloting. Over time Lederhosen became so common in Alpine regions that they became an element of folk costuming, especially as they emerged as a kind of destinctive clothing in the Alps. This develop in much the same way as the kilt in the Scottish Highlands, although over a much shorter time frame. Ober time, Lederhosen and other Alpine styles became seen by the people of the Alps aspart of their cultural heritage.

Rococo Courts

Another factor is the developing interest in folk dress among royal courts in the Rococco period (18th centuty). This gave status to a fol style that may not have survived to the 18th century. Rococo was a style that originated in the decorative arts. One of the clearest manifestations of the Rococo style was in painting. Rococo paintings are highly decorative. Rococo painters tended to employ delicate colors and curving forms. A common convention was to use cherubs and myths of love as decoratve themes. There is a certain worlidness or provacativeness in Rococo paintings that ofended the Church, a clear departure from the Baroque's more orderly prudish orientation. Rococo landscapes vered away from nature to pastoral scenes depicted the leisurely if somewhat licetious outings of aristocratic people. The great courts of Europe, especially the French court adopted Rococo styles. And both the Austrian and Bavarian courts were heavily influenced bythe French court. Images of peasant weddings and pastorals became popular in Rococo imagery. Aristocrats in court circles began to adopt peasant styles as a kind of fancy dress. This mayhave been the first instance in modern Europe where court circkles turned to the peasantry. Here may be an early shift in attitudes that would presage the Enlightenment. An element of the Rococo, despite the highly decorative styles was a search for 'the simple life'. This can be seen in the poplar pastoral images. European courts ordered topographical-statistical surveys. This at the time was seen a apart of enlightened stae craft. The studies were seen as providing detailed information on which laws and reguklatins could be based. These studies rotinely included reports on regional customs and local peculiarities--essentially folk customs. This seems to have brought Alpine styles to light, especially in the Austrian and Bavarian courts.

Short Pants Lederhosen

We are not sure precisely when short pants lederhosen (kurze lederhosen) were first worn. We see portraits of Austrian royals in short pants Lederhosen in the late 19th century. This is about the same time that knee pants appeared, although knee pants wee a bys' style. Lederhosen were more of an adult style, at least at first. We see them more after the turn of the Century. It was in the 1920s that large numbers of boys began to wear them. They were most common in Bavaria and neighboring Alpine areas, but boys in several neighboring countries also wore them.

Sources

Grishofer, Franz J., Christian Brandstätter, and Franz Hubmann. Die Lederhose (The Leather Trousers).

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Created: 8:59 PM 2/12/2009
Last updated: 9:00 PM 2/12/2009