If you’re traveling to Germany for Oktoberfest, you’ll find travelers from all around the globe have converged in Munich for the same reason. In a city already bursting at the seams with tourists, dressing like a local in lederhosen is a great way to lessen your chances of sticking out like a sore thumb.
Let’s be honest, Oktoberfest is a roaring party that everyone in Munich wants to get in on! That includes foreigners. No matter where you’re from, or even if you’re an ex-pat or former, there are ways to show everyone that you know how to party just like a local. From clothing and accessories to beverages and souvenirs, the guide below has everything you need to dress the part of an authentic Oktoberfest costume.
Mens Oktoberfest Costume
Men’s outfits at Oktoberfest are a bit more straightforward than the ladies’, as they tend to stay a bit more traditional. A typical look for men will include a button-up shirt (either white or checkered), leather shorts with suspenders, an Alpine hat, socks, and sturdy boots.
If you’re looking for a more authentic look for Oktoberfest, check out the accessories below. We suggest spending a little extra for an authentic outfit over a cheaper costume-style one.
Let us explore more about lederhosen wore on Oktoberfest.
- Lederhosen kinds and sizing
At the Oktoberfest, men traditionally wear pants called Lederhosen, which are made of leather and come in either dark or light brown. Plattlerhosen are another traditional Oktoberfest shorts that go a little closer to the knee and are typically black leather instead of brown.
Bundhosen are knee-length leather pants that have ties at the bottom and often come with bone or animal horn buttons. Stickerei is decorative embroidery (also called “ornamentation”) that you can find on some pairs of leather lederhosen pants.
You might want to consider buying your lederhosen one size bigger than you think you should in order to have space around the waist. The leather will soften and stretch out with use, but if you don’t have time to really break them in before Oktoberfest, this extra room will be useful.
- Traditional Hat
If you decide to wear a hat, the best hats to wear for Oktoberfest are Alpine and Bavarian felt hats (Tirolerhüte). These are soft to the touch and slightly flexible, but not so much that they’re floppy. Real Alpine hats are sized for comfort, unlike cheap Halloween costume style hats, which are usually one-size-fits-all.
When Bavarian men gather in groups, they often wear the same hat. There are many local clubs in Munich where members dress alike, and the most traditional hats are round and flat with a low profile. They prefer the Alpine hiker-style hat for its style and for the space it provides for attaching souvenirs.
- Hat pins and feathers
One feather on the side of your hat is enough. An ostrich, peacock, or pinned-on bundle of feathers can make it look like you didn’t just buy your hat on your walk to the beer tents. If you have a big feather or tuft of hair on your hat, you’re wealthier because it means you have high standing.
It is also common for people to sew pewter pins to the side of their hats, which represent cities they have visited and interests they have. These pins can be a great conversation starter, but they are also a way of adding sentimental value to your hat so that you do not lose it.
- Lederhosen Shirts
Bavarian Tracht shirts, the most common style of shirt in Bavaria, are often checkered red and blue. They can be solid-colored, but traditionally white and blue are the official colors of Bavaria. Their length makes them ideal for use as bedtime nightshirts.
A little-known fact about the shirts that people wear at Oktoberfest is that they are long-sleeved, not short-sleeved as they appear. A handy feature of these traditional shirts is the arm button, which lets you roll up the sleeves and hold them in place. The shirts come in both slim and baggy styles, but both have useful sleeve button.
- Lederhosen suspenders
Suspenders are traditional leather straps that hold up your lederhosen, the traditional Bavarian leather shorts. They come in short or long fit and have a front strap that forms an “H” across your chest. They are most traditionally worn with a breastplate on the front of your suspenders, but you can add some flair to your outfit by embroidering this part instead.
- Traditional Shoes
Bavarian men often wear Half Shoes (boots) with their traditional outfits. The shoes are made from leather or suede and have rubber cleats on their wooden soles. Half Shoes are traditionally worn by farmers when working on steep slopes, but today many Bavarians wear them to Oktoberfest celebrations, too.
- Bavarian Socks
Oktoberfest socks are typically wool or cotton and have a checkered or striped print. Your calf-length wool sock should be plain and worn with a shorter cotton bootie sock. Bavarians wear the double stripes on top and either a piece of elastic or string to hold them up.
You can easily get all these accessories at Lederhosens. Their lederhosen sale 2024 is going on, so you can be a part of it and get lederhosen costumes and accessories under one roof.
