Herzlich Willkommen! To celebrate Oktoberfest (which kicked off in Munich yesterday), I’ve donned a pair of lederhosen.
Sweater: Papaya
Shorts: LuLu’s
Necklace: Forever 21
Bracelet: Thrifted
Shoes: Payless
Oktoberfest has been an accidental part of my life for a long time. When I was 8, my family moved to Kitchener, Ontario, home of Canada’s Greatest Bavarian Festival. The nine-day celebration includes beer gardens at 16 different halls, a Miss Oktoberfest pageant, and a huge parade. Kitchener (formerly named Berlin) has a large population of Germans and people of German heritage.
When I was ten, I got to experience the real deal first-hand. I lived in Southern Germany, 5 kilometers from the Bavarian border. Needless to say, Oktoberfest was a huge event, even in the small town where I lived. We went to beer tents to dance and listen to bands play. I ate potato pancakes and giant pretzels (I’m a vegetarian so I left the bratwurst to the others), while the adults downed beer by the liter. I didn’t make it to the original location—Munich—but they celebrated in Tannhausen all the same.
Now I live in Seattle, home of the Fremont Oktoberfest. I’m also about an hour away from Leavenworth, a small town in the middle of Washington whose entire downtown is modelled after a Bavarian village. Needless to say, they celebrate Oktoberfest too.
Now, I know lederhosen (literally “leather pants”) are men’s attire. I wanted to add a feminine twist to the traditional garb so I wore lots of bling and a killer pair of heels. Plus, I’m not sure I can rock a dirndl (the traditional women’s skirt, blouse and apron). It might seem too Sound of Music-ish.
The best part about my modern lederhosen is that they’re really “veganhosen.” I managed to find the exact type of leather shorts I wanted (distressed and casual, not shiny and sexy) in synthetic.
So celebrate the autumn harvest, dance, eat, and raise a glass! Prost!
jeanofalltrades 
those shorts are seriously the perfect leather shorts! and mmm…pretzels. 🙂
dash dot dotty
Thanks! And they don’t feel too costume-y. I’ll wear these to non-Oktoberfest events too!
Great post Jean! If it’s cool, can you wear them with tights and boots? I love how you put in a plug for vegetarianism and non-leather products! As always – love your poses!
Veganhosen…hilarious! I love these shorts, they are so cute and perfect for fall. I could totally go for a pretzel and beer right about now 😀
Great post Jean!!! You are so clever and foxy! You inspire me to try and care about what I wear,… unfortunately right now the wear-what-I’m-not-going-to-sweat-to-death-in is the driving force behind my wardrobe. 😉
Thanks everyone! I’ll wear these with tights in fall, definitely!
@Sharonne – We didn’t have a hot summer here, but I can see how you’d be working the “stay cool” angle 😉 I bet you make every outfit look fantastic. I know your style. You’re always elegant and polished.
Reblogged this on fashionable over 50 and commented:
Great post by Jean for Oktoberfest
Enjoyed reading your blog on fashionable over 50
Bob
Glad you liked it! Thanks Bob.