The elsewise dependable BBC is claiming that traditional lederhosen and dirndl dresses (ledhosen's feminine counterparts in the rustic Bavarian apparel game) have "recently become rather fashionable." Noting a visible uptick of the traditional ensembles familiar to anyone who's seen The Sound of Music, the piece purports that none other than Vivienne Westwood is responsible for this trend. "I do not understand you Austrians," she said in 2001, "If every woman wore a dirndl, there would not be any more ugliness."
We never knew she had such power. But don't buy in just yet. Much in the mold of a New York Times trend piece, the article is long on anecdotal evidence (guys saying they wear lederhosen at happy hour, claims about how dirndls are flattering to the body) and remarkably short on proof or details. Still, we do like the idea of walking into a subterranean Vienna dance club to find ourselves surrounded by the hipster versions of the Von Trapp kids. (BBC)
Photo: via BBC.