What to wear to Oktoberfest

What to wear to Oktoberfest is a common question among first-time visitors, and the honest answer is simple: whatever you like. There is no dress code on the Theresienwiese. Still, many guests come in dirndl and lederhosen, and wearing them well is part of the fun. This guide explains the pieces of a traditional outfit for women and men, what the famous dirndl bow means, which shoes make sense and how to dress for Munich's unpredictable fall weather.

Is there a dress code at Oktoberfest?

No. According to the city's official portal muenchen.de, every outfit is allowed in every beer tent, and jeans with a T-shirt are just as welcome as traditional dress. Dirndl and lederhosen have become so common in recent years that street clothes sometimes stand out inside a tent, but nobody will turn you away for them.

Traditional dress, called Tracht in German, is also not reserved for locals. Visitors from anywhere are welcome to wear a dirndl. What costume clubs criticize is less who wears it than what it has sometimes become: party versions with printed beer mugs or plastic aprons look more like a Halloween costume than real Tracht. If you want to blend in, go for something simple and well made.

Oktoberfest outfit for women: the dirndl

According to muenchen.de, a complete dirndl consists of three parts that belong together:

• The dress, made of a fitted bodice and a skirt, in short, knee length or long versions. Short dirndls are festival fashion; for traditional occasions such as costume festivals or weddings, knee length or longer is considered appropriate.
• The blouse, usually white, worn under the bodice. Puffed sleeves, trumpet sleeves or a high neckline are all classic. A rule of thumb: the deeper the neckline of the bodice, the shorter the blouse.
• The apron, tied over the skirt. It holds the look together, and its bow sends a signal, as explained below.

Accessories such as a choker necklace, earrings or a scarf complete the outfit. If you only own one dirndl, changing the blouse and apron can make it look entirely different.

Dirndl bow meaning: left, right, front or back

Where the apron bow is tied is said to show the wearer's relationship status. Keep in mind that this is a rule of thumb, not a rule. It is not written down anywhere, and many women simply tie the bow where it sits best. All sides are seen from the wearer's point of view, not from the person facing her.

More background in German is on our page Die Dirndlschleife.

Oktoberfest outfit for men: lederhosen and more

Lederhosen come as shorts, as knee breeches and in a long version. They are made of deer, goat or cowhide, worn with suspenders and often embroidered on the front flap and legs. A good pair lasts for decades, gets softer over the years and is explicitly allowed to show signs of wear. The classic men's outfit adds:

• A shirt, checked or plain, often with a stand-up collar
• A Janker, the traditional jacket of loden or wool, for cool evenings, or a vest, traditionally the more festive choice
• Haferlschuhe, sturdy traditional shoes laced at the side
• Loferl, two-piece calf warmers worn with short lederhosen, which leave the foot bare
• A Charivari, a decorative chain on the trousers or flap, originally hung with hunting trophies, coins and charms
• A hat, usually of felt, often with a tuft of chamois hair or a feather

Shoes, weather and what to carry

You will be on your feet for hours, so comfortable shoes are a sensible choice. Haferlschuhe are the traditional shoes to go with lederhosen.

Oktoberfest weather can swing widely. According to the official festival site oktoberfest.de, the coldest day on record was 29 September 1936 at minus 2.5 °C (27.5 °F), a sudden spell of winter weather covered the tents in snow in 2002, and the hottest day so far was the opening Saturday in 2025, 20 September, at 30.7 °C (87.3 °F). A Janker, a knitted jacket or a shawl over the dirndl is a good idea for the evening walk home.

Plan your pockets too. Bags may hold no more than 3 liters and measure no more than 20 x 15 x 10 cm (about 8 x 6 x 4 inches); larger bags and backpacks have to be left at the paid luggage storage at the entrances. A small handbag or a pouch fits the rules.

Buy, rent or go secondhand?

For a single visit you do not need to buy new. Renting is common in Munich, and so is secondhand: costume clubs regularly hold Tracht markets with used pieces. If you do buy, muenchen.de recommends a few checks:

• Fit before price: a dirndl has to fit at the bodice, and altering a bodice later is expensive.
• Natural fibers such as cotton, linen and wool are far more comfortable in a warm tent than polyester.
• Clean seams, finished edges and real buttons. Printed instead of sewn details are the clearest sign of a cheap piece.
• Good lederhosen are sewn, not glued, and feel soft rather than rubbery.

Where dirndl and lederhosen come from

Both were originally work clothes. Hunters, woodsmen and alpine herders wore short leather trousers because they were tough and allowed free movement, and the dirndl grew out of the working dress of farm women. In the 19th century, the urban middle class adopted both as summer resort fashion and as a sign of attachment to their homeland. In 1883, the teacher Josef Vogl founded the first Bavarian costume club in Bayrischzell, with the declared aim of saving the disappearing short lederhosen. The word dirndl itself simply means girl in Bavarian; the garment was originally called Dirndlgewand, a girl's dress.