I'm Kathleen Martini, a 20-year-old Schwob living in Columbus, Ohio and dancing for the Trenton Donauschwaben Jugendgruppe. I have four Rare dirndls, one of which is custom, and I'm a little more than obsessed.
The custom dirndl Erika made for me when she was moving locations is probably the most beautiful piece of clothing I own. It is a vision in white, and I love it, but I think another piece she did is even more beautiful...
I'm half-Schwob, half-Irish, with my mom being the only non-genetic Schwob in the family. She always comes to Labor Day and whatever other club events we drag her to, sporting a dirndl more often than most, and throughout the years, she's always joked about getting a green dirndl to show off her Irish pride. When I discovered Erika a few years ago, she posed the perfect solution to my mom's problem. I emailed her, and she drew up a design for a beautiful shamrock-themed dirndl that I gave my mom for a late Mother's Day present. My mom loves it still, and I'll be stealing it out of her closet one of these days.
Erika is an artist, and I love her visions for dirndls. I love the tradition of our Donauschwaben heritage, and I know she does, too. It's beautiful to see her create modern pieces that are still tributes to our roots.
Do you want to be the next Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on the Rare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!
Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here
I have
always been interested in dancing. When I was a kid I danced tap, ballet, jazz,
and whatever else my mother would let me. Unfortunately, as I got older I
didn’t have time for dancing anymore, but I still had the passion to dance.
In 2009,
one of my friends introduced me to the Cincinnati Donauschwaben Society and I
have been a member ever since. As a member of both the Youth Group and the
Schuhplattlers, I perform traditional German dances at a variety of festivals throughout
the Cincinnati area. One of the many perks of dancing with the Donauschwaben is
that I get to wear a traditional Bavarian Dirndl.
Every
year all the Donauschwaben Society’s throughout the U.S. and Canada meet in a
city over Labor Day weekend. I first met Erika at one of our Labor Day Trips
where Rare Dirndl had a booth set up. I flipped through her catalog and came
across a dirndl that reminded me of Minnie Mouse’s dress
and I got excited. Ever since I was a kid I always had a soft spot for Disney.
Besides Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Minnie Mouse is my favorite Disney
character. I talked to Erika and asked her about the possibility to create a
Minnie Mouse Dirndl and she told me that she was up for the challenge. We
talked back and forth through email during the design process and before I knew
it, I received the finished product in the mail.
Ever
since I received the Minnie Mouse Dirndl from Rare Dirndl, I have worn it out
to many German events and festivals throughout the Cincinnati area including
the Cincinnati Donauschwaben’s Oktoberfest and Schwabenfest. I also wore it
during our recent trip to Disney World, where I received numerous complements. I
especially love being able to pair it with my German Mickey ears when I wear it
out.
Erika was
a pleasure to work with. She was very professional and willing to think outside
of the box. I love having a Dirndl that is fun and unique and fits my
personality.
Do you want to be the next Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on theRare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!
Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here
My name is Lena Bauman, I am 24 years old and newly married to my husband Bryan Bauman of a year and a half. We currently live in Kitchener, Ontario and I am a proud Donauschwaben and a member of the Kitchener Schwaben Dancers.
I first saw Erika Neumayer's Rare dirndls at Tag Der Donauschwaben 2010 in Philadephia, PA and I instantly loved them. When I got home from the long weekend event, I immediately e-mailed her and asked her to draw me up a sketch with some ideas I had. She was so quick, helpful and I instantly loved her ideas.
Over the years I have purchased 4 Rare dirndls and many aprons and blouses from Erika on the side. I love mixing and matching them as well as accessorizing with different flower or feather hair pieces and different coloured shoes.
With all that being said, my favorite Rare Dirndl, and the one I hold dearest to my heart is my custom Germany soccer dirndl. I absolutely adore it and it's the one I will get stopped constantly and complimented on! I could tell instantly when I received it how much hard work and time she put into it and it fit so perfect! As seen in the pictures I mostly wear it to Kitchener- Waterloo Oktoberfest yearly but, with being a part of the Kitchener Schwaben Club I have worn it to many other events as well. With my families German background I couldn't have asked for a better dirndl or Oktoberfest accessory than my Germany Dirndl!
Do you want to be the next Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on the Rare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!
Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here
With the World Cup in full swing, the Rare Dirndl Design Studio windows are all set up with dirndls representing Group G: Germany, Portugal, USA, and Ghana! How did I have time to make 4 dirndls to represent each country? I used the In Bloom Dirndls and Vest and it was super easy!
Germany vs Portugal
The first game on Monday had Germany playing Portugal!
Our Ghanaian representative is wearing the In Bloom Dirndl with a Black Blouslette, Red Semi-Circle Skirt and one-of-a-kind apron (the fabric I used celebrates 50 years of independence... I bought the fabric in Ghana when I was studying abroad in 2007!)
All of these pieces are available online! [except the Portugal apron... which is just pinned for the window and the Ghana apron... which is mine ;-) ]
This weekend I'll be keeping a close eye on the games in order to update the scores in the Design Studio Window. If you have any questions or would like more details about the In Bloom Dirndl, simply reply to this e-mail.
Happy World Cup!!
Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here
Last week I decided that I needed to take the evening to relax a bit. It's been a bit hectic lately with 2 wedding parties, dance group outfits and getting ready for the Fall/Winter photo shoot (ya… we're thinking ahead)… so I spent the evening with one of my favorite movies, Disney's Frozen. I had some dinner, poured myself a glass of wine and thought… "I love the outfits in this movie, I should do some sketches!" So I did! And I made a quick video of me taking the outfits that Elsa and Anna were wearing and turned them into Rare Dirndls. Check it out!
If you really love either of these designs and want to have it made for you, feel free to shoot me an e-mail erika@erikaneumayer.com and we'll make it happen!
This is Part 2 of the dirndl sketches video series which features inspiration from Elsa's Ice Gown and Anna's final dress from the movie Frozen.
You can order any of the four Frozen Dirndls by e-mailing erika@erikaneumayer.com Pricing for theses Dirndls are as follows:
Elsa's Coronation Dirndl - $435
-matching blouse - $98
We're Eric & Elizabeth Brotten, residents of Minneapolis and German-themed party connoisseurs. We love to wear our Rare Dirndl attire to local cultural events at the German-American Institute (St. Paul), as well as at our privately hosted annual Oktoberfest party (we get upwards of 80 guests, offer bier and food, live music, and authentic steins for use)!
Our favorite thing about Rare Dirndl is the fun, modern prints and high quality construction. We frequently get compliments about how trendy they look and we've even had German friends in Munich say they wish they had Tracht like we do!
- I love the way they look in their matching dirndl and menswear! I recently added a new category to the online store called "His & Hers" Where you can easily check out all of the matching dirndl and menswear outfits. Click the link to see them for yourself! - http://bit.ly/1i4mSIO
Do you want to be the next Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on the Rare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!
Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here
When my mom and I went to Germany to pack up and sell my Opa's condo, our favorite thing to do on the weekends was to sit in the town square and watch all the ladies and girls walk by on their way to church in their dirndls. We both agreed then that when I got married, we would fly back to Germany to have mother and daughter dirndls made.
Unfortunately, when I got engaged, my mom had recently passed away. It was important to me to honor our agreement and find a drindl for my wedding dress. I was incredibly lucky to find Erika - so close to where I live and so willing to work with my ideas! She took my thoughts and wishes and created a beautiful wedding drindl that my mom would have loved.
My one-of-a-kind wedding dress was exactly what my mom and I had in mind so long ago when we saw the girls in their dirndls on the way to church. The best part about my dress is that my mom and I had the idea for it, and Erika made it a reality.
- Connie Gartner
Do you want to be next month's Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on the Rare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!
My Sister and I at the GABF (Great American Beer Festival)
Wearing our new Rare Dirndls at the Munich Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany was a trip I had been planning for over a year. We had the tickets, the flights, the hotels, but I forgot one major aspect, the clothes! I contacted Erika about a month prior to leaving for Oktoberfest and in that time she was able to create custom dirndls for myself and my sister. Within a few days, Erika had emailed me fabric ideas, layouts of embroidery work, and beautiful drawings of the dirndl design and a few weeks later I had the beautiful dirndls.
We love the custom embroidery on our dirndls
My husband, Zach, had been pushing for Oktoberfest in Munich for a few years. As a brewer, it is a must do. We are currently in the process of opening Mockery Brewing in Denver, Colorado and targeting Spring/Summer 2014 for our open date. Mockery will be located in the RiNo (River North) district of Denver. We are opening on a 15 bbl system and will be brewing beers that make a mockery of antiquated purity laws. Mockery aims to make a mockery of anything too serious by providing a laid back environment including video games, yard games, funny art work, and mockumentary movie nights.
The dirndls were a fantastic way to incorporate a little Mockery into our Oktoberfest adventures. Three of the four owners of Mockery Brewing were able to make this trip along with four friends. We spent five days drinking beer at the Schottenhamel and Hofbrau tents at Oktoberfest and numerous biergartens around Munich. It was an experience we will never forget!
Thank you to Erika for helping us create our vision of Mockery dirndls. Oktoberfest would not have felt the same without our Rare Dirndls!
We love the mix of modern and traditional that's at the core of our dirndls.
Do you want to be next month's Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on the Rare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!
I'm SOOO excited about this new program! Its all about YOU and thats why I love it!
Steve and Teresa, live in Niles, IL, are parents to two young boys and love the go to local Oktoberfests in their Rare Dirndl designs because "we always have the most fashionable outfits!" (too bad they're my cousins so they're ineligible to win) But thats the kind of story we're looking for! Simple, fun and all about you!
It's the Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight program and its a way to tell the world all about you, your heritage, why you love Rare Dirndls and maybe even the history behind your dirndl!
Here's how it works...
To Enter: e-mail erika@erikaneumayer.com all of the following items:
1- Your name as you would like it to appear
2- Your mailing address
3- At least 1 photo of you in your Rare Dirndl (max 5 photos)
4- A 200-500 word paragraph which includes the following information
1) Tell us a little bit about yourself (2-5 sentences is fine)
2) Where are you wearing your Rare Dirndl in the photos?
3) Is there a story behind your Rare Dirndl? We’d love to hear it!
4) What is your favorite thing about Rare Dirndl?
5) Anything else you’d like to include… your heritage, your family, your favorite dirndl accessories etc!
After submitting the required information, you will receive a confirmation e-mail. One entry per person.
Prizes: the person chosen as the “Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight” will receive:
· A $50 Rare Dirndl coupon code for use on any online purchase
· A feature on the Rare Dirndl Blog, Rare Dirndl website and in the Rare Dirndl E-mail newsletter
· A Rare Dirndl gift package worth approximately $100.
Who chooses the winner?
Each month one entry will be selected by the Rare Dirndl Design team and featured at the “Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight”. The winner will be notified before the release of the information.
I'm so excited and I can't wait to read your stories and see your pictures! Send em on in!!!!
Dirndls have some details that are different from your everyday sundress, like piping. Many dirndls utilize piping as a subtle detail that adds a pop of color or an elegant touch. I create all my own piping in order to make each pieces unique and cohesive. The colors can match perfectly and brings the whole look together. Here's how it's made!
First I start with the fabric. I use scraps to save on fabric and create less waste. Piping must be cut on the bias, at a 45° angle. Using my ruler and rotary cutter to cut the fabric into strips.
The next step is to sew all the strips together on the straight grain. Sewing the strips on the grain (so another 45° angle) makes it less bulky and the seam a little less noticeable.
I take the extra time to press open every seam to ensure it looks clean and perfect.
Finally, I run it though the machine placing a bit of yarn in the center.
And thats it! Piping finished!
Although the process is rather simple, it is very time consuming. I make all my own, because buying it is a tricky thing. You can buy piping at your local fabric store. It comes in small packets, in a variety of popular colors. However, like I mentioned before, I like my piping to match perfectly to the rest of the dirndl. To buy custom piping you need to buy at least 500 yards and since it takes a maximum of 3 yards per dirndl, 500 is a bit much for me. So I make it myself. Its tedious and sometimes boring, but it makes the finished product that much more... Rare!
This dirndl is a great example of how piping can add a subtle detail, create a cohesive look and add a pop of color.
Sometimes my clients have ideas in their heads about the ultimate dirndl. I'm just the person to help them with that! I can take ideas, inspirations and color stories and turn them into real life one-of-a-kind pieces. But how does it work? What is involved? Lets start from the beginning using Rachel's Dirndl as an example.
It all started when she asked if I could do a ballerina-inspired dirndl with pastel colors and tulle. She didn't want it to be too poofy or "toddlers and tiaras" but tulle was definitely something she wanted. She liked the idea of using pink and off-white, so I put together a sketch for her that would be a rough draft of what it might look like. Once she approved it, it was off to the fabric store.
Instead of using baby pink, I used blush... a color that is not only very in, but also a more grown-up version of pink. I also picked out a tone-on-tone champagne satin damask fabric that would be a great compliment to the blush color.
She said she wanted a lace up front, but I could tell she was looking for more than that. I wanted to make sure that this piece oozed elegance and
poise like a ballerina, so I found a beautiful pink pearl and pewter beaded trim that I thought would be the perfect accent to the colors and look of the dirndl. Once the fabrics were picked out and approved, I got her measurements and made a pattern in her size and got ready to cut!
After cutting out all the pieces for the dirndl I used left over fabric from the bodice and used the wrong side to make a slight contrasting piping. I make all my own piping, especially for custom pieces because it really brings the whole piece together. Then its time to sew it all up.
Creating volume for the skirt was important for this ballerina piece and so I used white tulle attached to an underskirt as well as a small layer of white and pink at the bottom that would pop out just a tad giving the illusion of a tutu.
Once the volume on the skirt was created I added the bodice, zipper and finished the hem. Now it was time for the handwork. The beading was attached by hand because A.) it wasn't going to fit under the foot of the machine and B.) the final outcome can be much more precise and effortless. The more effort I put into a dirndl, the more effortless it looks. Nothing is worse than a design that looks tortured!
The hooks were added last and then it was time to add the apron and blouse and voila! A completely one-of-a-kind piece just for Rachel!
Do you have an idea in your head? Maybe a custom piece is right for you! Custom pieces are charge by the hours it takes to complete and the cost of the fabrics. Can't wait to see what my next client will request.
Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here
The custom dirndl Erika made for me when she was moving locations is probably the most beautiful piece of clothing I own. It is a vision in white, and I love it, but I think another piece she did is even more beautiful...
