Lincoln Square Art Walk

This weekend is the Lincoln Square Art Walk and it's the first time that the Rare Dirndl Designs Studio is participating in the event! As a venue, I worked closely with local artist, Daniel Cleary and will have his artwork displayed in the design studio windows all weekend!

Daniel Cleary was born in Tipperary Town, Ireland. Having developed a passion for painting at an early age, Daniel went to art school in London. From there, he moved to America, became a citizen and has been living in Chicago for the past 30 years.

"My art depends very much on what I take in through my eyes. In seeing, I try to get to the heart of my subject. I am stimulated by what I see and held in thrall by it -- as Delacroix has described it, 'as a snake by a snake charmer'. The artists I have tried to learn from have all had their original stimulus from nature: Cezanne, Van Gogh and Matisse, even Mondrian who talked about plastic values which I understand as a kind of tactile presence. I try to make the subjects I paint or draw immediate to the senses."

To decide which paintings he would display in the windows, he stopped by and took a look at my work and thought that the portraits and still life paintings featuring flowers would compliment the Rare Dirndls nicely. Also in the window is the Love Dirndl. 

I designed this dirndl in 2010 after the world lost a beautiful member of the German Community. Fellow Donauschawben dancer and friend, Katie Buchert, lost her battle with breast cancer inspired the Strength in Pink Collection. The love dirndl is still available and the proceeds from that collection benefit the Young Survival Coalition. We have already donated over $800 in Katie's name and can't wait to give more. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we hope to support a great cause and local artists this month with our window display.

Although the studio will not be open this weekend, if you are in the Lincoln Square area, please take a wander around the neighborhood and check out all the local artist's work and the small businesses. 

Post Oktoberfest: How to Care for your Rare Dirndl

The best part of Oktoberfest is the food, drink, and wearing dirndls! The not so fun part is the mustard dripping on your apron, that drunk guy behind you spilling his Jägermeister on your blouse and just that overall stale beer smell your dirndl has because you may or may not have sat in a puddle of Spaten Okotberfest. However, there is an easy way to solve this problem… a nice post wiesen dirndl cleaning!







Caring for your Rare Dirndl is pretty simple and below is a quick overview of the cleaning instructions  for your dirndl. (and there should be a tag in the garment that explains how to clean it too)

Blouse: The vast majority of Rare Dirndl blouses are a 65% cotton 35% polyester blend which is fabulous because you can toss that puppy in the washer and dryer and it'll come out like a dream! I like to wash them on a gentle cycle and then in the dryer. For the sparkle organza blouse, line drying or machine air drying is best. I also let the draped sleeve blouses air dry, but I've accidentally put them in the dryer on high and they turned out just fine.

Apron: Since the apron is what usually gets dirty the fastest, I try to choose washable fabrics for the aprons, but if it is dry clean only, the tag will say so. So for the apron, please check the tag to be sure.






Dirndl: Your best bet with the dirndl is to have it dry cleaned or spot clean it yourself with a wet rag and some detergent. The fabrics used to make the dirndls are typically machine washable. However, its the handwork is the reason you don't really want to toss it in the washer. The trim may start to fray and the front hooks and hardware may start to come loose.

Bloomers: Easy peasy… machine wash and dry.

If you ever have any concerns about caring for your dirndl, you can either e-mail me or take it to the cleaners and ask their opinion. Even though I make the dirndls, I don't always know the best way to clean them. But… that quirky dry cleaners in the strip mall down the street that's been there forever and ever, probably knows how to get just about any stain out of your apron and/or dirndl.

Or… just give it to Oma and give her a big hug… she'll probably take care of it for you ;-)

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From the Runway to Oktoberfest to Every Day… Dirndls are Here to STAY!

Bridesmaid Dirndls from a Wedding in June

As an avid dirndl wearer, I find myself in situations where I can get some funny looks from people at times… like in the grocery store, filling my car up with gas, or walking down the street. However, every year, Americans are becoming more and more enamored with Okotberfest and all things German.  It's clear to me that with over 16 Oktoberfest celebrations in the city of Chicago alone, wearing dirndls is becoming more mainstream. (And that's very exciting!!)











Not only are dirndls being seen more at smaller local Oktoberfests, but also on the runway. The latest Spring 2015 Collection by Givenchy, recently seen on the runways in Paris, is very clearly inspired by the dirndl silhouette and style. One look at the collection and I'm instantly excited to start wearing some of my dirndls everyday! Looks like this spring (according to Givenchy) is going to be the time to start wearing your dirndl out on the town.

Givenchy Spring 2015 Collection

Me in my dirndl in the streets of Basel during Fasnacht.

I expect that if this trend continues, it could very well be that in the near future, all us dirndl loving folk will be able to wear our favorite pieces out to the store and out to dinner without anyone thinking twice about it!

I'm excited to wear my dirndl everywhere!! How about you? Do you have a funny story about when you wore your dirndl to an unexpected place and people had interesting reactions… like the time someone asked me if I worked at the Apple Pickery while I was driving home. Share them in the comments and the maybe next year we can all celebrate being able to avoid those silly comments, like, "Are you an irish dancer?"

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Who Wore it Best? Celebrities in Designer Dirndls

The website POPSUGAR Fashion put together a slideshow of 11 celebrities in dirndls and many of them are designed by Lola Paltinger. She is a couture dirndl designer and most of her pieces cost 2,900 Euros… That's $3,690.32! (that why when people send me pics of her dirndls and ask me to replicate it for under $300 I'm all like "Guuuuurrl! You Cra!")

Here is the link to the Slideshow "Starts Wearing Oktoberfest Dirndls"

But here are my top 3 "Who Wore it Best!"

#3 - Kim Kardashian This kinda hurts my soul, because I very much dislike the Kardashians, which I know is not nice to say considering I've never met them… but anyone who makes a coffee table book of their own selfies is a conceded whack-job in my book. That being said, she's rocking this Paltinger dirndl and the fishtail braids are a nice take on the unfortunately popular pigtail braids that everyone associate with German girls. So my #3 is going to KimK.
















#2 - Hayden Panettiere Hayden has got the whole package in this pic! The modern, yet classic style dirndl, the matching hat, cute poofy petticoat and the sexy man in lederhosen to bring the whole look together. She is owning this outfit from head to toe and that's why she's my #2 pick.

#1 Katy Parry Simply put, she knows how to #RockTheDirndl! Love the colors that she chose because it feels very Katy but doesn't over do it. Sometimes she has a tendency to go a bit overboard with the cultural references, (remember that tribute to the Geisha in kimonos during the AMA performance… not cute) so this look makes me super happy. She's owning this girly yet edgy dirndl and thats why she's my #1 for Who Wore it Best!

Honorable Mention I have to give a shout out to my girl crush Emma Watson. In this picture, it is hard to tell who the designer of her dirndl is, but it looks like a pretty generic dirndl (hence why she didn't make the official list). However, she has to be mentioned on my blog because I love her. That's all.

Who do you think wore it best? I'd love to hear what you think… write it all the in comments section and lets get this conversation started! 

Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? 
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Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight: Caroline Dektas

Caroline Dektas - Cincinnati, Ohio

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 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? 
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Dirndl 101: How to Put on a Dirndl

Megan from SCHNITZels & GIGGLES in her dirndl.
Photo courtesy of George Nagata

Never worn a traditional German Dirndl before? No problem, we understand that not everyone wears a dirndl once, maybe twice a week like us... but in all honestly there are a few things you should know. Here is a quick guide to getting dressed and ready for Oktoberfest in your Rare Dirndl!

#1 Undies- Wear a good bra. It doesn’t need to be a push-up bra, but it does need to put the girls in the right place.

#2 Bloomers- If you plan on getting your polka on, bloomers are a wise choice. Not everyone is going to be looking up your skirt, but there are sure to be some wandering eyes and some judging Oma’s should your skirt go a-flyin... better safe than sorry.

#3 Blouse- Whether is the classic off-the-shoulder, full puff-sleeve sweetheart blouse or our newest innovation the blouslette, that is what goes on next. (This step is not to be skipped!!!)

#4 Dirndl- Most Rare Dirndls have a center front zipper, so throw it over your head (or step into it if you’re floor is “nice und putz”) and zip that baby up. Some sucking it in may apply, but better to have a nice tight fit than a loosey-goosey dirndl

#5 Lace Up Front- If your dirndl has a lace up front, you’ll most likely find the corresponding ribbon and/or chain in the pocket (yes... there’s a pocket!) Start by putting the ribbon or chain trough the top to hooks and then crisscross and go down from there and tie it in a bow (or knot if its chain) at the bottom.

#6 Apron- The final touch is the apron (unless your dirndl comes with a belt in which case, just put on the belt). The apron gets tied at the natural waist, covering seam. You can either tie the apron in a bow in the back or bring the ties around the front and tie it in a bow. Put the bow on the left side if you are single and on the right side if you’re married.

#7 Accessorize!- To complete the look add the accessories of your choice 

• Jewelry 
• Tights or Socks
• Purse
• Edelweiss Hair Clip
• Sweater if its chilly
• A sexy man in Lederhosen 
• und natürlich ein Bier Stein! 

So there you have it. The basic guide to getting dressed in your dirndl. Be sure to post pictures of you in your über chic dirndl on Instagram or Facebook using #RareDirndl and stop reading this and go have fun! Girls in dirndls always have more fun!

Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? 
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Where to go in NYC for a great Oktoberfest Beer

Looking for a good German beer in NYC this time of year? Check out this clip from PIX11! (and check out what news personality Lisa Mateo is wearing!) Click Here to get one for yourself

Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? 
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