A dirndl is a traditional Bavarian (yes, I realize I'm not actually in Bavaria, but still) dress type deal. I had seen them in a few clothing stores, and enough people who knew I would be around during Oktoberfest told me I should get one, that I knew eventually I should take a look at them. So, when I told my host mom I was going to go to Munich for the day about two weeks before Oktoberfest, she suggested I buy a dirndl while I was there, since there would be many more options than here.
Silly me asked, "So......can you get them at any store? Or are there shops specifically for dirndls?" I assumed that the answer would be the first, but it turns out there are stores (open all year, I think, not like pop up Halloween stores) where you can buy just dirndln and lederhosen. That Saturday, armed with lots of information on where to go for a dirndl, I wandered into Munich (I use "wander" loosely here, really I just took a bus.)
But, firstly, I wanted to go the the Viktualienmarkt for lunch. After getting lost on may way there, turning what is normally a 30 minute walk into 45 minutes of wandering down empty streets trying to figure out exactly where I was, I found the place. The market was packed of course, since it was Saturday. I wasn't really sure what I felt like eating, until a woman walked by me with a bretzel the size of planet Pluto. Then I knew. I waited in line for what felt like forever until I was finally able to ask for a grosse breze.
It was well worth the wait, and the salt-to-brezel ratio was perfect. That being said, it was still a lot of salt and I forgot to bring water (don't tell my host mom, she thinks (and is right) that I should drink more water just generally).
My pal Luigi was of course then present as I embarked on dirndl shopping,. However, considering how much I like German food, and how much of it is present at Oktoberfest, I thought having a food baby would make for a more accurate dress size when dirndl shopping.
Not that I thought it would be easy. I don't love love to shop (although I don't hate it so much anymore), and I am really indecisive, but I did not anticipate being so overwhelmed when I wandered into Tracht & Mehr to look for a dirndl. All along the walls were dirndls in every size, material, color, and length. Then there were aisles of blouses, aprons, and petticoats. I had no idea where to start. I wasn't even sure about my European size. I just stared at the dirndls. I looked to see what other people were doing. I walked out to take a deep breath. Then walked back in. A smiling woman in a dirndl asked if she could help me. Really, I should have just said yes. But, too embarrassed about my German and limited communication skills I said not yet. I stared at the dirndls some more. Then, still real overwhelmed at all of the choices, left to take a walk around the block (or more accurately, to the Milka Chocolate World).
When I returned, I had convinced myself that my German was not so terrible I wouldn't be able to understand simple questions, and that since it was a big city and the women working there were around my age, they probably spoke some English. It could work. I wandered back in to the shop. I didn't really know how to ask for help, so I waited until another smiling dirndl woman came over and asked if I needed help. I did, I told her, but also explained my German was not so great. She said it was no problem and switched to English. .
Mostly, I didn't know if I was supposed to try on a million blouse/apron/dirndl/petticoat sets, or pick things one at a time, or what. Turns out the process was pretty much try on dirndls and a blouse until you find one you like, then figure out the apron and petticoat situation. After trying on a million dirndln, then deciding that a different size was better and starting the process over, then trying to figure out the apron color, I ended up with this:
After an umburrassin' number of hours. That I won't mention here. Mostly because I don't remember exactly. Maybe three hours.
It was a real long day. Good thing Luigi was still hanging around, because I had just a short amount of time afterward to get to the bus!
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