Dress and Tracht
What to wear to the Kocherlball
Dirndl, Lederhosen or your Sunday best: what suits the early morning at the Chinese Tower, what historic dress is welcome, and why sturdy shoes decide everything.
The principle
Encouraged, not required
The Kocherlball may be Munich's most beautiful display of traditional dress, and yet the rule is: Tracht is encouraged, not compulsory. Nobody is inspected at the entrance; there is not even an entrance.
Still, those who embrace the spirit of the festival rarely come in jeans. The Dirndl, the Lederhosen, the Janker or simply one's Sunday best belong to this morning like the brass band. Especially welcome is historic servants' clothing, a bow to the cooks and house servants who gave the ball its name: simple skirts, an apron, a bonnet, a linen shirt, a waistcoat.
In practice
What has proven itself
For her
- A Dirndl with apron; the simple cotton Dirndl beats the evening gown here.
- Historic: ankle-length skirt, blouse, apron, bonnet or headscarf.
- Flat, sturdy shoes; the dance floor is gravel.
- A cardigan or shawl for the chilly early hours.
For him
- Lederhosen with Haferl shoes, shirt, waistcoat or Janker.
- Historic: linen shirt, waistcoat, work jacket, hat.
- No Tracht? Dark trousers and a light shirt will do fine.
- A jacket for the first hours; it comes off quickly.
Questions about dress