Petra in her dirndl (work in progress), 80 x 60 cm, oil on canvas, ©2011 Julie Galante.
I love how painting changes the way I see. Now that I’m spending so much time painting dirndls, I have a whole new appreciation for the infinite variations they can have. Wandering around Oktoberfest these last few days, I seem to be spending most of my time checking out all the dirndls around me (and sometimes fighting off the urge to chase someone down and beg her to model for me). In past years I don’t think I ever gave dirndls a second thought.
Basically these traditional Bavarian outfits have three parts: a sleeveless dress made up of a bodice and skirt; a small half-shirt with sleeves, and an apron. Each part seems to come in an infinite number of cuts, colors, and fabrics. Petra’s white cotton shirt with puffy sleeves is typical, although colored shirts have gained some popularity in recent years. Her purple dirndl and apron, both picked up at a second-hand store, fit her beautifully. That’s something else I’ve started noticing at Oktoberfest – whose dirndls fit correctly, and whose don’t. This is pretty strange for me; typically I don’t even pay attention to my own clothing, much less anyone else’s.