# Any Bavarians In The House? Question About Dirndl Traditions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285 "2017-11-21T16:22:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285/1 "2017-11-21T16:22:24Z")

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In [this video](https://youtu.be/1S1YcfFPnfc), a woman who creates made-to-order dirndls and lederhosen explains some of the traditions of the dirndl. Specifically, she says that her friend, the interviewer (Dana) must tie the bow at the front and on the right because she is a married woman. A single woman, says the maker, would tie the bow front left. Tying front-center indicates the wearer is a virgin, and tying back-center indicates that she’s a widow.

The maker also says that she’ll wear it tied on the left to indicate that she’s having a good time.

My question is, do the tying traditions still hold true? Or do most wearers simply go for the left, regardless of their marital status, in modern use?

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**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285/2 "2017-11-21T18:08:51Z")

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We have Bavarian friends and we’ve asked them this and yes, it is still adhered to in many places.

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**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285/3 "2017-11-21T21:26:36Z")

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I hadn’t heard about the meaning of front-center and back-center, but left for single and right for married/taken is definitely still being done.

Fish Cheer, born and raised just outside of Munich

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285/4 "2017-11-21T23:48:37Z")

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> [@Fish\_Cheer](#):
>
> I hadn’t heard about the meaning of front-center and back-center, but left for single and right for married/taken is definitely still being done.
> 
> Fish Cheer, born and raised just outside of Munich

So what about young girls (teenagers and children), do they just wear the “single” version? Or do the kids’ version not include a bow?

Also, are there variations in lederhosen that indicate the wearer’s marital status?

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**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2017, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bavarians-in-the-house-question-about-dirndl-traditions/802285/5 "2017-11-22T15:08:05Z")

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I really feel the title should ask for “Bavarians in the Haus” instead.