Die Tracht - The traditional costume
The german term „Tracht“ meaning „traditional costume“ derives from the althochdeutsch/ old high german „draht(a)“, mittelniederdeutsch middle-low German „dracht" – „das was getragen"/"what is worn", refers to all the equipment worn on the body for fashion reasons. This includes clothing, jewellery, hairstyle, make-up, accessories and insignia. In a narrower sense, the word is used to describe traditional, historical or regional fashion. The costume follows a traditional dress code.
The term „Kleiderordnung“ meaning "dress code" refers to rules and regulations on the desired dress in private, social, cultural and business environments.
The term is also used to describe rules concerning clothing that do not exist by law or decree, but by softer factors: by convention, by the need for conformity, by tacit agreement, by social consensus (or consensus within a social group) or by expectations, for example, of an organiser or an employer.
The standards of the dress code vary according to country, region, religion, ethnic grouping, company, guild or industry affiliation. In one region a certain costume / fashion is desirable, but outside these regions it is perceived as unsuitable or even frowned upon. Existing dress codes are also often subject to fashion influences and the spirit of the times (e.g. top hat, walking stick).
The sign system of clothing is based on the diversity of clothing: narrow or wide, long or short, monochrome or patterned or colourful, shiny or matt. The different forms, colours and textiles are also linked to different meanings, both culturally and conventionally: new or familiar, male or female, everyday or festive, and associations of social status.
A dress code is the totality of the emblematic elements in a style of dress or in the wardrobe of an individual. In general, it includes the diversity of the overall appearance, i.e. all garments, accessories and other (body language or body design) in addition to the overall appearance, individual garments, headgear, hairstyle, also colours and brands. The dress code not only represents hierarchical claims within the social systems (rank, title, insignia, medals, salary), but is also for orientation and functional demarcation within the social systems. Therefore, various subcultures and scenes as well as work, business, leisure and festive clothing differ.
On „Volkstracht“ -folk costume:
The „Volkstracht“ - folk costume has its origins in rural areas. It shows the affiliation to a class, a denomination or a population group, e.g. ethnic group (ethnicity), occupational group. In rural areas, the costume has developed differently from region to region. It was subject to the influences of the towns, the neighbouring regions, the available merchandise, the influences of courtly fashion and the military. The first peasant costumes were created at the end of the 15th century. The ideal image of a folk costume is always the highest version of the festive costume.
Traditional costumes are the result of lengthy developments. Until the 19th century, strict dress codes inhibited the free development of the peasant costume. The rulers wanted to prevent their subjects from getting into debt through lavishness. They also wanted to ensure that the different estates could be identified by their clothing. Originally, at least in Europe, the term dress code was used to refer to decrees that laid down permitted clothing and jewellery for the individual estates, for example the imperial decree of 1530.
The imperial decree of 1530, determined this:
„daß sich jeder, wes Würden oder Herkommen er sei, nach seinem Stand, Ehren und Vermögen trage, damit in jeglichem Stand unterschiedliche Erkäntnüs sein mög […]“.
"that everyone, whose dignity or origin he or she comes from, shall wear according to his or her status, honour and wealth, so that in every status there may be different recognition [...]".
At the end of the 18th century, all of Europe felt the effects of the French Revolution. Where previously the dress code was ordered "from above" and strictly separated according to estates from nobility to clergy and citizens to peasants, clothing now also became fashion-dependent. In the cities this was particularly noticeable, of course, but even among the poorer rural population a new dress code was now developing towards the regional folk costume. Rural peasant clothing is considered "traditional costume", which not only showed the regional homeland, but through - sometimes subtle - colour schemes also the social rank, age, marital status or the state of mourning in the different stages. The different forms of costume thus accompanied the wearer throughout his or her life. In this way a common cultural identity or national feeling is created and thus a separation from the other. At the beginning of the 20th century, traditional costumes were no longer worn because of the beginning mobility and the suddenly experienced proximity to the cities and some of them died out completely.
Modern dress codes - Dress code based on convention and agreement
Today, dress codes in the sense of regulations tend to exist in the context of events or in working life. Often the observance of dress codes is tacitly expected when one takes on a social role or function. The same applies to business events: festive celebrations, funerals. Last but not least, there are still dress codes based on gender, which differentiate fashion and clothing according to gender.
Overall social and milieu-specific dress codes can also result from tacit agreement and the need for conformity as an expression of belonging. These dress codes are often not perceived as such, but nevertheless have a stereotypical character which is often stylised into a cliché in external perception and description.
Cultural, subcultural, intellectual and political groups often develop their own dress codes. These dress codes differ from the general standard beyond the group and are intended to make it clear to the outside world or within the group (including through secret dress codes) whether they belong to the group or not. The dress codes are often perceived by the members of the group as a collective aesthetic expression of their individual attitude to life, and yet they distinguish the individual beyond the group as an individualist in so far as he or she has the courage to commit to a minority of a self-chosen lifestyle group. An example of this as well as the dress codes of different scenes, e.g. the punk, gothic or skater scene. So today in our globalised world no local or global national feeling is created with it but a common cultural identity and thus a demarcation to the other.
[1] Wikipedia, Letzter Zugriff: 24.02.2022, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tracht_(Kleidung)
[2] Wikipedia, Letzter Zugriff: 24.02.2022, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleiderordnung
[3] Das Kostüm, Letzter Zugriff: 24.02.2022, https://altevolkstrachten.de/metzger/