German Dirndl HistoryThe History of the Dirndl in Austria and Germany - Tracht HistoryThe dirndl is a female dress copied from the Trachten, consisting of a top (Austrian: "Leibl") and blouse, wide skirt and a colorful apron. Originally, the dirndl was the working dress of female servants (Austrian "dirn": maid, maidservant); hence the term "dirndl" as an abbreviation of "Dirndlgewand" (maid's dress).
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Around 1870/1880, after Kaiser Franz Joseph made it fashionable to wear Lederhosen and Tracht, the upper classes adopted the dirndl as a modern dress and wore it on their summer holidays. Today the wearing of the dirndl is generally regarded as a sign of national pride; in material, color and shape it is increasingly subject to modern influences.