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The clothing style in rural areas was almost the same as that of cities until 1800.

Farmer's clothing in the first third of the 16th century.

Bourgeois clothing in the first third of the 16th century.

In the 19th century, the bourgeoisie took over the fashion lead in Europe, which led to a differentiation between the clothing styles of urban and rural areas. This differentiation went in two directions - either people from rural areas adapted their clothing style to that of the cities, or a totally new style of clothing emerged in some regions. This eventually led to the appearance of traditional costumes.

Farmer's traditional wear from the eastern Baar region, app. 1860.

As opposed to commercially planned fashion, traditional costumes were a formal expression of group thought. The ruling hierarchies, religious traditions and social relationships of a township were expressed by the clothing.

Farmer's traditional wear from Miesbach, app. 1860.

A revaluation of rural traditional costumes took place in the second half of the 19th century when the bourgeoisie began showing more interest in the conventions and customs of the rural population, especially in regard to their clothing style, which was in sharp contrast to their own. Due to this social recognition, many townships maintained the custom of wearing traditional clothing, even though the symbolic character of the costumes within a rural-agricultural community was lost due to increasing industrialization.

Farmer's traditional wear from the Hardt and Tauber regions, app. 1860.

While approximately two-thirds of the German population lived in rural areas in 1871, the ratio of the population living in the city reversed by 1910. With the ongoing mechanization in farming, the number of people working in agriculture decreased continuously - by 1939, only 19,1% of the population worked in agriculture. A traditional form of life, including the symbolic costumes, across all generations, though, could only prosper in an intact farming community. Thus, the clothing of the traditional rural community became increasingly "city-like" - more so after World War I., and even more radically after World War II. The rural population gave up its conformity behavior in favor of general fashion integration.

Farmer's traditional wear from Wolfratshausen, app. 1860.

Farmer's festival costume
from Betzingen.

Close-up.

Traditional stockings from Betzingen.