Hansel and Gretel Costumes

Hansel and Gretel Costumes

Click Here To See The Full Range Of Hansel and Gretel Costumes

If you ask any group of people “Who knows Hansel and Gretel”, the chances are everyone will say that they do. The story of Hansel and Gretel is an ages-old story from Germany, recorded and spread throughout the world by the prolific Brothers Grimm. Originally scarier, this story was meant as cautionary tale for children, but today it is milder and perhaps more “genteel”. Hansel and Gretel have long been portrayed as bedecked in classic Bavarian style.

Hansel is portrayed as wearing a white shirt, lederhosen, and a hat. The word “lederhosen” means “leather trousers”, which is what they are – knee-breeches made of leather. These are not actually the traditional national costume of Germany, but rather should be considered as leisure wear for the working class. Back in the day, these were preferred when performing hard manual labor, because they are sturdier and easier to clean than clothes made with cloth. Their popularity has dropped over the centuries, and today they are mostly worn on special occasions. These “formal” lederhosen often feature ornate embroidery.

Click Here For More Hansel And Gretel Outfits

Gretel wears a dirndl, which is a dress based on traditional styles of Alpine communities in Europe. It consists of bodice, a blouse, an apron, and a long, full skirt. Though this is the traditional style, modern representations shorten the skirt. In particular, the dirndls worn by adult women are cut quite short, in a flirtatious and sexually-appealing manner. There are two distinct types of dirndl: the summer and the winter types. The winter dirndl features dark and rich colors plus thick cloth. The summer version is lighter in both fabric volume and color. Sometimes, the way that the apron is tied signifies the woman’s marital status.

A knot at her left means she’s single, on the right means she’s taken (whether married, engaged, et cetera) and at the back means she is a widow. Nowadays we only rarely see these costumes, but there is one annual event that reminds us of this distinctive style: Oktoberfest. That’s sixteen whole days of beer, food, and fun. In particular, beer maids wear shortened dirndls, much to the delight of the largely male drinking crowds. Of course, kids’ Hansel and Gretel costumes are very cute and made similar to the traditional style. The colors can vary, but for boys, brown or green lederhosen are good. Girls can choose any color they like. Pair children up for a perfect fairy tale setup!

Click Here To See More Hansel And Gretel Costumes

Speaking of fairy tales costumes, you can always get costume ideas from the many fairy tales in the common consciousness. There’s Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and so many more to choose from. In many cases, the specifics are quite vague, so you can customize to suit your tastes. You can quite easily. For adults, an additional dimension is added to these costumes: sex appeal. For women particularly, the low cut of the bodice and short skirt shows off some of her best physical assets. Petticoats give additional skirt volume, and augment the look and feel of the costume.

Of course, men are wont to stare, so the lady wearing this cannot be too shy. For both men and women, these costumes can get quite drafty, what with the short sleeves and shortened bottoms. For Hansel and Gretel costumes, as well as other costumes based on fairy tale characters, make sure to check out great deals online. Great selection of styles and sizes for kids and adults alike, as well as special offers on certain items are always available. Better yet, take advantage of a great spectrum of accessories to add that special flair to your costume.