Lincoln Taft, a left-handed journalist, is the blogger behind Les Yeux Sans Visage, where she chronicles her current fascinations with art and design, vintage imagery, and fashion. By day, she works at personal style magazine StyleLikeU as an executive video editor. In addition to running a Tumblr, she’s trying to master talents both frivolous and handy, including bending notes on her harmonica and studying American Sign Language. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her life partner, artist Paul O’Connor.
While backpacking through Europe, I took an incredible journey through the Swiss Alps. The view from my train window was like something out of Johanna Spyri’s Heidi: small wooden cabins, wool socks hanging on clotheslines and snow upon snow. As soon as I returned to the States, I began collecting images of Alpine adolescents in lederhosen frolicking through the flowers, their hair tightly woven in milkmaid braids. In a way, I suppose I’ve been engaging in a bit of mental preparation for a return trip to the Alps, but since I’m not booking plane tickets anytime soon, I’ll pass along my packing list to you.
[1. Vintage Dirndl dress from zwzzy; 2. Vintage red and navy blue Gypsy folk vest from GypsyoftheLake; 3. Vintage folk embroidered cardigan German dirndl from laboheme; 4. Vintage Soviet pin with rose from chunja]
1. Mostly worn in Austria and Bavaria, the dirndl can be worn casually or for formal celebrations.
2. Perfect for pairing with lederhosen, this vest has an eye-popping floral pattern.
3. Heavy sweaters are key in the Alps, as the mountain range spans five different climate zones.
4. Leather breeches can look quite masculine. Tack on a bit of kitschy femininity, courtesy of the USSR.
[5. Vintage wool Alpine ski sweater from ANNAKARINASCLOSET; 6. Vintage 1970s brown leather boho purse from RecycledWares; 7. Vintage German wool skirt from DetroitDollface; 8. Abbi 1970s boho knitted sweater from Black Sheep; 9. Lederhosen suede shorts from ThisFunThing]
5. Nordic skiing is a popular pastime in the Alps, in case you need an excuse to wear this beautiful woolen ski sweater.
6. This pretty leather satchel is made even better by its delicate handiwork.
7. A long woolen skirt immediately makes me want to learn the steps of a traditional folk dance.
8. This sweater’s square neckline will offset a pair of leather suspenders beautifully.
9. Lederhosen fact #1: These days, lederhosen are typically worn for special occasions, but Austrian boys used to wear the leather breeches until they turned sixteen.
[10. Vintage costume postcards from P8iosities; 11. Vintage Austrian champ-ette pocket lighter from EWBphotography; 12. Vintage European town painting from projecteur; 13. Vintage lederhosen from Anastasia's Closet]
10. Let a dear friend know that you wish they were with you to see the sights.
11. Light a campfire with this dainty Austrian Champ-ette lighter.
12. Hang a view from the mountainside in your home.
13. Lederhosen fact #2: Lederhosen are considered working-class men’s workwear or leisurewear in German-speaking countries. I’ll take them over denim any day.
[14. Vintage lederhosen jumper from liketotallyvintage; 15. 1950s pink day dress from CapriciousTraveler; 16. Vintage yellow country western dress from MsZinski; 17. 1970s folk embroidered pullover sweater from nickiefrye; 18. 1930s black forest bohemian sheepskin coat from petrune; 19. Vintage "Heidi" book from Bexy79; 20. Vintage Josef Seibel hiking boots from RockyMountainRetro]
14. Embroidered with a delightful floral pattern, this dress is pure perfection.
15. CapriciousTraveler dyed this wonderful folk print ’50s dress pink. I’d wear it with hiking boots.
16. This yellow embroidered dress is just the thing for an Alpine picnic.
17. Hand-wrought embellishments make any piece more special.
18. When you’re deep in the Black Forest, you’ll need a coat to keep you warm.
19. While lying in a meadow, flip through the classic story that introduced so many of us to the Alps as young girls.
20. These dandified hiking boots prove that even the most utilitarian pieces can have flair.
84 comments
Sign in to add your ownMegansMenagerie says:
Great post!!!
207 days ago
MouseTrapVintage says:
LOVE this post and those Alpine folk costumes! :)
207 days ago
Mclovebuddy says:
so awesome. i have a vintage 40s or 50s loden coat i absolutely love. i'm not sure i have the courage to wear it with lederhosen unless i wear long johns underneath.
207 days ago
Jashme says:
Makes me want some cider and a fireplace.
207 days ago
kelleyob says:
Lincoln Taft is blowing up!!! Love it :)
207 days ago
RossLab says:
Alps are great and Apennines too! LOVE all mountains, especially the Italian ones! I know, I am not objective...
207 days ago
volkerwandering says:
Abosultely gorgeous collections! The yellow dress and the suspenders are my favorite!
207 days ago
melaniepaulson says:
Reminds me of a little faux German town we have here in Washington State, Leavenworth. Google it, it's great. A little over the top for me, but the hiking is great!
207 days ago
AvianInspirations says:
So much fun! Makes me want to frolic, sing, and run away to the mountains.
207 days ago
maclancy says:
I have always held a fascination with the Alps and almost mythical landscapes. I have several aquatints in my store from Switzerland and love the look of the 1815 era etchings and tints. Thank you for this article! http://www.etsy.com/listing/81342736/aquatint-etching-view-of-kandersteg?ga_search_query=aquatint&ga_search_type=user_shop_ttt_id_5193227
207 days ago
beadsnbones says:
wunderschön! Danke Etsy, BeadsnBones, Austria
207 days ago
deermayor says:
LOVE LOVE LOVE scandanavian design! great post ^.^
207 days ago
twolefthands says:
Suddenly I feel like yodeling! I love this post and the lederhosen!
207 days ago
KisforCalligraphy says:
a heart melting, yodeling, makes me yearn for the alps collection! thank you for sharing!
207 days ago
ChrissiesRibbons says:
oh so gorgeous!
207 days ago
overthemeadow says:
Wonderful article! Love the photos!
207 days ago
ThePattypanShop says:
Great article!!!
207 days ago
heartcity says:
nice love it alley!
207 days ago
BeatificBijoux says:
I always wanted to wear lederhosen.
207 days ago
HandcraftedorVintage says:
Well, I am dreaming about it for decades now, to live in a wooden house with porch and a barn high on a mountain in the Austrian Alps. As a young woman I have lived a worked a few years in Austria and went there for wintersport and other vacations for more then 40 years in a row....... Love the picture's, they could have come out of my collection. I have a black and dark blue wet felted janker (short woolen jacket) handsewn with some embroidery, they will last till I be gone, such a pleasure to wear. And those leather walking shoes are so much better then the tracking shoes a lot of people wear today. Mine are still in a perfect (used) state. Traditional handmade quality goods are expensive, but worth every penny.
207 days ago
VoleedeMoineaux says:
I love wool socks!
207 days ago
4EnvisioningVintage says:
Great collection....love that yellow folk boho dress!!
207 days ago
zwzzy says:
What a dream! I'd love to visit there someday. Thank you for choosing my dress, too! oxox.
207 days ago
accentonvintage says:
Love your Alpine pictures and selections! Great blog!
207 days ago
amyrue says:
Love this post & collection! I collect dirndls, Austrian sweaters & vintage Heidi books. Even married a boy named Hans! He looks pretty darn good in the vintage lederhosen I scored when he lets me talk him into wearing them.
207 days ago
acuriousbrood says:
I am yodeling right now. These fabrics are lovely, nice piece.
207 days ago
steamertrunkvintage says:
My grandparents came from both Tyrol and Germany so I have always been in love with the Alps, Heidi and vintage clothing (such as cloaks and dirndls) as well as wooden hand carved items from the Bavarian region. Wunderbar article and Alps inspired selections from Etsy shops!
207 days ago
TheEverlastingPosy says:
Great photos!
207 days ago
GinnyandHarriot says:
Go Lincoln!!! Fantastic post!
207 days ago
laurenpowersphoto says:
So cool - I love the embroidery!
207 days ago
SallyAnnaSunshine says:
I love the Alps...I also collect alpine stuff...i am 75% SWISS and love it!
207 days ago
auntjanecan says:
Beautiful!
207 days ago
LivingVintage says:
Edelweiss anyone? I love a man in leather shorts.
207 days ago
MsZinski says:
hahaha. Edelweiss. I would love to have this suitcase full of treasures and go galavanting through the Alps. This guest post looks fabulous. The circle details on the items you chose really made me want to click on each one. Thank you so much for including my vintage yellow dress with the brown bird embroidery from my shop! You made my night.
207 days ago
BirdiesCozyNest says:
I really enjoyed this! :)
207 days ago
NooraP31 says:
You should add the Maria's Floral Dress (either ladies' size or children's) by TaylorsScarletThread, and their Gretel's Peasant outfit. :-)
207 days ago
fidencio says:
The pattern's are awesome and make me want to research some from my own culture, Also i wouldn't mind sporting some of those overall shorts while painting somewhere in Europe. Sounds so calming.
207 days ago
perebags says:
Cool post!
207 days ago
BrittneyWest says:
What a fun collection! Thanks for sharing! "Let the beauty of what you love be what you do."--Rumi
207 days ago
anordicrose says:
Lived in a small village in the swiss alps once for almost a year...... the Alps will always have a place in my heart !
207 days ago
MomsCottage says:
Fun post! Love the little circle teasers.... had to check them all out! ;-)
207 days ago
everythingok says:
Oh hello there! This is right up my snow-covered winding mountain alley. My sister-in-law has just announced that she is thinking of naming her forthcoming daughter Heidi, so the timing of this blog post is quite beautifully perfect to me. Also it makes me long for cold snowy nights shooting back thimble after thimble of Appenzeller and scraping hot melty raclette over gherkins and new potatoes (mostly without burning myself).
207 days ago
Iammie says:
Love this article!
207 days ago
LeatherheadOriginals says:
My Mom's family was Swiss and German(Bavarian, to be exact). I've always daydreamed of a trip to Alpine Country, but I happen to live near the next-best thing, the Sierra Nevadas in California!
207 days ago
bedouin says:
Those are great photo's !
207 days ago
grandmagrizzly says:
Great blog, brings back fond memories of my time spent in Germany with the USAF. I too love Leavenworth, Washington, Melanie, I now live in Bellevue. My time in Germany (along with numberous trips to Leavenworth), inspired me to design lederhosen and dirndl outfit patterns for my teddy bear collection. They have been so well received by family and friends that I've reproduced them for sale here on ETSY. Now you can make your own version of Alpine Attire for you own teddy bears. Check them out at GrandmaGrizzlys.
207 days ago
AlisaDesign says:
Beautiful folk prints!
207 days ago
studioyanagi says:
Ah, lederhosen! I had a pair of those once--my parents bought them for me when we visited Austria, when I was 4. They were my favorite thing. But the next summer we were at the beach in Maine, and I stupidly left them in the locker room while I went to play in the surf. When I came back, they were gone! I was devastated.
207 days ago
scandivintage says:
Love this! Thanks for the lovely pictures and "dots" of colorful inspiration. :)
207 days ago
ShadeOfABonsai says:
Excellent theme. I just spent a holiday in Bavaria and came back and created a new brooch range inspired by some Bavaria! Eg: http://www.etsy.com/listing/84118305/cuckoo-clock-brooch
207 days ago
LittleWrenPottery says:
Great picks, I'd love to visit the Alps. I've never been skiing before and I'm sure theres a first time for everything : )
207 days ago
bigbluebed says:
Great fun. I love Austria so really enjoyed this.
207 days ago
ReAdore says:
I've been a fan of Alpine every since watching the Sound of Music over and over again as a little girl!
207 days ago
ReAdore says:
I've been a fan of Alpine ever since watching The Sound of Music over and over again as a little girl!
207 days ago
adrianaallenllc says:
After leaving for years in the French part of Switzerland - the city of Lausanne in the Vaud canton at the shores of the lake Leman - believe there is so much else that can be said about the Alps, but otherwise, appreciate the post. Thank you!
207 days ago
RosepathCollection says:
Love the post and I love hand knitted wool socks!
207 days ago
haubenmeise says:
I grew up in a small village in the Austrian alps and live in the capital Vienna now. Recently I bought my first Dirndl to go to a wedding dressed properly. As a kid I hated dirndln but now I love Dirndln and Lederhosen.
207 days ago
haubenmeise says:
This is such a lovely collection by the way!!!
207 days ago
birdhousesbycathie says:
Johanna Spyri's "Heidi" was one of my favorite books and I love this post! When I was twelve my family visited Arosa, Switzerland and it was truly magical...I'll never forget the beauty of the Swiss Alps. Thanks for bringing back those wonderful memories.
206 days ago
CarlasFunkyArt says:
I have always wanted to check out the Swiss Alps, it is on my bucket list!!! Great blog post! :)
206 days ago
MaJentaDesigns says:
great article! I was just in Germany & Austria over the summer, and still saw these outfits everywhere...so interesting to see all the attention to detail with each embroidery!
206 days ago
ARTISANIEeurope says:
Love this post! Thank you ;-)
206 days ago
RetroStock says:
I have been to Austria and Switzerland...It is Heaven on Earth!
206 days ago
Colettesboutique says:
What a great post! makes me want to take a vacation right now.
206 days ago
EstyElle says:
Great Article, Thank you!
206 days ago
jmayoriginals says:
oh how i would love to go backpacking through Europe. one of these days....
206 days ago
freesoul says:
Awesome article, although I remember being highly embarassed when my folks would make me wear lederhosen when I was the only kid wearing them
206 days ago
HouseOfMoss says:
Oh, goodness! This is one of my favorite collections ever! Alpine style is outrageously beautiful.
206 days ago
ThimbleNest says:
Great picks--love everything Alpine!
206 days ago
vivarte says:
Love this article - particularly the old photos. Maybe we could collaborate on something ALPINE, since I grew up there, born and raised there, and I go back often. Would love to share my passion and my photographs with somebody who feels similarly passionate about the Alps. I also have tons of similar old photographs. Hope to hear back from you!
206 days ago
kathyjohnson3 says:
Love the delicate embroidery it took to make these patterns, very pretty!
206 days ago
therainyside says:
Yodel-eh-ee-ooooooooo!
206 days ago
nickiefrye says:
Love this! :D
206 days ago
stepbackink says:
Great article.
206 days ago
lauraprentice says:
I've always loved Scandanavian design.
206 days ago
BanglewoodSupplies says:
Interesting article.
205 days ago
hubinshow says:
Perfect style matching.
205 days ago
ManoushMama says:
Guys look sexy in lederhosen!
205 days ago
PoofyDove says:
Those circular fabric swatches would make killer clothing, or ornaments even :)
205 days ago
FannyFishStitch says:
guys in lederhosen are hot!
204 days ago
ANNAKARINASCLOSET says:
Thanks ! This is great
204 days ago
PamelaAngus says:
great post! *waves from her mountain hamlet in the french alps *
204 days ago
inalena says:
Thanks for your post and for joining your great experiences you had in Switzerland. I'm studying there in a University at 2000m over sea level and its pretty awsome up here!! :-) the light, the lakes, the mountains and the nature in general are totally inspireing. So sad I have to study so much I'd love to share my creations inspired in this beautiful nature with you...
172 days ago
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