Oct 07

Hiking in Appenzell-Day 4 | “Dressing the Part”

This is a continuation of Ryder-Walker guest Lisa Allen’s account of the Appenzell region of eastern Switzerland. Please also read: Hiking in Appenzell-Day 1 | “A Slice of Heaven”Hiking in Appenzell-Day 2 | “Until the Cows Come Home” and Hiking in Appenzell-Day 3 | “Until You Find Your Dream”

Let me describe what the men wear to the celebratory events. I shall try to “paint” an accurate picture for you.

Let us begin with the feet. Dark ankle high shoes have a buckle at the top, with a decorative Swiss design. White stockings reach to the knee and are held to the leg by short leather pieces which go around the leg, a thin belt of sorts, one might say with, of course, metal Swiss figurines on them. For “trousers,” yellow three-quarter length “breeches” are worn. Or, for “formal” wear, such as the awards dinner for the cattle show, in the evening, the men wear brown trousers, instead of yellow breeches.

Around the waist is worn a very ornate silver chain type “belt” and a “kerchief,” which is colorful and covered with Swiss symbolism, is tucked into the waist and a triangle section of the kerchief lies against the breeches.

White short sleeved shirts were worn and the handsome black leather suspenders decorated with herding, brass Swiss figurines, much like the typical Swiss belt or dog leash. Short red vests with embroidered flowers on them and other typical Swiss designs are worn and metal clasps fasten the sides of the vest, in front, to each other. Where a tie would hang is either a Swiss buckle or pin, not certain which of these two.

While the boys wear the Swiss caps with which we are familiar, the men wear regular black hats with floral “garlands” wrapped around them. All the men wear a dangling earring on one ear. I shall describe the lovely dresses worn by the women when my photographs are developed.

Lisa Allen SE Mass.

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