~ Guidelines to Gebirgstracht - Introduction ~

Purpose of these Guidelines

The purpose of these guidelines is to give Gauverband member Vereine and those Vereine considering membership:

• a guide to what is proper, authentic, appropriate, accurate, and correct wearing of the Tracht, and

• a summary of the differences among the Trachten of Bayern and Tirol.

Vereine may, of course, set their own rules. For instance, while Trachten jewelry may correctly be worn at the choosing of the wearer, a Verein may set more restrictive rules such as prescribing the exact necklace or tie holder worn.

How do these Guidelines relate to the Preisplatteln Rules?

The rules for judging Tracht during Preisplatteln are contained in Preisplatteln Rules, Article V - Judging Tracht. Article V is geared towards the single purpose of judging Tracht during Preisplatteln and is, by necessity, broader and more general. Article V does not judge whether Tracht is worn properly or authentically, it judges only whether it is worn uniformly.

What is not included in these Guidelines?

The Trachten of the non-mountainous regions of Bayern and the Trachten of the city folk are not included in this Article. Not only are they are far too diverse to describe, they are also not included in the Gauverband's Constitution.

How will these Guidelines be updated?

These Guidelines are being maintained under the direction of the Gau Bylaws Committee and the Executive Board. Any suggestions for changes or questions on the content should be directed to the Gauverband Officers.

The Guidelines will be updated on an as-needed basis but no more than every two years for a Delegates Meeting.

Every attempt has been made to insure the accuracy of these Guidelines through thorough research. All variations and nuances of a Tracht cannot possibly be described. Please feel free to discuss your questions with the Gau Bylaws Committee Chairman or any other Board member.

Who may use these Guidelines?

These Guidelines may be used by the member Vereine of the Gauverband Nordamerika and by applicants to the Gauverband Nordamerika as a reference document. The copyright should be respected, and the Guidelines and Gauverband Nordamerika should be credited if the information is used for any written articles, etc.