Lederhosen are breeches made of leather

Leather

Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...

; they may be either short or knee-length. The longer ones are generally called Bundhosen.

There is a widespread misconception that lederhosen are a traditional national costume

National costume

Folk costume expresses an identity through costume which usually to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status...

 (Tracht

Tracht

Tracht is a traditional national costume in German-speaking countries. Although the word is most often associated with Austrian and Bavarian costumes, many other peoples of Germany have them.-History:...

) in German-speaking countries. They should rather be considered to be workwear or leisurewear

Leisure

Leisure, or free time, is time spent away from business, work, and domestic chores. It is also the periods of time before or after necessary activities such as eating, sleeping and, where it is compulsory, education....

 for working-class men.

The word lederhosen is frequently mispronounced leiderhosen (literally, "sadly-breeches") or liederhosen ("songs-breeches").