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Original poster

Glamorous European women on hols

249 replies

Yumchips · 17/08/2023 19:56

Bit of a silly topic but in Greece at the moment on hols and I am seeing so many glamorous European women. Some or them have small children, some older and many families who have a nanny or someone there to support them with the kids. They are so glam looking, must have had some work done but it's fairly subtle but they are very very slim. Even the ones with babies that are 2/3 months old. They are dripping in designer clothes. Interestingly enough, I think their husbands seem to be very hands off with the kids, especially around meal times. I am sort of in awe but also wondering how they seem to put together and composed. Any thoughts other than the obvious, which is money.

OP posts:
PollyCreo · 17/08/2023 20:20

If you're in Greece then you'll see plenty of Cypriot people on holiday over there 😉 Cypriot women are notoriously vain and glamorous and never leave the house before a full hour in makeup 💄

LaMaG · 17/08/2023 23:09

Don't know much about the Greeks but I had the same thoughts a few years ago at Lake Garda, a lot of the families were Italian and they were just ridiculous compared to me. I felt like a stupid fat white blob all holiday and the irony is I had just lost a fortune of weight and was looking the best I ever had. I'm now 3 stone heavier and wish I had enjoyed that moment in my life more. Stupid beautiful skinny bitches

WhateverMate · 17/08/2023 23:11

Any thoughts other than the obvious, which is money.

I'm not sure what you want people to say really, there are glamourous parents all over the world.

Not all of them have money though, but I'm sure it helps!

PriamFarrl · 17/08/2023 23:11

One of my proudest moments was in Santorini when a woman greeted me in French assuming I was indeed French and not English.

SlowlyLosing · 17/08/2023 23:16

Comparison is the thief of joy....

Having money and being thin must get you 90% of the way there really. Everyone could at least be thin but most of us think the sacrifice is not worth it.

Maddy70 · 17/08/2023 23:38

Its more that Europeans have a better diet than British people , look healthier and slimmer, so even cheap clothes look better

CheezePleeze · 17/08/2023 23:39

PriamFarrl · 17/08/2023 23:11

One of my proudest moments was in Santorini when a woman greeted me in French assuming I was indeed French and not English.

And that was your proudest moment, why?

Ok the English sometimes don't cover themselves in glory, but the French don't always either.

You shouldn't got through life being ashamed about your nationality, because there's nothing you can do about it and presumably you've done nothing personally to be ashamed of?

TeapotTitties · 17/08/2023 23:41

Maddy70 · 17/08/2023 23:38

Its more that Europeans have a better diet than British people , look healthier and slimmer, so even cheap clothes look better

That's quite a bold statement given the rising obesity rates in so many European countries.

lovewoola · 17/08/2023 23:42

You sound like you're just surrounded by rich people which is the answer to your question

Flyingalone · 17/08/2023 23:46

'Any thoughts other than the obvious, which is money.'

Money and self-control/discipline.

We had a full time nanny on our holiday but it's not like I just laid round the pool eating loads of food. I made myself exercise early in the morning, and then not overeat too much; not over drink .

So money yes, but with money you can still eat loads and put weight on, and not bother about doing hair/make up etc.

And then wearing nice clothes. It's much easier ro wear whatever is comfortable, but then you make yourself to wear whatever looks nice even though it's not as comfy.

There are a lot of rich people who don't look glamorous and or are overweight (whatever makes them happy - their choice!) so it's not just about having money and voila you're all glam.

Precipice · 17/08/2023 23:49

Part of the answer that's not money is an (unhealthy) obsession with looking 'nice' and put-together, especially in the women. It's women who won't leave the house without makeup, are always dressed at least semi-formally to go anywhere, and are always very conscious of what they look like to others. A lot of their focus is not on enjoying their life and having a nice holiday, but on being thought to look good to others. It's women for whom a woman who isn't made-up, depilated, manicured and pedicured, isn't 'taking care of herself' or looking 'presentable'. Basically, it's more rigid and more policed beauty standards.

I knew an Italian who straightened her hair before 'going out', and she claimed that that was normal in Italy.

The men might also look more 'put-together', with a smarter level of dress than the less 'glamorous' lot, but the demands for men are much lower and less rigid.

lovewoola · 17/08/2023 23:52

There are a lot of rich people who don't look glamorous and or are overweight (whatever makes them happy - their choice!) so it's not just about having money and voila you're all glam.

But wealthier people are generally healthier which is why there are such discrepancies in life expectancy across the country. A lot of people don't have time, money helps with that.

HRTQueen · 17/08/2023 23:53

PriamFarrl · 17/08/2023 23:11

One of my proudest moments was in Santorini when a woman greeted me in French assuming I was indeed French and not English.

I’m quite jealous 😎

Im assuming you looked sophisticated, slightly bored and pouting (not a duck face) while drinking a glass of wine and smoking a cigarette

no one makes looking bored quite as sophisticated and sexy as the French do

Globalfrumpmaster78 · 17/08/2023 23:55

I think part of the answer could be time. British women on average work longer hours I think. And childcare in the UK is notoriously expensive compared to many EU countries where the cost is subsidised. And perhaps in some countries such as Spain and Italy there is a tradition of extended family looking after children. All of these factors allow many women in the EU to have more time to look after themselves.

WhateverMate · 17/08/2023 23:56

lovewoola · 17/08/2023 23:52

There are a lot of rich people who don't look glamorous and or are overweight (whatever makes them happy - their choice!) so it's not just about having money and voila you're all glam.

But wealthier people are generally healthier which is why there are such discrepancies in life expectancy across the country. A lot of people don't have time, money helps with that.

They might be healthier but the OP is talking about glamour.

There are so many of these threads about how 'wonderfully glamorous European women are', but they're very short sighted because it's usually more to do with the standard/price of holiday.

Go on expensive holidays in the UK and you'll also see more glamorous people too.

It's more to do with affluency and less to do with the country they come from.

A trip to various European poor areas tells a very different story, just as it does in the UK.

WhateverMate · 17/08/2023 23:59

Globalfrumpmaster78 · 17/08/2023 23:55

I think part of the answer could be time. British women on average work longer hours I think. And childcare in the UK is notoriously expensive compared to many EU countries where the cost is subsidised. And perhaps in some countries such as Spain and Italy there is a tradition of extended family looking after children. All of these factors allow many women in the EU to have more time to look after themselves.

47% of Italians are overweight or obese.

Not sure of the Spanish figures but they're not far off.

PuddleCake · 18/08/2023 00:00

They just have better diets, are more vain and choose to put in the work to look a certain way that many of their British counterparts don’t.

lovewoola · 18/08/2023 00:04

@WhateverMate I was replying to a comment about rich people been overweight, my point was poorer people are more likely to be obese....

As I said in my first post the common denominator was rich people.

lovewoola · 18/08/2023 00:05

They just have better diets, are more vain and choose to put in the work to look a certain way that many of their British counterparts don’t.

rich people in Britain do this too thoigh

lovewoola · 18/08/2023 00:05

though

HRTQueen · 18/08/2023 00:05

47% of Italians are overweight or obese

can you blame them when they have so much amazing food around them

even the petrol stations have wonderful deli counters

Squishmallowy · 18/08/2023 00:07

We are over worked here. Women work long hours and then do the bulk of the childcare, there’s no time for cooking decent food anymore in families where both parents work full time.

Also the food in our supermarkets is mainly tasteless crap. Compared to what you get in supermarkets around the world it really is rubbish. Most people short of time eat a crap diet full of processed foods, sugar, white carbs etc.

We also don’t get a lot of sunshine so many of us are just pale, flabby, unhealthy looking people.

However in some European countries it’s not all great either. You definitely get some very slim, glam looking women going back to their tiny slum flats and surviving on mainly cigarettes and coffee. They might look good but i wouldn’t trade my life for theirs.

TreesandFish · 18/08/2023 00:11

I'm European (Spanish). It's the fear of the "que diran?" that keep s Lot of women slim. That means "What will they say?". Fear of criticism, of being seen as having let yourself go just because you had children

Beezknees · 18/08/2023 00:12

Squishmallowy · 18/08/2023 00:07

We are over worked here. Women work long hours and then do the bulk of the childcare, there’s no time for cooking decent food anymore in families where both parents work full time.

Also the food in our supermarkets is mainly tasteless crap. Compared to what you get in supermarkets around the world it really is rubbish. Most people short of time eat a crap diet full of processed foods, sugar, white carbs etc.

We also don’t get a lot of sunshine so many of us are just pale, flabby, unhealthy looking people.

However in some European countries it’s not all great either. You definitely get some very slim, glam looking women going back to their tiny slum flats and surviving on mainly cigarettes and coffee. They might look good but i wouldn’t trade my life for theirs.

There is time, people just can't be bothered. Most people have 2 days off a week, you can use that time to batch cook, I do that as a lone parent with a full time job.

Flyingalone · 18/08/2023 00:19

'A lot of their focus is not on enjoying their life and having a nice holiday, but on being thought to look good to others.' @Precipice

Rubbish. I enjoy my life and my holidays whilst yes it takes an effort to stay slim and dress nicely.

In fact I am happier that way as I feel good about myself when I make an effort/don't put weight on.