Glamorous European women on hols

[Yumchips]

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.

Yes it helps^^ - but money alone won't make you slim or glamorous. You still have to put the effort/work in.

Physical vanity is the dullest thing on earth.

They're just rich by the sounds of it.

There are plenty of overweight, unstylish European women....just go to cheaper places or boring suburbs in different countries 😂

Yes it helps but money alone won't make you slim or glamorous. You still have to put the effort/work in

As I said time & money makes a big difference. People are not just overweight & scruffy because they don't put the effort in.

@Flyingalone I'd argue having a full time nanny on holiday was a bigger factor in you having free time on holiday to exercise/get ready as opposed to willpower.

In the same vein I don't subscribe to the view that people are rich just because they work hard.

@CheezePleeze

sorry it is embarrassing being English because of the utter stupidity of brexit and this government.

@lovewoola yes having a nanny was the main reason I could exercise etc.

But I've also had holidays with a nanny where I drank and ate too much, slept in hungover, laid by the pool stuffing my face , and not brushing my hair.

So it's money and effort.

I agree with you. If I was lucky enough to have a nanny on holiday I would sit around eating and drinking all day and probably come home 7lb heavier and then fool myself that it wasn't my fault as it would happen to anyone. So well done for the choices you made.

It’s mainly being slim, there are women wearing clothes that would make me look ridiculous but being slim makes a big difference.

I live in Italy and this just doesn't ring true. Where is this data from?

You won’t be thin and glamorous without discipline and effort, no matter how much money you have.

I'm on holiday in the UK atm and I live here as well, my observations on European vs British dress sense are as follows:

1. The European women I've seen (mainly French & Italian) are classically dressed so it doesn't dated so much. They also dress in cuts that flatter their body shape & are the right size. Less squeezing into tight dresses & cycling shorts displaying fat rolls and camel toe. I saw a French woman who was a size 16/18 possibly but she looked so chic compared to dumpy old me.

1. British women dress more in current trends regardless of whether it's flattering or not. Lots of leggings & short t shirt combos, leggings that ride up the bum and athletic wear & cut out dresses etc.

1. The British make up look copies the Kardashians so lots of heavy contouring, slug eye brows & noticeable fillers/botox.

The Europeans tend to look more natural, if they have cosmetic enhancements then it's very subtle. The Brits don't go for the subtle look.

I’ve never been to an Italian petrol station but I want to now! 🤣 Seriously, it is now on my holiday plans list.

I had the same thoughts a few years ago at Lake Garda, a lot of the families were Italian

I lived in Italy for a while, had an Italian boyfriend.

My God, the pressure! There is SO MUCH pressure on the women there to look "good"*. The way they talk about women who they think fall short of this is disgusting.

Tbf, there's a lot of pressure on the blokes to look "right" too, but that's more about clothing and grooming than it is about weight.

*I mean, conform to a very particular stereotype - slender/buxom/perfect skin/"natural" makeup/"elegant" clothes. All about sprezzatura, which is looking both fabulous and as if you haven't tried. An absolute bugger of a beauty standard. I'd like to be clear that this is a description of the standards pushed by the media there and my ex-boyfriend and NOT my personal view.

I notice straight away when abroad in Europe that there is some style even if not glamour. This year I have been to Belgium and France and the difference compared with the UK is noticeable.

Gosh..lots of french women are like this..Italian women are like this...on this thread. The only one I can possibly comment on is..*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 💄 I am cypriot, 47 ,12-14, do not wear makeup on a daily basis and was on the beach yesterday. I was thinking what a wonderful thing it is to be cypriot, and not give a crap about the size/shape of your body. There were girls of all ages running around in everything from things and string bikinis to full covered long sleeved wetsuit type numbers, all shapes,sizes. Noone was looking at anyone else, noone cared, we were just all there for the safe reason-to have fun on the beach. Comparison is the third of joy, and especially if you are on holiday...CHILL, kick back with a beer or a cocktail, enjoy yourself and don't worry about what anyone else is doing, or wearing. Have FUN!

Cringing at the internalised misogyny on this thread. The comment about being mistaken for a French women being their proudest moment. I'd be far more proud of being comfortable and happy in my own skin and not comparing myself negatively to others.

It's so depressing that we still can't separate a woman's value or worth from her physical appearance.

I don't owe it to anyone to be pretty or glamorous or slim. My body is for me, and I will dress it and look after it as I see fit.

We should be looking at the pressures that drive people to spend countless hours and pounds on pointless personal grooming, rather than praising individuals and cultures that conform to this.

Culturally it's less acceptable to be fat and scruffy in some countries. Whilst others encourage people to 'be themselves' and 'kind' etc.

When I was on holiday in France I lost count of the times people assumed I was French.
I am thin but absolutely not glamorous😀
I must have French face😀

My observation, obviously a generalisation, is that many Southern European women have much slighter frames than the standard British woman. Certainly my female Spanish friends have tiny frames compared to mine. I’m not fat, I just look bigger because I am literally wider. Does any of this matter to me? Not a jot. We need to be happy in ourselves, work on acceptance or try to change if we are not happy currently.

Nightmare

Yes I think this has something to do with it

my English side of my family have never said anything when I got fat of the subject comes up it’s talked about with concern and gentle encouragement to diet . My other side openly said why have you got so fat/wow look at you all said with glee there is no holding back.

This.

Generally (but not always) rent and regular travel in Europe are less expensive so European families choose to spend on different things.

I am not skinny, tall or glamourous more typical Greek, on the short and round side. I am the black sheep of our family as in i won't dress like i am going to dinner just to go to the shop but even i keep some of the standards my my mum taught me when i leave the house, no leggings, sportswear etc No bra straps on show, hair brushed and decent shoes on my feet. Some woman have higher standards, others not so much and it is the same in every country.