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.

I'm Italian (but now also a very proud British citizen!) and I 'stereotypically' look after myself a lot. Personally, I much prefer the style of what would be considered well dressed in the UK to what would be considered well dressed in Italy - I find the Italian style too shiny / too many obvious brands / labels.

Diet plays a role, there is typically no such obsession over takeaways, crisps, chips, and preference for simpler food cooked in a healthy way (for example, grilled or steamed fish rather than deep-fried fish), lots of fresh veg and olive oil. But I also think stress levels are higher in the U.K. due to longer working hours, worse work/life balance, expensive childcare etc, maybe an easier attitude to life too (taking time to really enjoy life's little moments)?

@MrsMarzetti - Bravo !
It’s not being “notoriously vain and glamorous “, as PollyCreo said - it’s basic grooming, and taking a bit of care how you dress when you leave your house , even if it’s just a supermarket dash .

Personally, I much prefer the style of what would be considered well dressed in the UK to what would be considered well dressed in Italy - I find the Italian style too shiny / too many obvious brands / labels.

I'm not Italian but I am European & I would agree with you. I don't rate much of the Spanish fashion either!

Having read this thread now, (on a sunlounger) beyond healthy diets, It seems there is a real pressure on women to look a certain way and to conform to that. The women I'm talking about do look a certain way but it's a bit of a uniform style..

This thread all started for me because, I roll into breakfast straight out of bed, just a washed face and sunscreen and unironed dress and wonder how these women look straight out of a catwalk. It obviously is time and that fact they prioritise making the effort, whereas I don't.

Obviously LA is an uber glamorous and extremely affluent location but I'm sure in Florida and other less affluent areas of the US, you would see many more obese people.

I agree that people are slim in LA but I don't think it's uber glam. The fashion is very casual & laid back.

These threads also end up saying how miserable slim women are. The poor things.

1. be slim
2. Take your time (have the time to take your time!). Blow drying your hair (or whatever your texture needs), manicure etc. Coordinate your jewelry with your outfit etc.
3. Take your time so you won`t be sweaty or red faced when you need to run.
4. Have a body that does reasonably well with hot weather (see above / avoiding the redfaced lobster look) and be diligent about sun protection.
5. A certain amount of money helps.

In other words:

You need to have time, be bothered (aka spend your time on this!) and also have a certain amount of resources.

A little luck doesnt hurt either. Genetics can be a bitch. I have a very sweaty head for example. I dont know why, but it definitely doesn`t help when it comes to looking put together etc. in summer.

I think it starts from childhood. My French friend's young children are always immaculately turned out from head to toe, and eat crudités and drink water.

Honestly, living in the country I find it very rare to spot someone who is obese, and, in my experience, anytime I do, they turn out to be stranieri. When I come back to the UK, the difference is noticeable. I know people don't like to hear it, and trot out statistics that almost half of Italians are overweight or obese, but that would mean that every other person (almost) would be fat. They just aren't, generally!

When I was pregnant I was put on la dieta because I was gaining weight too fast, even though it was exactly the same as with my other kids born in other countries. Women don't tend to have a lot of weight to lose after having children as a result. The Italians have regimental mealtimes which helps avoid snacking. Restaurants are shut for half the day so eating out choices are limited. The shops don't all have rows and rows of sweets, crisps and soft drinks in the way they do in the UK. People tend to drink a lot of water rather than bottles of coke or lucozade.

There is not the same availability of ultra processed foods and the Italians are generally quite puritan about what they eat (no chips with lasagne!). I always gain weight when I go back to the UK and so do my kids!

True but it's more of an effortless glam.

Posh outdoor restaurant in France. The women were all in beige, cream or navy. Often shift dresses or skirt, plain blouse.
Me - flowery top and capris.

Not sure you are right, some people just don't want to look a mess. I for one don't own make up or have any treatments other than a good haircut every month but i think going out the door looking presentable is just having standards.

I do get why you are asking but part of me feels really liberated now I have let myself go and stopped really caring what I look like. I get far less unwanted attention from men and my self esteem has risen as I have made new relationships with people who like me for my personality. I do sometimes feel a bit worried about my weight from a health perspective but I don’t miss all the effort and self consciousness I felt when I was always ‘trying to look good’. Hope you eat and be merry and enjoy your holiday.

I love people watching.
It fascinates me when I see well presented women and like to imagine what their lives are like.
I never imagine they have small children, a lazy husband, a manual job, and struggle to afford school shoes.

There's being presentable and then being ridiculously ott with the full on hair, nails, make up etc

You do realise that me saying being mistaken for being French was my proudest moment was tongue in cheek. I was mistaken for a French woman, and was pleased about it, but I wasn’t actually my proudest moment.

Tough crowd hey?! Fwiw, I've been mistaken several times in Spain as being Spanish...I'm quite fat 😂! I think it's because I have very dark hair and also on holiday I wear very plain colours, mainly black, white, navy, dark green...no typical summery loud patterns, florals etc.

@Laquestamia This is my experience of Italy and the Italians. They certainly are puritanical about good - I love watching them being fed processed foods from different countries and their visceral reactions.

I seem to remember the Government stepped in years ago in Italy and advised about changing some eating and exercise habits. It seemed to really work, as you rarely see very overweight people at all anymore. I was surprised as the majority of British citizens don't really drastically change their health and well-being despite numerous Government initiatives. I think it's due to our lifestyles in Britain. Also the drinking culture.

You are bluntly criticised in some cultures if you are slovenly and overweight (to your face). "Bella figura," and all that!

I visit Portugal often, and while the women generally have clear skin and healthy hair, most are overweight.
i am definitely in the minority at the beach. In fact, if I ever see anyone with a similar build or body composition, she’s always French.

I will also add that I have been yo-yo dieting all of my adult life and when I moved to Italy, my weight stabilised on the lower end of the scales. I was having my breakfast (brioche and cappuccino!) On the way to work, lunch (pasta plus something) in the canteen and can't remember what I had in the evening but finally I certainly didn't gain weight.

That happened when I was pregnant; the doctor put an end to that but id already gained 2 stone by that point. Then when I was on maternity leave I wasn't eating the Italian way and so didn't lose anything.

I've recently gone back to work and started to lose again and am now back in the UK on holiday where I've piled it all back on again!

Currently on a sunlounger in Italy surrounded mainly by Italians so doing a bit of stealth research! We are staying in a fairly expensive hotel and in the private beach area most people are slim and well dressed ( in a slightly glitzy way).
In the public bit of the beach there are all shapes and sizes, overweight people etc etc. but everyone super brown - so automatically look better!

When travelling to Italy outside the summer time it seems navy-blue puffer jackets are de rigueur for the over 40s. Men and women.

All of the above. I grew up in a European country and dressing well (not necessarily expensively but classic, clean, ironed clothes rather than say shapeless fleece jackets) is seen as important as hygiene. A sign of self respect.

Christ, the attitude that a woman who cares about her appearance, clothes or grooming is somehow ‘hiding unhappiness’ is fucking horrible.

I like being slim, work at it, don’t over-eat, spend money on hair, clothes, make up and treatments and am very happy with my life. Great career, lovely family, brilliant friends and life. Apart from having a terminally ill mother (who also loves clothes and ‘glamour’), I couldn’t ask for more.

I give zero shits about the effort - or lack thereof - others make and pass no judgement. Do try to return the courtesy.