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.

It's jealousy. Something they have to tell themselves to make up for the lack of discipline, self respect and effort.

I just wish it wasn’t - I mean, I don’t like to think that’s the case. When I see someone who I might think could look ‘better’, I also think ‘they may think they look top notch and that’s fair enough’. I’ve no idea what’s going on in their life, their ideals etc. I don’t think ‘fucking hell, state of that! Must be a deeply unhappy person’.

Some on here should try it.

It would be good if UK men took a leaf out of Euro man's book as most men here look a state!

@Izzabellasasperella I get mistaken for a local person in France too, or a French speaking Belgian. Partly I think it is because I don't follow the fashion trends in the UK that are simply awful.

What makes the British more influenced by fashion trends like Kardashians etc compared to our European counterparts?

Yup, as. Celt i can say that this is the major barrier for achieving a gorgeous healthy elegant look. I know there are some Celts out there that look great but jeez personally I have to work so hard to not look scruffy. The slimness part is fine - I'm pretty slim -
but it's far from the only thing that makes a person look effortless, let me tell you!

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I was talking about my lack of tan. Every skintone from lightest golden down to deepest black looks f'ing gorgeous in summer, IMO.

I can't see why "they must have had work done ".

certain places just have what looks to be glamorous people there. go to Milan and the centre looks like Vogue are doing a photo-shoot. I've been to Megeve and St.Moritz and its just 'wealthy' but there are plenty of places that arent. like being on Sloane Street in London and thinking everywhere is Chanel/LV etc.

This is the same for Greek women.

Being able to tan properly is a big part of it. The one time I tried fake tan on the beach I scrubbed off patches in the sand and sea. I also can’t keep nail varnish on if I’m wearing sunblock. And anything less than factor 50 and I burn.

Then I’ve got curly hair, that is barely manageable at home but reacts horribly to sea air, dry air, humidity, air con, strange water.

No amount of effort is going to sort out this mess.

One thing I noticed (holiday in Sorrento this year) that many of these - and actually not all were European - ladies had in common is -

Avoiding wearing lots of zany prints and colours but (and I know many seem this boring) instead opting for a few primary colours, simple yet flattering cut clothes and long swishy dark clothes

No chiffon fluorescent dresses over a bikinis for breakfast. No one wants to see what's almost your underwear when having their morning coffee.

Same with accessories. So nice quality but plain sandals. A stylish straw bag.

I've been trying to emulate Stylish European Ladies on Holiday all my life and while I've a way to go I tried to work the above into my packing choices this year.
Especially at breakfast I treated myself to several plain, well cut, comfortable but actually chic (and all under £20) dresses. Felt great in them and had several compliments from DH and DD. I wore them at other times too. Actually I started a thread before my holiday (Breakfast dresses 😁) about this very thing and for loads of traffic!

Also I tan rubbish so while I sat in the morning sun for a bit I stayed in shade lots and d time but took my fake tan with me and whacked it on every other night before bed.

Is it really 'mistaken for a local'? Unless you're speaking another language or looking lost/hunched over a map/classically touristy, I think it's the norm for locals to address you in the local language than to assume foreigner and try English. I'm Polish and would address other people in Poland in Polish, unless they spoke to me (or each other right before asking me) in another language (that I understand). I would be displeased if someone looked me up and down and spoke to me in English!

I've been addressed in German in Germany and Hebrew in Israel and I'm not sure I look equally German and Israeli.

Even when I was in China, one woman tried asking me first in Chinese, though she was the one exception: I am white and can generally be assumed not to understand. Mostly we were asked in English how long we had been there and were we enjoying our stay, which had become a little annoying for the relative I was visiting, who was living and working there.

There are plenty of averagely or badly-dressed and medium weight and overweight women in Italy and Spain. For obesity levels just Google the stats. The 47% one about Italy is correct.

The reason you think there are so many glamorous types are:

1. You're on holiday and people-watching instead of going about your usual busy day, so you notice.
2. You are probably more aware of your own appearance on holiday so you're more likely to notice women with whom you think you compare unfavourably.
3. You're probably spending time at locations where there are likely to be women spending their money and leisure time. They're the ones who can afford to be swanning around nice places and they're dressed for that.

The level of glamour is maybe a little bit higher, but only in certain affluent pockets of these countries, just like in the UK.

I was also taken to be French by a French person once. I was indeed flattered, but that's because it was my spoken French that fooled them, not a je ne sais quoi of supposed Gallic chic.

I agree but surely even that is better than the other end of the spectrum? As i have said i don't own make up and live in leggings and wellies at home but hell would freeze over before i went to the shop in leggings, wellies or nightwear.

But to me, popping to the shop in leggings or wellies or whatever is more real. Who can be bothered to slap on a full face of make up and dress up just for a 5 min pop to the shop?

I dont' know why we eat more than we need to and also crappy stuff.
I think maybe the supermarkets are partly to blame. It's more profitable to sell processed crap than fresh food. Advertising too.
I'm sure a prog on tv showed the amount of unwanted clothing from the UK gifted to African countries was more than other european countries. So it's not that we aren't buying stuff.
Hopefully the appetite control medication that is becoming available will turn this round for adults.

And my DH is one of them. Jeans and trainers always no matter what the weather. I could understand if he didn't have the money but he is just a scruff . He does look gorgeous in a suit though.
I am forever grateful he doesn't wear football tops, skinny joggers and sliders, now that would be divorce.

People assumed you were French because you were in France.

It's not all greed and laziness. Southern Europeans are smaller boned and rarely pear-or apple-shaped.

Add in naturally darker skin tones and that's a lot of natural advantage right there.

I remember reading a book by a forensic detective, a good while ago, - they identified a body as Mediterranean because of larger teeth than here. Hence rows of gleaming gnashers in a suntanned face.

Where does this statistics come from? As I said before, I live in Italy and half of the people I see each day are not fat. The amount of people I see who are over weight are in the minority. I'm not spending my time on a luxury hotel either. I work in a city, live in the suburbs are travel around a good bit. Something doesn't add up, unless there is a city somewhere where 98% of people are obese, driving the national numbers up! Has anyone else lived in Italy and seen this? Genuinely curious!

Sorry for the typos...toddler watching!