Gorgeous European women and effortless style

[Bobobobbins]

Just returned from Barcelona and my god did I feel like the dowdy Brit abroad despite being generally considered fairly well put-together here in the UK 😂

What is it about European women? Everywhere I went I saw hoards of striking local women of all ages wandering around effortlessly dressed in simple tailored trousers and tank tops. Barely any makeup, just a great tan and some silver jewellery. Hair was never particularly coiffed or styled, but I notice it's always quite nicely coloured with a simple cut and then left to dry into a natural wave.

Am I looking at this through rose tinted holiday glasses? If I saw the same women on the tube in rainy London, would they look less chic? I struggle to think so!

What's their secret?

When I was in Paris this year I packed navy and white clothing, with some slight variation. This meant everything co-ordinated. I think the trick sometimes is to not look too try-hard. Wear what you feel good in. I'm all for my jeans, navy jacket, t-shirts, Converse or Doc Martens.

For what it's worth, I met some European friends in London last weekend and they were really impressed at the street style of London women, so maybe it's all in the eye of the beholder.

I must enviously confess that Italisan and Spanish women are mostly drop dead gorgeous. It's not just what they wear, it's how they hold themselves, not tall but they seem to slouch less and want to look beautiful but not in a overly skin showing way. It's to do with their culture being sociable and knowing that you are beautiful is perhaps socially more accepted. They seem proud and confident but not in a ladette way. I hadn't noticed that germans look particularly effortless, more practical and no nonsense. I wish I could emulate the Spanish Italian style.

OP, can you share pictures of what nicely coloured with a simple cut styles you saw, to get an idea?

Having lived in France and now Italy it massively varies according to the area and socio-economic status, just as it does in the UK. I live in a wealthy touristy/cultural city and people look a lot more stylish (and are also slimmer) than in the less affluent town where my PIL live, just half an hour away.

People overall do tend to be thinner, tanned rather than red/blotchy, and they are more used to the heat so they struggle less with frizzy hair etc. They own lots of climate appropriate clothing rather than a few bits that only get worn on holidays so putting together outfits is easy, and everything will be fresh, ironed, and crucially, tailored to fit. You see fewer cheap jersey items and more cotton/silk/linen in classic, simple cuts. There is less fast fashion and overall most people care more about quality and whether something is flattering than if it is trendy. Hairstyles tend to be simple but people spend a lot of money on regular trips to hair salons for cut/colour and blow drys.

Their secret is being thin, naturally tanned, healthy. By contrast British women (I am one, so I can say) are just pasty and lardy and depressed-looking, with shit hair.

They care more and their beauty ideals are more mercilessly imposed

People who live in cities generally have less space and so have to have less possessions. Many are also more affluent and so spend more per item

Singapore is a classic example

We all know that the European secret is riccola

I think that's right. They are better at dressing/styling themselves to suit their looks rather than just trying to follow fashion. It's true of clothes and I think it's also true of haircut and colour etc. As a curly haired woman, I noticed more women with lovely curls in France whereas in the UK I think we spend more time trying to straighten/tong/dye our way to a particular fashionable style. I get the impression that French women (and probably Spanish and Italian) are better at making the most of what they've got.
Massive generalisation, I know.

I'm Spanish, live in U.K. but spend a lot of time in Spain. I think in general Spanish women are slimmer, but outside fashionable city centre areas, people dress in a practical way. They tend to wear good quality items in muted colours. Most people do go to the hair salon once a month, as it's much cheaper than here.

The one thing they do have is good posture. I can still hear my mother reminding me to walk straight, chest out, belly in!! Good posture, soft voice, clean shoes, good hair.... all the "important" things that were drilled into us (with the unspoken idea that they were necessary to attract a good husband)

YABU

I have Spanish relatives from Barcelona and the surrounding area. I am constantly told by them that British women are fat, don't have any style, and are unattractive.

This makes me laugh, because they themselves are really no oil paintings, are unfit and overweight and dress really dowdy. Anyone I know there over 50 has a short, permed haircut, wears shift dresses with sleeves and court shoes. It is like a uniform.

I was out with some friends with other night. They are all late 40's, early 50's and British and they are amongst the best looking women I have ever met. One thing they all have, which my Spanish relatives don't, is lovely skin with very few wrinkles and no sun spots. One of my very good friends had the piss ripped out of her for decades about her pasty skin and inability to tan. Well, at 54, and not a line on her face, she sure is having the last laugh.

I spent time living in a few different cities and I think we are mixing up a few different things.

Weight is a huge part of it. For the average Spanish / Italian woman a basic style rather than athleisure is what they wear day to day. Decent shoes and handbags as well.

So we might throw on a sweatshirt and leggings , they will wear a well ironed shirt, blazer and jeans. They just make more of an effort.

In the expensive areas of all major cities - Kensington, Salamanca barrio Madrid , Garibaldi Milan etc you will always find stylish people. That’s just lots of money.

Its the difference between how the average professional Spanish woman dresses compared to English women that I find quite startling.

I should add that I am currently wearing a sweatshirt and leggings 😉

Having lived for many years in Germany and owning properties. I can tell you that lots of German and Scandinavian homes have saunas in their basements. This helps hair and skin immensely to stay healthy.

The reasons I can think of:

• These women are slimmer. Mediterranean countries tend to have better diets and there is no getting away from the fact that clothes look better on slimmer people
• More natural/understated style. I really don't understand why so many British women go for the fake tan, fake eyelashes, fake nails, heavy make-up and tight clothes look. I really don't think it is flattering at all. When I went to Amsterdam this year it was really interesting to see how women were more natural in their appearance and managed to look great. Also less tattoos on show.
• Better clothing available in stores. Something I noticed in France: it is really possible to buy good clothes and shoes that don't necessarily have to be very expensive. Here, the high street shops have too many poor quality and shapeless clothing.

Weight seems to be a recurring theme here which reminds me of talking to a pregnant friend who was living in Spain. I remember the doctors weighing her at every appointment and giving her strict instructions not to gain more than a certain (tiny) amount of weight. She was already very slim and the doctors were upfront about the fact that this advice was about preserving her figure rather than any medical advice related to the pregnancy.
I noticed lots of ads for slimming pills in French pharmacies. More women smoke too.
So yes, I guess they do tend to be slimmer but I'm not sure it's just the result of a healthy Mediterranean diet. I'm sure that plays a part but I think there's also a lot of pressure to diet.

I agree the style is more natural. You do see more fillers, fake tan, fake nails, fake eyelashes, hair extensions etc here.

In Spain and France women routinely take laxatives to maintain weight (hence the ricola passion)

What's the ricola thing @BrokenMatress ? Are they those sweets you get in health food shops?

Sainsburys/waitrose/chemists but in France and Spain often in chemists and large adverts for them

They are a sorbitol sweet- so a mild laxative. If you eat they throughput the day you go to the loo a lot and if food is in the digestive system longer then you absorb less calories

They are quite nice. I have a longstanding bowel issue/UC and was on Lactulose from the consultant but got to a point where it made me vomit and now use ricola if I need a sudden laxative.

Oh wow. I did not know that. DD has had chronic constipation problems and is on movicol. Maybe I should try her on Ricola!

I’m currently in a small town in central France. I’d say that the women here are the exact opposite of what OP describes. Most look like they haven’t even brushed their hair let alone had it styled. Mismatching clothes, ugly shoes. I think we’ve been told for so long how ugly and unstylish we are they we’ve all started to believe it.

also, who are some clothes “more effort” to wear like they are morally superior.

The consultant asked me what I now used and when I said Ricola she laughed and said- a popular choice! She also said that they would have a similar affect to Lactulose.

Sounds boring to me and very identikit. Do they all have the same style? Where's the individuality?

I see plenty of attractive well dressed women in cities in the UK so don't think it's that unusual for European women in European cities to be well presented.

But....we regularly holiday in a part of France that doesn't have many British tourists (and not that many none french tourists) and isn't a glamorous area but the women really are slimmer. On the beach, in a bikini, two young kids in tow and really slim. Don't know how they do it.

"European" women would cover the entire continent, but it sounds like you mean Spanish, Italian, French mostly?

I think it's because you were visiting an expensive area, a city, and looking at people under about 45.

I also think there's more pressure to be slim, and people spend more money on quality clothing. Fewer tattoos, more exercise etc

I imagine it wouldn't be the case in poor towns and villages where tourists don't tend to go.

But yes, body weight and quaility of clothing are two main factors I think.