How can I dress like a Spanish person?

[OptimismvsRealism]

Going there for a bit (Andalusia) and I'd like to not look like a big fat Brit even though that's what I am. I have a lot of stuff from Zara but fear I still wear it Britishly.

Are you Spanish or Spanish passing? Is there anything you'd recommend doing or avoiding?

OP is right in that you can always spot a British a mile off in Europe. Just don't take any clothes you've bought at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Poundland, Bon Marche, Edinburgh Woollen Mill and strictly NOTHING bought at a garden centre.

Wear things that are 100% cotton, silk or wool.

Erase the words 'nice', 'friendly' and 'floral' from your outfit vocabulary.

Having lived in Italy for a long time, I can confirm that there is an "Italian" clothes look. I can't define it, and I certainly don't possess it, but it exists. You could spot English, American and German tourists a mile off - and not just because of their fair skin. It isn't even necessarily to do with high end/expensive fashion. Like I said, I really can't define it.

I knew a Spanish woman who loved Alfonso Dominguez accessories (bags etc) and Uterque when it existed there. She also shopped in Zara and Massimo Dutti when she returned to Spain. Zara’s in Spain are different stock to English Zara’s.

The thing I don't get is that Zara stuff is often super quirky and robustly polyester (I love it for this energy!!) so I don't understand the difference at all. As u say @ginasevern it seems indefinable!

Definitely stocking up while I'm out there. (I will not be successful with the self service machines)

My Spanish teacher (in the UK) always looks immaculate! She wears boots nearly all year round and black, white or grey clothes. Nails and hair are always perfect. I hate her - only kidding 😀 She's lovely.
Tbh, I always dress up for her class because otherwise I feel scruffy next to her.

Muted colours, nothing bright pink or purple, or any other bright colour no flower dresses

Just don’t wear a floral dress, denim jacket and white AF1s and you won’t look too British 🤣

What struck me the most about British people in Spain (I’m neither British nor Spanish) is how dressed down British people are.

Seriously, I could spot the British just by the joggers and shapeless tshirt when everyone else (not just the Spanish) had trousers or jeans on with a nice tshirt/top. Just ‘more put together’ iyswim.

If your aim is to not stand put too much, then I’d go with trainers (nothing wrong with that). A nice top/jumper, trousers or jeans.
Avoid the so called ‘holiday clothes’

I think it’s the same with France.
A good friend of mine akways gets comments about how well put together she is. Yes there is an ‘air’ you dint get here otherwise despite the fact her clothes were still budget clothes.

In my opinion, you need to be slim with olive skin - the kind that tans immediately.

Sadly, white british/Irish skin does look ruddy or blotchy!

From observing Italian and Spanish and Portuguese women, they are slim enough to wear a smart skirt without tights and no chub rub. They do wear a lot of blouses or shirts at the weekend. No stripey tops or crappy jersey long sleeve Tshirts.

On the weekend, middle aged women do wear good leather trainers like Geox or Cole Hahn, in caramel or black.

It's not about fashion in general it's about classiness. They live in small apartments and don't buy tons of clothes but what they do buy is very good. Massimo Dutti etc.

We had relatives who lived in Italy for a while so I examined this at some length!

I always did look too English though with my patterned clothes and cheap cotton dresses.

The French, Spanish and Italians actually spend a considerable amount of time, money (relative to their income) and effort on their appearance, it is part of their culture and they place a lot of value on it.

They don't grab a few items that they think will look nice, they carefully consider colours, textures/materials, season and design.

They weather helps we are too busy dodging the rain tbh to stand a chance.

They also stay slim and fit.

I am about to go Spain and look like a sack of spuds, due to weight gain - HRT. I am draping myself in Massimo Dutti!

'strictly nothing from a garden centre' 🤣🤣🤣🤣

I'm Spanish passing :-) Sadly for the op though I think it's entirely down to my colouring so I don't have any fashion tips. I'm also very cold blooded so will have a jumper/long sleeves on until it's at least 26+ degrees. Waiters hate that they guess incorrectly 😂

I had a Spanish boyfriend for a year or two, his mum was most disappointed with how un English I looked!

I've just come back from there and as it rained everyone looked the same.. trainers or boots, jeans, soggy. Loads of tourists of all nationalities and none particularly stood out. I'm going to stick this out there - I don't really like Spanish clothes - lots looked too garish in the shops. I like the shoes and boots though. If you're going in the summer then you'll just look like everyone else as you dodge the blistering heat.

This cuts deep

I'm not white so take with a pinch of salt, but was in Italy with American friends. I got asked for directions in Italian every day! They were clearly not European in their jeans and windbreakers.
I was wearing brown flat boots, grey knitted skirt, black woollen coat with a belt (travelled light and wore the same thing every day!).

There’s a few things (am in Spain at the moment):

not showing loads of skin off the beach

Properly fitting clothes. It’s not about being thin, it’s about wearing the size you need to and not squeezing into something too small. Conversely, they tend to wear proper fitting clothes and not massive oversized things.

Classic rather than faddy

sharp haircut that is well maintained

not OTT make up

Lose weight and follow Luna De Casanova on Instagram. lunadecasanova.

Yeah the last few posters have it - it’s essentially the quiet luxury or whatever it’s called look. Nearly everything neutral or maybe one colour (but never more than one). Good new looking clothes. Don’t have to be very expensive but definitely not worn out. Tailored shirts, jackets. Leather shoes boots bags watch strap all the same colour (not matching but toning well) Hair blow dried well or a chic up do - not just pulled up in a scrunchie. Discreet make up in neutral colours. Fine jewellery - earrings necklace bracelet in gold or silver. Maybe one big statement piece of jewellery. Maybe some colour in the jewellery, but again only one colour in the whole outfit apart from the neutrals. The puffy coats have to be really expensive I think. A trenchcoat maybe instead.
Its actually a kind of a boring look but definitely chic.

If you're going to a popular tourist destination, it's going to be heaving with tourists. You can't hide that you're a tourist no matter what you wear. I live in a city that's a major tourist city all year round. You can spot the tourist- no matter what their nationality and other than Korean or Japanese women who are generally very stylish but quirky, they're much of a muchness.

I don't believe in the mythical always stylish French/ Italian/ Spanish women but even if it were true, you'll stick out as a tourist. The large group of French tourists in the restaurant I was in at lunchtime today weren't remotely stylish.

Just don't buy anything from the Temu ads that keep popping up on here.

When I was in Spain last winter I stayed in a beautiful town in Andalusia and was keen to see what the Spanish women would be wearing. I was disappointed… there was a uniform of black leggings, white trainers, black puffer jackets and Bimba Y Lola cross body bags. I know we have our fashion “uniforms” here in the uk, and where I went in Spain they had their “uniform” too.

You can comfort yourself the scruffy Brits don't torture animals for fun. As long as Spain still permits bull fighting and horrors like the Pamplona Bull run , the burning bull, hanging hunting dogs, burro baiting I won't be taking style tips from them.

I love the idea of being Spanish passing.

I spend loads of time in Andalucía, and even though I don't look massively English (and I tan), people most will just assume I'm English. Or maybe German or Dutch at a push.

Nothing you can do, the guiri vibe runs strong. My friend is Spanish passing (even though he's a scouser) and it's good fun hanging out with him. Some locals simply won't accept he's English, and eye him with suspicion in case he's messing with them. So you can't win really 😉 (although he has got out of a few sticky situations with beered up Brits that he really didn't want to speak to by pretending not to understand them).