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?

Excellent thread, I find this fascinating and always study what people wear when I'm abroad. I grew up in a touristy city and from a young age noticed that I could tell the Spanish women because of their clothes (I worked in a hotel).

Everything is quite plain, and very well-fitted. They tend to be an unobtrusive healthy weight, whereas I think British women are often either very slim or slightly overweight (no shade, I'm very overweight myself). Simple fine jewellery, basic trainers - nothing too eye-catching or unusual. Very few patterns, no florals, lots of neutrals and rarely black. Some block colours. Padded coat. Simple jeans - not baggy, not flared, not super skinny. Everything looks new or well kept, nothing faded or out of shape. Very light, flattering make up, a bit of tonal lipstick. More dressed up than British casual clothes, but not dressy - just slightly more effort and more put together.

I tried to look like them for a while in my 20s, but I'm just too fond of statement jewellery and patterns 😂

I think there is absolutely a look. Was there recently.

Middle aged women all wore dark navy denim or white skinny jeans. No rips, holes, glitter. Under 30s had embraced flare jeans.

shirts and thin puffer jackets. Trainers that are plain, dark and look box fresh.

no grey hair even for the women clearly in their 70s and over

if a women had her legs out it would always turn out to be a Brit

I agree. In contrast Italian women like more jewellery and more neon clothes. Dutch people are really really casual and like hiking shoes

I work in a job where I interview international people allll the time in a formal environment. For women, the smartest by far are Africans, with Europeans as a whole the scruffiest and brits in the middle. American women look v dated in terms of work wear to our eyes. I LOVE thinking about the differences

My Spanish friends always scold me for wearing sandals in October. It’s 23 degrees. its all about wearing clothes for the season, not how we perceive the temperature.

You can see the difference when seeing female TV presenters. Was able to watch this summer's Euros on both Italian and German tv. Italians were so glamorous - lots of dramatic eye make-up. The Germans were fresh faced Timotei adverts. In Spain the other week, it was a very toned down Italian look. Not big hair. Lots of slicked back hair - same as out and about.

I agree with the others. There is no mythical French/spanish/italian chic. It’s the tourist difference. I’m from France, it makes me laugh so much about the stereotype of ‘French women chic’. We actually look to London for fashion these days!! I live in London now and tourist places aside, London women are very chic.

When you visit places like Paris, Madrid, Rome, Berlin - the locals look chic compared to traditional tourist garb.

For those who think the French are chic want to visit some of our northern towns. People there have exactly the same get up as towns in the UK - fleeces, anoraks, leggings, baggy tunics. Same in any country. Go round the old markets in Trastevere (Rome), the local women were in loose floral tunics and, leggings, men in pleated grey trousers with v-neck jumpers and old lace up shoes.

Actually the trenchcoat is a good shout. I know a Spanish neighbour and she likes a pale trench coat/raincoat. She seems to like block colours, but plain. Even when dog walking. Her hair also seems well cut.

Jen Bristow (Spanish mum), is a comedian who dresses well. If bright colours they’re paired with dark trousers. She has the olive skin and dark well cut short hair.

Just have a spray tan before you go and wear whatever you like

Oh, purlease DO NOT have a chemical spray on tan. Dreadful advice. probably carcinogenic

Do wear what you want and feel comfortable in though.

The beauty of travelling is immersing yourself in a new culture and people watching.

Just be your fabulous self. Spain is full of different cultures anyway, South America, Africa, etc.

Most people are too busy with their own stuff to be bothered.

Get a spray tan for sure

No don't. We should all celebrate our unique selves. Whatever colour.

I have family from white skin/red hair to black/mixed. All beautiful. Also in Spain

Just go and enjoy a different country and culture to UK, OP.

I have pale red hair and have never ever 'passed' in another country in my life! They start talking English to me before I've even spoken. I'd love to be tanned, thin and glamorous but it is not what life handed me. I think stylish good fabric clothes travel well, OP.

Dress for the season not the weather!
I've also lived a long time in Italy and I can spot a Brit a mile off! I was in Milan yesterday afternoon it was around 22 degrees. I saw a group of girls from a distance probably in their mid 20s and instantly knew they were British. They had long strappy summery dresses on with flipflops. One of the group was overweight and her clothes did not fit her well at all. As they got closer I noted they had far too much fake tan, far too much make up, they all had the same long hair style and eyebrow style and then when they walked past me, far too much sickly perfume too. It's October not mid summer and even if it were, flip flops are for the beach only!

my Italian female friend was dressed in wide legged jeans, trainers, a long over coat, shirt and pearl earrings, a tiny bit of make up, no tan!

@twilighteaser same in France.
Mostly because at 20~22oC, they also think it’s getting cold so time for a coat.

Whereas in the U.K., people think it’s proper summer temperatures and won’t be seen with a coat unless it’s 5oC outside.
And to be fair, I’ve been put of sync too after a few years living in England.
I had a toddler with me and was given evil eyes from other parents because my child wasn’t wearing a coat + hat when it was 20oC 😂😂

Less flesh on show, when British people are half naked spanish people are comparatively covered up even in the very hot summer months ( excluding the beach). In the coldest part of winter when its moderate by British standards, Spanish women dress like they are in the arctic! Always wear small gold earrings. Everything else is irrelevant. Ultimatately be polite, respectful and make an effort to try the language and no one will care too much. Enjoy yourself.

Spanish women are very elegant - at least in big towns. I agree with OP that there is a certain look that Spanish women have. Not sure there is any point in trying to look like them physically if you are pink and British but they have a good way of holding themselves and moving in a self-confident way. You can always tell Brits of either sex abroad, as they are usually a bit round shouldered and slouch when they walk, and clothes tend to look less good on them because of it.
Wear what you like, but newish, nothing scruffy, and not pale pastel English florals which look washed out in the stronger light. You will be fine. Wish I was going!

I noticed in Andalusia this summer that the French families dressed head to toe in beige and white. Different clothes, but in the same 2 colours. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but guess it makes for good social media posts.

Other than that, I think it depends on where you're going and what you're doing. There can be an extremely relaxed casual boho tattooed vibe in some parts and others are more dressy. If you go to a fiesta some of the Spanish women will be wearing amazing traje de flamenca, but the rest will be in jeans and a pretty top.

God I envy people who can wear white or light colours. I would immediately get my period and fall in a vat of chocolate ice cream if I tried.

Everyone in Europe basically dresses the same, because we all have the same shops, with minor variations depending on the climate. The only places you find large numbers of stylish or fashionable people are in the big cities, and they all covet the idea of London style as much as Brits do the soi-disant Parisian chic.

I live in Southern Portugal, so here is my definitive Lusitanian style guide:

Young Women - jeans, leggings, t-shirts, blouses, trainers, puffa jackets in the winter
Young Men - jeans, joggers, t-shirts, shirts, trainers, puffa jackets in the winter
Teens - all shop at H&M and Zara, so the same as teens everywhere, which at the moment is wide-legged jeans and cropped tops
Older Women - dress like grannies did in the UK 30-40 years ago. They all have the same neat hairdo. If you go to a village hairdresser, she will try to give you the same blowout
Older Men and Farmers - jeans, checked shirt and a baseball cap, 365 days of the year
Northern European Immigrants (AKA "Ex-Pats") - shorts, t-shirt and sturdy sandals, 365 days of the year
Tourists - flip flops and bikinis, in the supermarket

Can I stretch this concept to three articles a week on Who What Wear?

@TheLeadbetterLife what do the middle-aged mid-fifties women wear? Asking for a friend.

Same as the young women. Young is everyone between teen and whatever age it is they abruptly turn into a Trad Gran. I assume the current generations of younger women won't become Trad Gran, just like they haven't in the UK.

My theory is that beige, cream, gold and earth tones are an easy way to look classy. Great if you have warm-toned / mediterranean colouring, a disaster if you're a pale northern European. Somehow the cooler neutrals - navy, grey, white, silver etc - never look quite as 'stealth wealth'.

You need castanets and a choker made from a mercadona chorizo ring: if you’re feeling EXTRA which you will in Andalusia where everybody is mega chatty - some swirling and stamping will get you in with los nativos!

To absolutely work the edit, pose with a cortado and maybe a polo neck as you will be unimpressed with the weather.

I see it's already been said upthread, but you should always dress as though it's much cooler than it is.

A little bit of afternoon sun and the Brits crack on with shorts and sandals whereas the natives are in quilted jackets and scarves.

I'll never pass for Spanish as I'm too tall, too wide and too pale. I also can't walk in wedge sandals, especially on cobbles. So I won't even try.

I was in Granada earlier this year during one of those fabulous weeks where there's 3 public holidays in the same week, so everyone who can get away with it just takes the entire week off work and towards the end, a good proportion of the women from about 17 to 70+ were wafting around the city in Flamenco dresses looking fabulous.