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?

I was in Spain in September, Barcelona and Valencia, and I did notice the Spanish women had a certain elegance about them. I was trying to figure out what the difference was.

I did notice statement glasses, mostly circular frames. well cut clothing in mostly neutral or solid colours. I did see 3/4 length trousers, closed shoes or chunkier sandals.

But we were in touristy areas, and a lot of people were dressed in longer shorts or skirts,, nice tops, loose dresses. The men in longer shorts, button up short sleeve shirts. Enjoy your vacation.

I’ve spent loads of time in Spain. In fact I used to live there. If you go city centre you’ll see stylish women, but not as many as you’ll see in London.

If you know the place well, you’ll know that there are plenty of places where you’ll find a lot of tackiness too. I’ve stayed places where there are markets selling clothes that wouldn’t pass the fire test here. There are loads of places inland where at night you have to put the shutters down, or have bars on your windows. Have you ever been inland on a Sat night when everyone goes walk about? Believe me, the women aren’t decked in some natural fibres and wearing elegant cuts.

Well, if all the Spanish love their boring "tasteful" neutral clothes, Desigual would have gone out of business there? I have more respect for a "badly" dressed British person enjoying their time. Nobody cares what tourists wear. Why would they?

I was going to say about Desigual being popular in Spain. I saw the store in Barcelona and it appeared to be busy. I think the sort of Spanish woman who likes it is a bit of a new age hippy type into her yoga.

I have a canvas Desigual bag. It’s like a sartorial version of the Groove is in the Heart video .

Excellent! I love it when people have fun with their clothes and accessories. If I were in Spain, I would admire this

It’s more when they are walking trouser types I think.

Yes they don’t have the same obsession with showing loads of skin.

There is shop after shop here (Rome)selling what seems like exclusively neutral tones.

I am Spanish, I'd say wear jeans, nice trainers and a nice fitting blouse or tshirt with a blazer. No showy make up (no big false eyelashes for example)
You can check this instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/whatwomenwear_madrid?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
It is mostly about Madrid but sometimes shows other cities.

I was in Seville last month and was surprised that almost everyone in shops and restaurants addressed me in Spanish and then seemed quite surprised when I started speaking English! I do have dark hair, but otherwise I’m pretty pale. I’d had my hair cut the day before I went so it was still very salon sharp and I dressed a bit smarter for the city than I would for a beach resort. Maybe that’s why? Certainly wasn’t trying to pass for Spanish or anything other than myself!

And just for anyone who's curious because I love that look, the Groove is in the Heart singer Lady Miss Kier made her catsuit herself from original Emilio Pucci fabric

Have you been yet OP? After a week in Andalucia carefully analysing what fashion i saw I can confirm that most Spanish people didn't seem to be wearing natural fibres - just the rich ones. I did see much more of a trend in the under 30s to be indistinguishable from English ones, lots of wide leg slouchy jeans, white dad trainers and trench coats along side well groomed long straight hair. Lots of women over 30s wearing cropped striaight and wide jeans with slightly frayed edges, and lots of stripped shirts.

I also forgot about the trend for Pijo parents to dress their kids like middle age pijo men, chinos, polo tshirts, short sensible haircuts and grown up shoes.

However, at the airport on the way home i bought a Spanish magazine and the man at the counter still spoke to me in Spanish so I clearly don't blend in...

A quick update - if you ever want to render Spanish people visibly appalled I have the answer and it's

Opaque black tights with trainers

Am a frequent visitor to Andalusia also, mostly off season so late Spring and around Christmas time. As others have said, even in the hot (to us) warm days of mid to late May (high 20sC), the locals do not wear revealing clothes or shorts or cullotte type trousers. Long sleeves mostly too. I just wear more or less the same, not to follow them but because if anyone -Spanish or not- saw me in Summer type garb they'd run off to the nearest Bull Ring for respite. May is NOT Summer in Spain!

In Winter in December last year the temps were 28+ degrees, it was unusual for sure, but even then I did not succumb to the sundress and flip flops/shorts/vest top combo as other visitors were. More to do with my flabby bits than any kind of elitism I can assure you. So following what locals did I used jeans, full length chino type trousers and trainers/skecher type shoes. Changed the shoes to ankle boots at night. When in the apartment anything goes of course since no one can see.... so out come the sundresses, flip flops and the fan then for sure.

But at the end of the day no one cares as long as you are polite, and not falling down drunk in the streets.

This would appal me too 😁

There seems to be an idea that all Spanish/French/Italian women dress stylishly and all British women have no style, which is blatantly not true!
One thing I've noticed in Spain, from seeing local shops and women out at night, is a liking for quite blingy/slinky tops and dresses, usually in polyester, that no-one would wear in this country.

I have two questions:

How did you realise you were having that effect on the residents of Spain?

Secondly, what is one supposed to wear under a dress with trainers if not tights? Is it the colour of them that offends?

Black tights and white trainers = terrible
shiny tights at all = not great
shiny tights with leather or canvas trainers = also terrible

in my opinion obv (and that of the Spanish evidently)

They do a sort of 😮

I mean who cares I agree are we supposed to go bare legged?

You decided not to dress like a Spanish person OP?

decent quality, well fitting clothes - Mango and Zara are good

An oxymoron, surely?!

I didn't realise black tights were a no go

Im Spanish. I live in joggers, decent tops, currently wearing: Mountain Warehouse joggers in a dark Olive, black and white fitted tee shirt, Sainsbury’s and my favourite long sleeved grey cardi, with pockets, and moccasins. I’m currently in Durham!

I find body type to be the biggest giveaway when trying to work out where people are from.