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?

Really? In my group of friends not one has the same body type! They range from very tall to short (me, I’m only 160cms, but I’m predominantly not British). A couple of hourglass, a couple athletic, a couple very petite, apple (me), one pear. One of the companies I work with, nearly all the staff are Spanish and I would say on average slightly shorter than my British friends, but again the same variation of body types.

I find a lot of Spanish women have defined waists and hourglass type figures though. But maybe it feels a little frivolous to be discussing clothing styles when Spain is going through a real trauma right now. Sorry to put a dampener on things.

No one where I am seems particularly fussed. The thing itself was horrific but until the horror comes for you (it comes for us all one way or another) you might as well choose frivolity. Why not just jump off a cliff if the alternative is a lifetime of solidaritous misery?

Must say the absolute shitshow of a government response makes the UK seem not so bad

So what did you decide about your holiday wardrobe op?

To me, typical Spanish people are either dressed a bit like someone who lives in Brighton (ethnic-y organic bright colours, with dreadlocks and half head shaved off) or otherwise like an Eastern European (very "proper" figure hugging and dull).

Joking of course. They dress exactly like the rest of Europe, with a bit of variety based on what is available in the area they live in.

On the tights issue, a year or so pre Covid, I was lucky enough to visit Malaga during Semana Santa ( Easter Holy Week).

The locals were dressed extremely smartly when viewing the processions. I particularly liked the little girls decked out in lovely dresses with sticky out skirts and white knee socks with bows round them matching their hair ribbons. Very old fashioned look for U.K., but really lovely.

The women were mostly wearing long sleeved but summery dresses and skirts with nude tights. I goggled at the nicest looking nude tights I had ever seen and looked for them in the shops. I could only find tights that looked no different to ones at home. It then dawned on me that the reason they looked great was the skin tone of the Malaga ladies showing through very sheer hose - nicer than my British pasty limbs. 😶