Spanish Women

I hope I don't get in too much trouble with my wife of German ancestry, but you know, those Spanish women sure are sexy. There is a certain confidence in their sexuality that Spanish women (to me) seem to have. Am I wrong, or are Spanish women very relaxed about and comfortable with their femininity? -OhMike

Hello OhMike,

"Am I wrong, or are Spanish women very relaxed about and comfortable with their femininity?"

Well, I just don't see why any woman from any nationality* would have the slightest "problem" being one, and being "recognized" by others as one, let alone being feminine, which it's what comes naturally, since, it sort of, goes with the territory . Specially considering that, by the way, being female is great! (most of te time ). I'm curious now, are any men ever uncomfortable about their manhood? (apart from transexuals, of course! ) I wouldn't think so, there's no reason for it either!
I am a woman, but enjoy whenever I see an attractive woman behave, dress, etc....feminine; actually, I find it a beautiful thing. (Girls don't have that; "I don't know if (whomever) is attractive or not, he's a guy, and I AM a guy!" type of "denial" thing, ha, ha!)

*That is, if in your country you're not totally discriminated against, prosecuted, used, abused, etc....based on your gender ; but those are external UNFAIR cultural 'machista' circumstances that don't have anything to do with how those women in question could really feel about themselves under DIFFERENT circumstances.

In other words, and generally speaking, the French express it very well, way better than me when they say....'Vive la différence'!!! :p , so I say a big 'OLÉ' to that!

OhMike, OH-MIKE!, DON´T GET ME STARTED ON THIS TOPIC!! I have to re-insert my eyeballs into their sockets about 20 times a day (or more) while walking the streets of Madrid. Sometimes I can´t do anything but shake my head in disbelief that such beauty exists. :p It´s like walking through the largest museum in the world, FULL of "art", women combining form with style. And sometimes I giggle to myself thinking, "The phrase of the day should be 'TIGHT PANTS'"

Saludos, MadridMan :p (swooning each and every day in Spain)

I would like to echo Pim's excellent post
and also say that I find Spanish women fascinating.
OhMike, don't worry,.. being a woman myself, I can't help but admire their loveliness.
Now, Spanish men!! My husband admitted this too so he won't mind me saying this....WOWWEEEE!!....
Must be the glorious sun!

Wow!! I glad someone else has noticed the tight pants! I've had a drop dead gargeous French girlfriend but Spanish women are in a different league. Desgraciadamente, the Spanish men are also muy guapo!

I have not spent a lot of time in the spanish Peninsula, but the most beautiful women, I have ever seen, have been in the Canary Islands. It must be the sun, or the water, or a combo of the two. I'm happy to say that I was fortunate enough to marry the most beautiful of them all, hands down.

As a (now) Senior Citizen' who has passed many hours of his young life 'scoping' the ladies from the terraza of Cafeteria Iowa on calle Serrano, I would have to conclude that the Spanish ladies are more elegant than their French counterparts. Take it from an old expert: The quality of girl-watching is better there than at Fouquet's on the Champs Elysees in Paris.

I'm not talking about girls wearing tight fitting jeans or slacks. I refer to fashionably dressed ladies who carry themselves with a certain je ne sais quoi (please excuse my French).

Last year I was fortunate enough to renew an old acquaintance with a lady I met 40-years ago. At age-65 she was very fashionably dressed, carried herself well; and she was so cariñosa and friendly (even after 40-years) that one could not help but still be in love with her ... we talked about our encounter - she remembered

Eddie, your message makes me think of the title of the Sagan novel "Bonjour Triste". As for watching from the cafes whether St. Germain pre or the Ramblas I find looking at the unattainable too painful!!!!!!1

hey everybody

zorro

i feel the same exact way as you with the spanish girls and woman.theyre obviously unattainable while passing them on the street/beach,and that painful man.you can just look but not touch.
i think that spanish men have to deal with it too.

what is it that makes it so goodlooking.
i understand different regions breed different kinds of spanish woman.
but i must say they goodlooking in all regions.

i find the andaluzas and aragonesas the best.
and the navarras the least beautiful(though there ok)

I hope I'm quoting Popeye correctly when I say " that's all I can stands cause I can't stands no more!"

As one of the "ho hum" American women of the world, let me humbly suggest that American men who appreciate the confidence, sensuality and grace of Spanish (or any other European) women try to develop that in their own women.

American women who move to Europe and develop relationships with men there often remark that shopping with their men is a very different experience. The men know fashion and actually have opinions as to what would look good on their female companions. I personally witnessed a young Scandinavian couple shopping for a scarf for the woman. The man draped tha scarf around her neck various ways, tried scarf after scarf, stood back and had her turn various ways, then suggested one as better than the other. WHEN WOULD THIS HAPPEN IN AMERICA?

Back in the stone age when I studied in Spain we were told if we could walk a block without hearing a piropo we should return at home at once and take a long look in the mirror as no woman of any age should be able to go that long without hearing something nice. And I mean nice...not just the "hubba hubba baby" and obscene gestures that occur here when a comely female walks past a group of men. I'll take a simple "Adios, divina" anyday!

I am now closing in on 60, and in the US I am invisible. When I go to Europe, however, I am still given those appreciative glances that let me know it was worth it for me to put those earrings on in the morning. Last summer I walked into a little French shop, said "Bonjour" to the owner and was rewarded with "Ah, madam's smile, she breengs ze light of ze sun eeento my little shop." It made me want to have his children!

Yes, genetics, climate, food, the lure of the exotic....all those things play a part in beauty. And yes, there are many beautiful women in Spain (and also in every other country of Europe I have visited.) But a good chunk of what makes a woman beautiful is what she thinks about herself, and Spanish women have grown up thinking that they are beautiful and sexy because the men in their lives never stop making them feel that they are.

This is a simple thing to do, really. No, the girls on the beach in Milwaukee may not suddenly turn into Penelope Cruz, but they may start to radiate some of the confidence and sensuality that make European women more attractive. And maybe, if American men learned how to talk to American women in an appreciative way, they might improve their track records overseas as well.

Applause! Applause! Applause, for La Maestra!

The best post on this site!

Yes, yes, yes!! That's it!! Wow LaMaestra, you certainly are indeed.

Here in the UK the attitude of the man helping their woman pick out clothing is seen as being only capable by gay men. Trail behind the woman and look despondent is the norm, (mechanism perhaps to discourage her from spending), and is often seen as a joke here. Crazy.

I now know it's the confidence these euro women have and radiate which makes the difference to me, as I think all women are beautiful. It's wonderful and should be like that in all countries of the world.

LaMaestra, YOU are beautiful!

I totally agree that Spanish women (and men for that matter) are, on the whole, extraordinarily beautiful. Not that everyone looks like Penelope, but Spanish women (especially women in their 30s, who are well on their way to "invisible" status here in the U.S.--land of the prepubescent 15-year-old "supermodel") carry themselves with confidence and seem to take great pride in wearing clothes that flatter them.

One thing I noticed is that, as far as clothing goes, it seems to be "quality" over "quantity" (which doesn't just mean that everything is tighter/skimpier)--where many of my friends here in the United States would be embarrassed to wear the same outfit more than every 2 weeks or so, my European friends find something that looks incredible on them and then don't mind wearing it to go out two Fridays in a row, even with the same people (am I mistaken about this, Españolas?)!

Another thing I noticed about being in Spain is that a little piropo goes a long way--if a 60-year-old shopkeeper calls me "guapa," I stand a little straighter and hold my head a little higher ALL DAY!

La Maestra,

I too have enjoyed very much reading your post indeed, which I've found quite funny (in the good sense!); but I must say I can't agree with a few things, SPECIALLY, with the last part; in my book, what a woman thinks about herself SHOULD NOT be based on the treatment she gets from others (men), it should be something that comes from within her, above all, from the deep conviction that she is, or at least tries to be, a good, worthy PERSON (if that is the case :o ). It's nobody else's responsibility, except maybe the whole of society's, which includes both genders (magazines, tv, media in general, which sometimes seem to be saying to us, the superwoman concept actually exists ). A good "piropo' is an extremely nice gesture, no doubt about that, the best instant ego-buster (and God knows women, in general, aren't “gifted” with big ones….egos, I mean! he, he! :p ), but you seem to think that we get those constantly, or that “our men” don't cease to admire and praise us….We wished! I'm sorry to burst your bubble but that is not the case AT ALL! .Regarding the “piropo situation”, it definitely isn't what it used to be, in these times of political correctness, men are way too busy (heck! we're all extremely busy!) to just sit or stand in the street and watch the women go by, AND think of something witty to say to them, and the “masters”, the construction workers…., well, most of them are Romanian or Polish these days, so do they comment on our physiques? Go figure! Thankfully, we're now going towards a much more “piropo friendly” season, with Spring and Summer in the air (he, he!). The last proper ones I can recall were said to me in Amsterdam….and it sure wasn't because I'm "Spanish-looking"!

One other thing, I'm a big….what would be the contrary to fan?, of guys accompanying their partners to go shopping. Here are some of the reasons why: #1: the vast majority of them do not enjoy it, so why should they be tagged along, the poor things? I wouldn't want to “be taken” to soccer games, for instance. #2: I know perfectly well what I like and don't like, what's in fashion, and even what sort of looks good on me, so I don't need a guy figure there to be telling me either that he has no clue, or that I should get the tight short red dress with the uh….noticeable “neckline”, and the high heels. #3: Because of #1 I guess, men get booored out of their minds, and we all know how males tend to behave under those circumstances, as a result, and this is REALLY what bothers me immensely, the girls who want their guys to stand just outside the fitting rooms, which seem to be 95% of them, impose on the rest of us their bfs, hubbies, or whatever, peeping in the direction of OUR little changing rooms (girls, how many times have you caught these guys looking “absentmindedly” through those silly little curtains?!), it makes me mad, I can't help it (it's just one of my worst "manias', sorry maestra! ), so I'm never so inconsiderate towards my fellow women to give my partner's uh….curiosity, the possibility of spoiling what would otherwise be a pleasant leisure activity for them.
(Note: I'm noticing as I write, I've been lucky that my longest-lasting relationship has been with a colour-blind fellow, he, he!)

Castiza, Guapetona, what do you say?

Tara, to answer your question, you might be right; I'm not a good example, because even though I don't particularly enjoy going shopping (lol), window shopping that is, I do like clothes, so I buy and own quite an amount of stuff; but I can remember when I went to the States for my senior year in H.S. noticing that all my American "amiguitas' had lots and lots of different clothes (but also more cars, etc,….). After all, is the consumer society at its most. (Can you say that¿?)

P.S.: I know many, many girls have their guys go with them out shopping, actually, two of my very best friends Esperanza and Roberto are married and do this all the time, but knowing him I'm 100% certain he's no peeping Tom, he's such a SAINT!, he, he! So, please, nobody get offended!!!

A compliment certainly goes a long way to giving a woman confidence in herself and her appearance – be it from a 99 year old or whoever – male or female

But you can’t feel good on the basis simply of what someone else thinks. If you don’t like yourself, you are unlikely to radiate attractiveness to anyone else either.

I seriously believe that a stash of clothes doesn’t make anyone any more or less attractive – maybe it does from a distance, but not for that real close up oooo factor.

I think the reserved nature of many of the people in the UK makes it quite challenging to present a compliment on someones appearance. And because we aren’t used to it, it’s also quite difficult to accept graciously, even if inside ourselves we are one big smile.

As for shopping with men! Tut! Why do they always want to look at you from behind when you try something new on?

I must say La Maestra you have managed in a few paragraphs to eloquently capture the subtle art of Latin romance.

Do Spaniards absolutely embody seduction...perhaps although I really think Latin Americans take this prize

I have never ever felt more womanly than walking down the streets of Belgrano, Buenos Aires in the fall and have a gorgeous Argentinean man look at me and tell me "eres una diosa..la mas divina que han visto estos ojos..." I have to admit although Sevillanos are known for their Don Juan abilities..that was by far more seductive than "chiquilla...etamos o no etamos??" JA JA JA

I love latin men in all their incarnations.....european and otherwise..and its no coincidence the man that took my heart is a Murcianico..who wakes up everyday looks me in the eyes and calls me "mi perla..te adoro"

AHHHH...K VIVA nuestra lengua, cultura y sobre todo nuestros machitos ibéricos!! :p

Guapetona, you summed it up nicely. I agree that it is probably a very latin thing. Case in point: I recently wore what I thought to be a pretty sharp outfit to work. I had it on when I kissed my husband goodbye in the morning. He scarcely took his eyes off the newspaper. When I got to work, all the Hispanic men I encountered expressed some...let's say appreciation. The groundskeepers stopped raking and just turned their heads to follow me. The custodian (about half my age) said "Ay, usted esta muy guapa hoy!", my Mexican colleague said "Hey, maestra, you look great today." I went home and said to hubby "Gee, I must have been wearing a really Hispanic outfit today. All the Mexican guys at work seemed to like it." Husband said "Yeah, you looked ok." Such passion! Such romance! Latin men seem to notice women in a different way and have the poetry in them to make even the simplest thing sound beautiful.

Pim, I don't mean to suggest that women should merely reflect what people think of them. But if being a good person was all it took to look great, all the American women you see running around town with no makeup and old sweats would look beautiful. The simple fact that the paseo still exists suggests that women get dressed up for somebody. Or not? Would you dress to the nines if no one were going to see you?

I'm sure that Spanish men don't spend their days telling the women in their lives that they are goddesses. But the difference I have seen in the looks and simple little things that they say to their women is amazing. Touches. Glances. An occasional "Mi amor." Not much of that here.

Maestra,

Mmm….that anecdote must have felt quite….frustrating!, however, you never know, think positively, who knows if, at the end of the day, any of those “piropeadores” men is twice as machista as your husband. We don't know if/how often the wives of those Mexican-Americans get those flattering comments from their own spouses.

I must clarify, that in my previous post when I talked about “how women see themselves, how confident or insecure they might feel, etc…”, I was referring not only to their beauty, but to a much more general idea of attractiveness. Therefore, I'll try to rephrase it; no woman, who isn't a beautiful human being on the inside to begin with, can seem attractive to the people around her; she might before one meets her, but never afterwards, because the most basic and important thing is missing. Bah! I sound like a Disney character now!

This thread, which has turned quite “girly”, is making me realize one thing; we, in Europe, also get that “you gotta look young no matter what” pseudo-philosophy, and you know what? I think it's a pretty absurd notion. Last Tuesday at work, I met up with a couple of American girls in their early twenties, we spent the entire afternoon-evening together (me showing them flats to rent around Madrid), and when we were finished, at 23hrs., and were chatting up and saying our goodbyes, they asked how old I was, I said I was 32, and they were surprised and told me they thought I was 26 tops. I felt flattered (it was just like that good old post-piropo feeling ), and replied something like: “girls, I'm so exhausted, but you just made my day.”
And now, I'm thinking, why?, why looking younger than one's age should feel so good, what is wrong with looking just fine at one's age, whatever it is? It's silly.

I guess this thread can turn into a discussion about each of our personal tastes; for instance, Liz/Guapetona is probably right about LatinAmericans being the most "melosos', but I'm not amongst the millions of women who adore the Ricky Martin-Chayanne suave type (Venicio del Toro is sexy); although I think I'd love Jennifer Lopez and Salma Hayek if I was a man! (but also Ashley Judd). Apart from these voluptuous latinas, MANY Spanish men will tell you the Swedish (or generally blonde) girls are IT. And I say give me an Aidan Quinn look-alike anytime, baby ....or a younger Gregory Peck!

zorro37 writes: Yes, I have also frequented (and watched the world go by at) Cafe de la Place on Saint Germain des pres and Barcelona's Ramblas: The novel is Bonjour Tristesse (Good morning, sadness) and I guess I would have to be the aging playboy - as portrayed by David Niven, in the movie.

As for looking at the unattainable being too painful: It doesn't have to be that way (i.e., neither painful nor unattainable). Just Go for it!

I think MadridMan got it right when he talked about the museum. Maybe Spanish women understand that they are nature's art, and don't mind being appreciated as such. And as with all art, it's not just about technique (how to dress) or critical approval (who compliments you), but it comes from a deep wellspring of soulfulness. Women all over the world have that, but from what I've seen, Spanish women have it a LOT. Of course, one can go to a museum and appreciate the beauty without cutting the canvases out of the frames and taking them home. One can sit at a cafe and watch, or one can enjoy the company of Spanish women. It is possible to appreciate the art of Spanish feminine sensuality even without taking home the artwork. But there's nothing wrong with wanting a Goya, with or without clothes. -OhMike

My two cents worth. An incredibly large number of Spanish women are stunning. It's a combination of the way they dress, the way they carry themselves, and genetics I suppose. It's interesting how the style of dress can vary little between ages 14 and 40. I have seen women in their late 30's wearing the low-cut bell-bottomed jeans with a bare mid-riff, and they don't look silly or desperate like many other women their age would in other settings.

I also have to defend my species, the American male. We aren't so bad compared to Spanish men sometimes. A while back, I noticed that one of my Spanish female colleagues had had her hair styled over the lunch break and I commented on how nice it looked. She beamed and said that her husband would never notice. Now, that's probably a function of their having been married for 30 years rather than the fact that he was/was not Spanish.

Which brings me to a little digression. On Saturday nights, TVE has their variety show which I always channel-surf past if I'm watching TV. But I can't help but notice that an extended part of their show is a series of tired comedy sketches about how married couples communicate with each other depending on how long they've been married (2 weeks, 5 years, 10 years, 30 years, etc.)

Ok, so those sketches might be trivial and stereotypical, but I just find them so darned funny!

Chica,

The show itself it's sooo tacky, but I admit I too love the old lady that yells : ¡IMBECIL! (and ¡gilipollas! I think :o )

Ok, ok....Spanish woman are my favorite topic! I must admit that I just cannot get my eyes full enough when I am in Spain (and my wife knows it and hates it). It is the way the spanish woman comport themself, confident, sexy, radiant, they touch you, they are not afraid of being naked (nor scared by nudity, as they would say "es normal, y natural"). They are interesting to talk to and perhaps in a Freudian way....they sound like my mom (she is from spain). They seem to have a goal, a destination that is independant and unique to them. It should be said that they will also let you know when they are not happy ...they do not "beat around the bush"

As an earlyer post said "they are like museum art". Well, it is the kind of art that I would love to take home.

hello everybody

electricity

so true,so true
hopefully i might lucky enough to marry a typical beautiful spanish woman.
im trying to meet some in casa galicia here in new york city.
but more men go there than woman.
ive been going for 6 weeks already.
but nothing yet. :o
tell you how it goes.

Hey Mike, where is Casa Galicia? in Astoria?

hey everybody

jlramos

yeah it is its in astoria.
its near the shopping area of astoria,a couple of blocks from steinway st on 31av.you cant miss it,its a traditional looking small building with the spanish and the galican flags.i take the bus but the g,r,n,w trains all take you to this cool place.i live in sunnyside queens(cant tell the exact address)

seems you live in queens too.

While on the subject of Spanish & european women in general I find one thing puzzling.
It was great when my French girlfriend & I were together. I could give her plenty of compliments. When shopping she would ask my opinion on clothing even down to underwear.
Here in England (how's things in the states?) if I was to say "Tu es muy guapa hoy" especially in the office I'd fear of a sexual discrimination suit. I find it really sad. Like one of the American women said " you look great" should perk up anyones day
I've gotta move to Spain!!!

hey everybodys

zorro

hows things in things in the states regarding your statement?
i would say within anglo-america
similar to the sad english case,but not as bad thank god.
BUT within multi-cultural america its more balanced due to diverse cultural habits and the foreigners who zealously follow the "american way"
again its not as bad as england but worse than spain and other latin countries such as france.

about Casa Galicia in Astoria....I am really interested in what exactly they do....I know there used to be dances there, but now , what is it? Is it a cultural center: showing films, having lectures, etc. I went to their webpage and found almost nothing. Very disappointing. Mike, I grew up in Sunnyside. My mom belonged to the Club Auxilair de Damas in Astoria for a very long time. Have you recently moved to Queens?

hello everybody

esperanza

nice to here your mom has been an active part of casa galicia.
in reference to your question about what they do at casa galicia.
you can sit down in the main floor sala(living room for those who dont know spanish)and dine on galician dishes,or talk to friends or the simpatico but somewhat serious waiters while eating.they have tapas in the afternoon.they offer a big screen somewhat like a movie theather screen where you can watch tv galicia direct from galicia.you can sit here for hours without nobody telling you to skit.nearby they have a spanish-style bar with a cool and nice teenage bartender(hes my freind)wher you can chat and watch soccer and baseball games(the bartender is very americanized and loves baseball as well)
in regard to dances,yes they still have them.on sundays only though.you can watch the dance groups rehearse too.
they celebrate certain spanish/galician/american holidays a todo dar(all the way)
mothers day(coming soon)
reyes magos
dia de letras galega(coming this month)
fathers day
members day
sundays are also big days because thats when they dance the muneiras and moilineiras.the bands members are all young casa galicia members(just like in galicia the band members are mostly young)

the center wants to sooth the morrina of the ny galican community,and promote the union of the galcian community of ny and the galician traditions and culture(especially the music which is great music)
well there you have it esperanza thats the full description of the center.what a great place huh?

and no i havent moved recently to queens ive been in queens since the 1990(only in sunnyside)glad to know you grew up here.before living here i lived in astoria and wisconsin (which of course is not new york).
saludos or saudos