Do all Spaniards dress the same? Leather shoes, black trousers, no shorts.... Aren`t there any individuals in Spain? Why is it so crucial to blend in with the rest of the flock of sheep? I`m ME, even in Spain. It seems unlikely that this should present any problems for me on my upcoming trip, but after reading some of the "dresscode" answers on this page one has to wonder.

You know mlobear, i have to agree with you on this subject. i haven't responded to any of those proper dress attire things cause i just wear what I always wear. i have been to spain 4 times within the past two years and i wear whatever. (i am from Los Angeles) i mean no matter if i try to blend in i will always look like american, cause whether i like it or not, that's what i am, (though in my fantasy world i am a Madrilena!) but you know just wear whatever you want. I have no preference to dress like a spaniard or not, cause i really never thought about it and i like my Levi's and my slip on Vans tennis shoes. I have never had an issue or problem on my attire and have made a hundred friends there, so i think it has alot to do on your personality and how you act over there as an individual and how you come across to people, if you fully act like a tourist or not. I hang with the spaniard's because that's who i am i love them and their lifestyle, and i think that is what warms them to me so much, is the fact that i love their country so much and i enjoy their lifestyle and culture and their company. Just like here in l.a. you can spot tourists sometimes by something like their shoes or what kind of pants they have on, or the combination of it all, but nice people are nice people and i think that is really the importance of going to another country, how you respect their culture and the effort you make to get to know it and enjoy it for what it is!! Cause you know you could totally dress like a spaniard but your manerism will give it away in an instant that you are not, so it really is a coin toss! just be yourself. I mean wearing hoochie shorts or a brassiere for a night on the town in madrid isn't what i am saying to go out and wear, but you know what i mean. and there is some individuality in spain, not everyone is the same, but yes in general i do dress differently than them, but i party like a spaniard, i love like a spaniard, i feel like a spaniard, i speak like a spaniard, i live like a spaniard, I eat like a spaniard, but gosh darn it, i don't dress like one! I just don't feel a need to, and i have never thought about it and i don't think people should, (unless you want to be incognito or something). I guess what some suggestions people give are the obvious ones like hawaiian shirts or bermuda shots and stuff like that, or crusing around with roller luggage or LARGE backpaks, stuff like that, but other than that you'll be fine! Ole! que Vive Espana!

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Spain Page!! Check it out! http://www.geocities.com/missmadrid98/homepage.html?957296168010

Nice people are nice people nomatter where they`re from, how they look, how they speak. One should think this would be a simple thing to understand, but for many people out there it isn`t. Let`s all at least try. It would make living a whole lot easier for all of us.

Yes, nice people are nice people everywhere. I think you'll find that Spaniards will agree with you wholeheartedly. They are the most open-minded people I know.

Of course you can wear what you want. And Spaniards don't all dress the same! They wear basically the same clothes as the rest of the Western world. Extremely casual American dress is probably the most different. I think the posts you have been reading are written for two reasons:

The first, and most important, is that if you dress like a typical foreign ( American) tourist in the bigger cities in Spain, your chances of being robbed go sky high. Tourists carry plenty of cash, credit cards, and passports for the Black Market, as well as all kinds of great stuff in their luggage. Most travellers I know don't want to lose their stuff. It causes huge problems.

Secondly, there are many travellers who like to blend in when they travel because they feel they can experience the culture and society of the place better if they don't stand out. They can quietly observe. These are the travellers who appreciate tips on what to wear to look more like locals.

As a group, I believe Spaniards are incredibly warm, hospitable, accepting, intelligent, and talented people. You will be respected no matter what you wear. I hope you have a super time in Spain! It's a great place to be!

Diana is SO right! You can wear what you like, basically, and will feel comfortable and welcome. But if you are in high-traffic spots like central Madrid and your attire screams TOURIST, you risk losing your stuff more easily than if you didn't stand out. The main exception is this: people dress up to go to discos/night places. It also depends on age. All you cute Antonio Banderas and Jennifer Love Hewitt look alikes can wear your usual American stuff and look totally wonderful. Middle aged people in huge white athletic sneekers with a reebok warm up suit will look... well... you get the idea. My teenage son wore all his oversized A&F cargo shorts with athletic shoes and t-shirts, and looked fine. I, on the other hand, stuck to my cotton sundressed/skirts, nice walking sandals... and mi marido espanyol always looks semi-formal even in good Polo jeans and casual shirts!

Hi,
For people that like Spaniard clothes (this is not for you Mlobear ) there is a chain of stores in Spain called Zara (it is my favourite store) and I found they have stores in USA too. The only one that I know is in Nj, but I know there are some more around the country. They have shoes too )

Hi Nuria - Here I sit in my Zara trousers! (and Corte Ingles polo, what else?!). Spanish clothes are cool, well made, and cheap. Zara has stores outside of Spain, but the prices in Spain are lower (you can check this in Spain, because the price tags give the price in many currencies, and they ain't the same!).

!Viva ropa chachi!

Hi, el boqueron,
That's a cool name, are you from Malaga? (For non-spaniards: people from Malaga are called "boqueron" and people from Madrid "gato/a")
You are so right, here the clothes from Zara are double expensive, that's why I wait until I go to Madrid to buy new clothes. The queality is nice and the prices are so cheap...
Viva la ropa de España!!!!

[This message has been edited by Nuria (edited 08-11-2000).]

I didn't know Zara was Spanish! They opened up a store here in Toronto this year - in the Holt Renfrew Centre on Bloor Street near Yonge, if any of you guys from south of the border want to come up and take advantage of the weak Canadian dollar!

I did some currency comparisons on the price tags too, and noticed that the Canadian prices seem to be cheaper than the US or UK, for example.

Now I know where to buy some clothes before I go back to Spain in the fall, so I will look just like a Madrileno!!!

Si, viva la ropa de Espana, y viva Zara!

Does aynone know if Zara has stores in the Los Angeles area? I loved their clothes when I was in Spain. I had no idea they were in the States.

Regarding what to wear and what not to wear; the Spainards dress with class, especially in the big cites, and I found it very refreshing. Sometimes we Americans take casual to the extreme (ie. wearing baseball caps when dining out).