Hi my husband and I will be traveling throughout Spain for the first three weeks in May. What should we wear to not look like tourists? I have heard that shorts and tennis shoes are not worn over there. Do the women wear long dresses or short? Sandals are not very comfortable for a lot of walking.
My husband and I are hikers and have boots, but I am not sure if we plan to hike.

Leather shoes (something like Clarks or other walking shoe brands) are good--the thing that I have noticed most is the footwear. You're right about sneakers, though many young people wear them (often without socks--socks and Keds will mark you as an American faster than anything else except an American flag taped to your forehead!).

I wore lots of black or gray pants on a recent trip to Spain--when everything is black or gray, everything matches!

When I am in Spain, I wear Rockport walking shoes - even the wingtips are great because they are stylish enough for a nice restaurant. Khakis, especially the no-wrinkle type and a silk or cotton shirt.

No tshirts, sweatshirts or logowear and definitely no Nikes/sneakers unless I am exercising. The less I look like an American, the less likely I am to be pegged as an easy target for pickpocket, etc.

Tomas

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"Salud, amor y pesetas - y tiempo para gozarlos" http://home.att.net/~t.macentee

I'm with taravb. Black and gray are perfect and really cut down on the number of clothes and accessories you need. In the Spring and Summer, I'd add a lighter color like taupe just to break up the black. The light in Spain is different and really bright colors seem to stand out more. You'll notice young female madrilenas wearing brighter colors in the summer but they're not in any danger of being mistaken for tourists... Black is great for blending in and as an added bonus, you can get dressed in the dark and everything will STILL match!

Alright girls (this is not a man-thing)

I have found that matte-jersey is *the best* fabric to wear while travelling. It doesn't wrinkle, packs very well (doesn't take up much room) and always looks nice. They make tops, pants, skirts, dresses usually in black but in some colors as well. It's super-comfy, too, as there usually aren't zippers or buttons, the pants just pull on and you're set! This type of stuff is fairly popular now and you can find it in many chain-stores (J Crew, Banana Republic, Anne Taylor, etc) and probably in department stores.

Have fun!

I found that wearing black made me feel (1) more cosmopolitan--like I am from NYC or somewhere other than the midwest and (2) DEFINITELY less conspicuous. And it's true, everything matches--and another advantage is being able to wash everything together in one laundry load or hotel bathtub. I agree with the recommendation for matte jersey--you can spend the money on stuff from Travelsmith (I bought a couple of classic things from there, but the prices can be high--though you may find good deals online) or just look around at some of the regular mall stores or outdoor stores. I have a pair of stretchy Liz Claiborne Sport gray pants--poly/rayon/lycra blend--that were fabulous in Spain--a stylish cut and impervious to wrinkles. I also had great luck with a pair of charcoal gray Dockers RECODE (their higher-end brand--but still only about $50) slacks. Add black or gray sweaters, white long-sleeve shirts, and a couple of scarves--and only ONE pair of black walking shoes. If you need more, buy them there (ooh, shoe-shopping--I just came back from Madrid with PURPLE shoes--probably no Spaniard would be caught dead in them, but still!). And definitely check out some of the Spanish clothing stores--Zara is always fun and there's one in nearly every mid-size town.

Thanks folks for all the tips on clothing. I'm going to Spain in April for 9 days with a student group and was really undecided on what to take. How about skirt length. I like to wear them in the city but don't know what length is in style. The last thing I want to look like is a tourist even with a bunch of American teens trailing behind me.

Depends on your age - but long skirts (mid-calf) are comfortable and always "proper" as a those that are just at or above knee length. Younger Spanish women often wear VERRRRY short skirts. You'll see all different lengths - just like in the States.

More than length, I noticed that Spanish women tend to wear their skirts (all clothes, for that matter) with a bit less "ease" (the designing term, meaning the amount of extra fabric in the garment beyond your own body measurement--if your bust is a 36, you might add 2 inches of ease for a close, but not tight, fit) than American women. A bit more form-fitting, a bit more stretchy/clingy than ours.

That's not to say that they are all in skin-tight clothes...just that theirs seem to reveal a bit more about the figure beneath than we are used to.

So if you're going for a long skirt, you might find one with a tighter fit in the hips and a narrower width at the hem...and for short skirts, a bit tighter (and shorter, if you have the nerve!).

But really, I hate to rain on everyone's parade here...the sad fact for those of us trying to blend in is that Spaniards (like Americans or anyone for that matter) have excellent radar for spotting foreigners. Walk into a shop, and you can be pretty sure that you're going to be pegged as a foreigner before you open your mouth to speak! I remember hanging out with a group of (all Spanish) friends, wearing clothes and makeup purchased in Spain, and having a newcomer to the group ask "quien es la americana?" before I said word one! Blending in is more than looking the part--but it's still fun to try! I tend to think that the most fun way is to shop there, at least a bit. I always try to wear a new Spanish outfit home on the plane...and I HAVE had American flight attendants take me for Spanish, but Spanish ones would probably still know I was an imposter!

you are so funny!