It seems there will be some variance in temperature when we travel to Madrid, Sevilla and Granada in mid-September - warmish in the days, cool at night.

Any advice as to what type of clothes to pack? I understand shorts are somewhat gauche in Spain.

1) Will jeans be too hot for this time of year? Are khakis or khaki-colored jeans acceptable?

2) I hear tennis shoes are just as tacky as shorts, is this true?

3) It seems from everything I hear, I need a tie and button-down collar for every day I'll be there. While t-shirts may be too casual, what is acceptable.

Thanks in advance for any advice or guidance...

Ties and button downs aren't necessary. Jeans and Khakis are fine. Days will be warm and nights a little cooler but not much since you'll be in the southern part of Spain. Merrills, etc are great shoes for walking which you'll do alot of but tennis shoes are accepted during the daytime but not as much in the clubs in the evenings. Golf or Polo-style shirts are great, either long and short sleeve. I don't think t-shirts with political or social comments on them are in the best of taste and pretty much peg you as a tourist and an American ( nothing wrong with that, but sometimes it's best to be a little more subtle in another country.) Have fun, be safe!

I know you mentioned in your post that shorts are tacky....my husband and I are packing for our trip and he is set on bringing his dress shorts..ones that he wears golfing here in Florida. Are these considered tacky as well or will they be okay?

Hi. I´m in Madrid right now.

I´d read a lot on this board before my trip about how people dress differently here and was very very surprised to find its really not that different at all. I´ve been all over Madrid and don´t see where those comments are coming from.

They don´t wear baseball caps or shorts, but everything else is exactly the same as NYC or DC. Other cities might be different (?), but Madrid (in my opinion) is just the same as any other typical big city. You see all the normal stuff..tennis shoes, jeans, t-shirts, etc.

I´ve worn jeans every day with cute tops and sandles and blended right in.

Hope this helps and have a fun trip!

I was just wondering the same thing as asked in this thread since I'm going next month also. So... jeans are ok... and I guess khaki type pants must be pretty typical? Tennis shoes ok by day, frowned upon at clubs at night (this is exactly the same as DC). As hot as it gets there in the summer, I have no idea why they don't wear shorts. Are boots (such as Timberlands or the like) a common sight at all?

Are there any issues or stereotypes over there regarding jewelry? Whether it's necklaces, watches, earrings, piercings of any sort. I imagine for women it's typical, but what about men?

Any hair stereotypes, bald heads... guys with long hair, braids, etc.?

I'm wondering about these for both just city life and for job-seeking appearance.

Thanks!

-Loc

LOC - re job seeking attire - same as at home - look professional! If you have piercing - remove it or them whichever is applicable. When you get to Madrid you will see that most people looks professional when going to work ...
Far as jeans are concerned - just no baggy down around your butt hanging jeans - and no jeans with holes, etc.

I'm sure the Madrid folks on the board can be more specific - but until they respond ....

Story: Last April during my 2-week visit I packed only 1 pair of jeans and about 4 pair of Levi's Dockers, the nice ones with the pleats and cuffed pantlegs, as well as a bunch of long-sleeved button-down shirts.

Thinking I was going to be all suave and dressy and blend in with the others, my ladyfriend criticized me for dressing to formally for everyday wear. The day we left Madrid for Extremadura we were about to walk out the door and she said, "Are you REALLY going to wear that?" I was wearing my nicest pants and shirt and shoes. I felt as if I just couldn't win! After talking awhile she meant either jeans or casual pants (I thought, "Casual pants? What are those?? Like 'painters' pants??" I honestly couldn't think of what kind of pants she meant if not Dockers or jeans. Well, now I do but these kinds of pants are hard(er) to find in the USA - at least where I shop.

As for shoes, I had on nice, brown leather shoes with brown shoestrings. She said boots or casual leather shoes would've been better. Causal shoes? Call me "Fashion Hopefless" but if they're not a kind "Fluchos" or Rockports (as I was wearing then - because I pamper my feet. hehehe..) then what could they possibly be? I guess I need to really 'get with the program' and care more about the clothes I wear in public. Ugh. Who wants to deal with THIS anxiety everyday? (I know. I know. LOTS OF PEOPLE DEAL WITH THIS ANXIETY EVERYDAY! But that doesn't mean I have to) Maybe I need to ONLY have nice, stylish clothes from which to choose in my closet? Is that the key?

I got SO many strange looks from madrileños one particularly HOT April day with me in my shorts walking the streets.

I'd think that mid-September, if it's warm, shorts would be fine. Maybe even shorts with leather Sandals. But Shorts with tennis shoes? I don't know. LOTS of Spaniards wear shorts in summer - that's a fact - at least by day. But it seems rarer to see them at night on the terrazas. Women are lucky. THEY get to wear their mini... :p (gurgling noise goes here).... mini-skirts and tight tank tops (add another sound effect of your choosing here ) to deal with the heat.

Saludos, MadridMan

LOC--
Madrid has pretty much the same dress code as DC. Mainly because people in DC dress up much more than your average American.

I'd say things are fairly formal here for business attire, but you can go casual in a certain stylish way after hours. The the "business casual" style doesn't really exist here, but it wouldn't really stand out, either.

Just as it is in DC, if you don't want to be easily identified as a tourist, leave the white tennis shoes, baseball cap and fanny pack at home (but I'm thinking that you already knew that)!

<Loc removes the white Allen Iverson Reeboks from his luggage...>

Thanks for the replies. For someone who has never been there (as myself) it is generally hard to determine what kind of clothes won't make you stand out (to an extreme degree as we will stand out regardless). I grew up in DC and it's outskirts and my dress probably reflects this.

My everyday, go to the store, here and there by day type dress in the US usually consists of blue jeans, tennis shoes (yes sometimes white lol), and either a t-shirt (never political, usually more of an athletics type, sometimes a NFL jersey even) or a more form fitting stylish shirt (but not dressy by any means). I don't wear hats or baseball caps at all but not for any particular reason other than I just don't like them on myself. In the summertime here it's not uncommon to find me in tennis shoes, and a basketball-style short/shirt set (sometimes sleeveless). I'm sure that is never seen in Spain. I don't think my dress matches the average American though, in fact could probably use some improving upon in itself. Hard to lose some habits! I don't think I would have trouble dressing in Spain during the colder months. I'm guessing a nice leather jacket, long sleeve shirt or sweater, jeans perhaps, and some black boots maybe wouldn't stand out that bad? The summer is confusing, especially with some people saying they don't wear shorts, some saying it's normal, and if it's normal, what kind of shorts? Khaki shorts, jeans shorts, athletic shorts? Short sleeve T-shirts?

My business attire consists of what I consider our "business casual" look. Usually consisting of khaki pants, a polo-style or button-up style shirt (usually short sleeve except for in the very cold months). Shoes I usually wear black Timberland's or sometimes a pair of non-conspicuous black tennis shoes. I can even get away with wearing jeans occasionally at my workplace as at my particular workplace (at least within the IT sector here) there is a very relaxed attitude. If I dressed everyday at my workplace as I dress for interviews or formal evening-type events, I would definately stand out as overdressed. I am getting the feeling that the workplace dress (particularly speculating the IT field) in Spain would be a bit more formal in appearance than the US. I would assume to never wear jeans but instead khaki's or slacks. Button-up style shirts is probably normal? And I would guess polo-style is underdressed. Are ties more or less a mandate for business attire in the IT sector? Shoes, I assume a dressy perhaps leather type shoe is the norm, not sure if black boots is passable.

-Loc

Loc - suggestion for a "comfort zone" for you - you are going to be in Spain for 10-12 days as I recall - if you are lucky enough to get an introduction to someone in thee IT field - or, even better, an interview - buy something to wear in Madrid. Leather goods are unbeatable for quality and, unless you wear an odd size - very tall, etc. - you shouldn't have any problem finding something that fits, looks good - and is right in style.

Just a thought ....