Chasing Butterflies

Passion fashion!

Fashion is most definitely an integral part of the culture in Spain. So much so that I have dedicated an entire section to it. It has to be said that Spain is home to some of the most stylish people I have ever encountered. They take such pride in their clean-cut elegant image and carry themselves with such dignity and composure that it´s hard not to admire them, sometimes even envy them!

Image is everything to Spanish people, not in a conceited egotistical manner, but in a self-respecting one. In Spanish culture, your appearance says a lot about you, people value a person who looks after and respects themselves.

Younger generations, being the trend setters that they are, are quite experimental with their clothes. They often opt for bold colours and prints that are well cut and flattering to their figures, whereas, older generations play it safe with sleek, well-coordinated outfits that accentuate their figures and their poise.

Accessories are the key to every Spaniards outfit, you will rarely see a unaccessorised Spaniard roaming the streets. Accessories are like a personal stamp on each outfit. The accessories range from scarfs, over-sized statement jewellery and detailed tights, to sunglasses, leather jackets and over-sized bags or clutches. It´s fascinating to see how people utilise these items to enhance their look and make them stand out from the crowd. With their flair for accessories they´re guaranteed not to blend into the crowd, or bump into someone with the same outfit as them!

While it´s true that Spain is home to some of the most acclaimed fashion designers, designers such as Manolo Blahnik, Cristobal Balenciaga and Paco Robanne, Spanish people care more about the quality of clothes than the designer. Brands such as Zara, Mango, Cortefiel, Adolfo Dominguez and Massimo Dutti provide quality at affordable prices and prove to be very popular with this fashion conscious culture.

I can honestly say that, as a fashion lover, I couldn´t have found a country that is more suited to me than Spain. Hopefully, throughout my journey here, I can learn the art of elegance and poise that comes so naturally to these artistic people. In this section I plan to document the Spanish trends from season to season and show how I´ve embraced them and hopefully put my own personal style stamp on them!

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Hope you´ve enjoyed this post!

What do you think? Would you wear Spanish style?

Giana xoxo

*While the images featured in the side-show are my own, I have taken the two photos of the women featured in the centre of the blog from google images and, therefore, cannot take credit for those two, I hope to replace them with my own images once I can!

Holy week- Alicante.

One of the most notable things about Spanish culture is its religion. In order to understand the Spanish culture you need to understand their Catholic environment. So, due to perfect timing, I have chosen Holy Week, or Semana Santa as it´s known in Spain, as the starting point for my Spanish Culture section.

Holy Week in Spain is undeniably a unique event. Being Catholic myself I have celebrated Holy Week before. However, it is safe to say, I have never experienced such a genuine atmosphere of mourning like the one I have witness here. While I´ll admit it truly is a breathtakingly beautiful experience filled with emotion, there were times when I became overwhelmed by the dramatics of the situation, and felt a little uncomfortable.

In the procession I witnessed the marchers, clad out in white robes with blue capes and pointed blue hoods somewhat reminiscent of the Klu Klux Klan, carry elaborate sliver candlesticks. These marchers were closely followed by elegant female mourners dressed in black with the most delicate lace veils running from their heads to the ground.

Behind these women was the wooden platform, or anda as it´s know in Spanish, which was carried by 36 men, known as carriers or cucuruchos, from a religious fraternity. On this magnificently ornate platform there was an amazing statue of Magdalena surrounded by flowers and candles. It was astonishing to see the skill, coordination and technique it took to negotiate this platform around sharp turns on narrow little streets. It really was a mesmerizing sight to see.

The procession was such a huge credit to the community and was carried out with solemnity and grace. To me it really got to the heart of Spanish culture and depicted their passion, their strength, their commitment to religion and their pride in a uniquely artistic way. While I may never fully understand the mourning period, I will always admire and respect it and feel grateful to be an onlooker to such an exceptional event.