Over Spring Break, my family and I traveled to Spain, where I found inspiration for this latest column. Everyone knows that the Europeans are naturally fashionable, so I thought I would share some of the valuable new trends I observed.
The number one staple for European women this season seems to be over-the-knee boots. You see them occasionally in America, but in Spain, it is a must have item. I can honestly say, without any exaggeration, that at least half of the women I saw were wearing them. There are different types too- there are those that just cover the knee, and those that go all the way up to the lower thigh. I do not recommend this look for short people like me- it swallows up your legs and makes you look shorter- but it’s a great look for tall girls.
The women who weren’t wearing over-the-knee boots were wearing heels. In Europe, heels are appropriate for every occasion from a romantic dinner to a day of sightseeing while walking on cobblestone for hours on end. I’ve begun to think that Europeans don’t feel pain.
Another look that I saw quite a bit was girls wearing shorts with stockings. This is not necessarily a “new” phenomenon, and you can see girls in America dressed like this (but usually only they very trendy ones). In Europe, everybody does it! While waiting in line to get access to the Alhambra in Granada, I spent a good bit of time analyzing the shorts of the girl in front of me. They were brown and made of corduroy. Yes, corduroy shorts. At first I was very perplexed as to why anyone would make, let alone buy such an item of clothing, but then I realized- they were meant to be worn in cold weather with stockings! Never before had I encountered a piece of clothing meant to be paired with another to create a look- those crazy Europeans!
I also observed that European women (or at least the Spanish) seem very unwilling to give up their winter wear- it was 60 degrees and everyone was still wearing their winter coats! They were of course very fashionable coats though- I particularly liked the ones that flow out at the bottom to look like dresses- paired with tight pants this look is super cute.
Another look that Europeans (and American hipsters) pull off well is the oversized t-shirt and scarf look. Just take a funky tee with words on it, pair it with a fun scarf, ripped skinny jeans and combat boots and you’ve got a great look!
The more bohemian Europeans are obsessed with harem pants. If you go to hippy strongholds like Granada in Southern Spain, you will see them everywhere- in shops and on people. They give off that vibe that says, “I love organic food and being unemployed (a big problem for people under 30 for whom there is 40% unemployment) and I just love life in general”. I wanted to buy a pair, but again, it’s a look that short people really can’t pull off.
No matter what kind of look you are going for, the Europeans have a stylish answer for you.
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