Dress code in Spain
 

Hi! A girlfriend and I will be touring Southern Spain in October... we've heard that dress mores are very conservative there and that we should dress modestly... no shorts etc. Is this true? If so, are things more relaxed on the Costo de Sol? Also, how used are the local Spanish population to seeing unaccompanied Western women travelling through their land? Thanks! Bye!

Hi Bernice,<BR>Are you serious? It's possible someone is teasing you. I am in Spain 2 -3 times a year and have no clue where you are coming from. Spain is NOT a 3rd world country! The women are very sophisticated and up to date in dress and business. If you are truly interested in clothing advice email me and I'll give you some suggestions. Please don't be insulted I am just confused by your question.<BR><BR>Lily

Hi. I go to Spain very often, and in Madrid women and men dress very well, but in smaller towns it's more casual

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How about taking some small gifts for any local children you may come across? Pens and other writing materials would go down well.... it is my experience that the local population will display nothing more threatening than friendly, but respectful curiousity towards you.

Hi Bernice, I would like some advice in what to bring to Spain. I will be in Costa de Sol and Sevilla in a couple of days. What do you Suggest? shorts, capris, jeans, sneakers, sandels??? and I am taking two teenage boys, can they just wear shorts and nice t-shirts and sneakers? I see that it is hot, but how are the nights. thanks

Actually most of the women in spain go topless - the poor natives just don't know any better. Although my husband did not complain I thought it totally inappropriate of them to strut around in front of tourists with their boobies hanging out.<BR><BR>

Dear Bernice - please pay no heed to the previous posters. Your original thouhgts were correct - the Spanish people are very conservative and religious, and one MUST dress conservatively when visiting their land. That means no short dresses or revealing tops. Of course...when at the beach..things are a little more open..but please, no revealing bathing suits. And when out of the water, a cover-up is a good idea.<BR><BR>As far as seeing western women travelling alone, some in Spain are a little more liberal and don not mind this practice by western women. Others, particularly once outside the main cities or beach resorts, are not used to the cultural phenomenon.<BR><BR>Overall...be cautious whatever you do, and respect the Spanish culture.

I disagree with spanish people being so conservative and religious, maybe some of them older than 65 y.o. but not the mayority. <BR><BR>Take a look at Zara, Mango and Massimo Dutti homepages, they're Spanish clothes stores very popular here. I think we tend to dress up more than American or our Northern European fellows, especially women.<BR><BR>Obviously, it's not the same if your visiting a business area in Madrid or a tourist village in Costa del Sol, same as Manhattan vs. a Floridian resort. <BR>In la Costa del Sol things are way more casual and short are totally in, even more, topless is completely accepted and practised in Spanish beaches. <BR><BR>Regarding unaccompanied women, are you pulling our legs? This is not a 3rd-world fundamentalist country. It's even considered sexist when we hear than in other countries women change their surnames when they mary.

I'm sorry, but are you serious? Hiho.. what planet are you on? I am originally from Spain and my whole family still lives there. When by the beaches, wear shorts, capris, sandals, jeans, halter tops, sun dresses, skirts, whatever! When in the cities leave out the shorts and you'll fine!<BR><BR>No revealing bathing suits?!?! Are you for real? Topless sunbathing is the norm, otherwise itty-bitty bikini is the way to go.<BR><BR>They are not used to seeing Western women travelling alone?! I think I'm going to throw up. Where did you get this information?!?!? From a book published in the 40's or 50's????? They are VERY used to seeing "western" women travelling alone as Spanish women themselves travel alone all over the world!! Get real and stop feeding people mis-information. Or, educate yourself BEFORE posting incorrect information here.

To Michelle - are you sure you are from Spain...Michelle does not sound vey Spanish to me. Perhaps your "family" does things differently than most Spanish folk. Message to Bernice - be conservative - better to be safe than sorry!!

Thank you Carmen and Michelle,<BR>Your advices are very good and correct from my experience. I am an American businesswoman and travel quite often to Spain. If anything Spanish women are more advanced in fashion than we Americans (thanks for the great web suggestions, Carmen). Also, yes women do tend to "dress up" more than we do but I would not say it's because they are more conservative - they just have great style.<BR><BR>Lily<BR><BR>

Yes, Hiho, I'm sure I'm from Spain, thank you. I've been living in NYC for many years practicing law, and you? Are you from Europe? When did you last visit Spain? What parts of Spain did you visit? I have had the opportunity to visit 98% of the country from Barcelona to Marbella, from La Coru&ntilde;a to Valencia, all of Madrid (where I am my family are from) and everything in between. I visit 3 to 4 times per year and have been doing that since I came to this country many years ago. OK?

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Bernice: I do feel you should be respectful of local customs which I feel is to dress conservatively in Spain....That said, it was the tourists like yourself who led by example in the 60's that brought a certain amount of change to the coastal areas of Spain during Franco's time.... the local population certainly did take to the Western way of life then.!! Just make sure you've got your running shoes on when they start throwing stones:)

Bernice, I am not even sure if you are for real or just trolling around. Your original posting is quite ridiculous and ignorant. Spain is a lovely modern country with beautiful Spanish women that are very well dressed and groomed. Spain is the vacation spot for most Europeans. You sound like a scared, poor, dumb hick who might be overwhelmed by this vibrant sensual country. Perhaps you should go hangout at Hiho's cave and keep the retard company.

Yes, you can throw out the names of these decadeat web sites, call me evey name under the sun, and protest (too much I think) that you have been everywhere in Spain...but it remains a fact that one should respect local culture when visiting a foreign land...and in Spain that means dress conservatively and do not travel as a woman alone.

Bernice, its good you're not travelling alone, Spanish people are not very friendly towards foreigners and you'll need support around you. Also, concerning the conservative nature of the Spanish, don't forget that this is a country where until relatively recently a woman had to obtain her husband's written permission to get a passport or take a job and mentalities don't change that quickly.

Hiho is right. People is very conservative in Spain. We dress modestly, eat with our right hand and burp very often. Although we accept some 40 million tourists every year coming from barbaric western europe. Also remember that Spain, formerly Africa, was attached to mainland europe just 25 years ago.