Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't go overboard, but mixing in clothes that reflect your culture and history is perfect. I'm thinking simple black dress with turquoise jewelry ... cowboy boots with a skirt ... an off-the-shoulder top with slim black pants.

Definitely. I don’t dress in costume even here. I do wear a lot of colorful, fun clothes. I’m a big fan of Oaxaca designer Silvia Suarez and have a few of her dresses and blouses. One of my cousins in Mexico turned me on to this brand. Would these work in Spain?

https://www.instagram.com/suareztextil/?hl=en

Oh gosh I would hope so - those are gorgeous

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't go overboard, but mixing in clothes that reflect your culture and history is perfect. I'm thinking simple black dress with turquoise jewelry ... cowboy boots with a skirt ... an off-the-shoulder top with slim black pants.

Definitely. I don’t dress in costume even here. I do wear a lot of colorful, fun clothes. I’m a big fan of Oaxaca designer Silvia Suarez and have a few of her dresses and blouses. One of my cousins in Mexico turned me on to this brand. Would these work in Spain?

https://www.instagram.com/suareztextil/?hl=en

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Western look and culture is very popular in Europe and particularly in Germany. Even country and western music has a following.

Just don't wear athletic shoes and don't wear shorts.

Athletic shoes are really popular in Europe right now, esp. Paris. A lot of people wear shorts now, too. It’s not like it used to be.

yeah but it has to be stylish, not like your going on a hike or a quick run to Walmart.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parisian here.

1. Which part of Europe? Urban or country? We’re not one country, you know. Some provincial areas are more conservative, the south of Europe may be more climate-friendly for your wardrobe, and big cities, particularly Paris, always love dark solid colors.

2. Wear what you want, within limits of climate and decency.

3. If you want a job, not in an artsy folksy community, you’ll have to tone it down a bit.

4. Sorry to mention it, but of course part of looking good in France, and especially Paris, means being slender. You could wear a trash bag and heels and walk down the rue de Rivoli in a jaunty fashion and be thought to look good... if you’re slim and carry yourself well. Overall weight perceptions in Europe are not as skewed as in the US.



4. Big smiles, friendliness and a dogged willingness to wait for the grumpy natives to accept you will go a very long way to making your stay more pleasant

OP. Thank you for your response! Very helpful. I will not be living in France but Spain. I am a Spanish speaker and hoping I won’t be too ridiculed for my accent. I wouldn’t describe myself as extremely thin but am slender and very athletic. I hike or ride pretty much every single day. Very much hoping not to live in a big city because I want to have outdoor access. Not sure if I will be able to have my own horse. With remote working, we are hoping to be within a reasonable train ride to Madrid. I’m generally very friendly and informal. I smile a lot but had heard that would make me appear dim to many Europeans. I’ve visited quite a bit pre-pandemic with my husband but never for more than a month at a time.

This move is extremely difficult for me. I am close to my family, love my state and its weather, food and unique culture. Thanks for the responses. It helps with the anxiety.

Sounds like a dream life. As an European myself, I did notice while living there that sometimes American women would try to fit in by smiling a lot, being always agreeable and making themselves small - if that makes sense. This absolutely doesn't work over there. Europeans like share their opinion of everything and like to disagree for the sake of discussion. They will say stuff that can come across as inappropriate or rude. Don-t take it personally. They will love you if you show your authentic self and don't try to be perfect. I have to say though that Spain (the southerns part specifically) struck me as more racist than what I was used to in France, Switzerland or Germany. That probably won't affect you though.

Thank you! I have worried a bit at being labeled a “Sudaca” for having Mexican roots. A very ugly slur.

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I really felt judged about when I lived in Europe was shorts... Europeans hate shorts and think they look foolish. I love them so wore them anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parisian here.

1. Which part of Europe? Urban or country? We’re not one country, you know. Some provincial areas are more conservative, the south of Europe may be more climate-friendly for your wardrobe, and big cities, particularly Paris, always love dark solid colors.

2. Wear what you want, within limits of climate and decency.

3. If you want a job, not in an artsy folksy community, you’ll have to tone it down a bit.

4. Sorry to mention it, but of course part of looking good in France, and especially Paris, means being slender. You could wear a trash bag and heels and walk down the rue de Rivoli in a jaunty fashion and be thought to look good... if you’re slim and carry yourself well. Overall weight perceptions in Europe are not as skewed as in the US.



4. Big smiles, friendliness and a dogged willingness to wait for the grumpy natives to accept you will go a very long way to making your stay more pleasant

OP. Thank you for your response! Very helpful. I will not be living in France but Spain. I am a Spanish speaker and hoping I won’t be too ridiculed for my accent. I wouldn’t describe myself as extremely thin but am slender and very athletic. I hike or ride pretty much every single day. Very much hoping not to live in a big city because I want to have outdoor access. Not sure if I will be able to have my own horse. With remote working, we are hoping to be within a reasonable train ride to Madrid. I’m generally very friendly and informal. I smile a lot but had heard that would make me appear dim to many Europeans. I’ve visited quite a bit pre-pandemic with my husband but never for more than a month at a time.

This move is extremely difficult for me. I am close to my family, love my state and its weather, food and unique culture. Thanks for the responses. It helps with the anxiety.

Sounds like a dream life. As an European myself, I did notice while living there that sometimes American women would try to fit in by smiling a lot, being always agreeable and making themselves small - if that makes sense. This absolutely doesn't work over there. Europeans like share their opinion of everything and like to disagree for the sake of discussion. They will say stuff that can come across as inappropriate or rude. Don-t take it personally. They will love you if you show your authentic self and don't try to be perfect. I have to say though that Spain (the southerns part specifically) struck me as more racist than what I was used to in France, Switzerland or Germany. That probably won't affect you though.

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't go overboard, but mixing in clothes that reflect your culture and history is perfect. I'm thinking simple black dress with turquoise jewelry ... cowboy boots with a skirt ... an off-the-shoulder top with slim black pants.

Anonymous wrote:Spain is so great for horse things. Not a horse person myself, although I do have some Valverde boots because who doesn't like treating themselves to some fine leather goods?

There is such a lot of horse culture in rural Andalucia. You might even end up adding a traje de corto to your equestrian wardrobe. El Rocío has sand streets, to me it looks like it could be a western movie set, and a lot of wild horses. They have a Saca de las Yeguas like the Assateague Pony Swim. Jerez, of course, has the horse ballet. Horse racing on the beaches of San Lucar de Barrameda.

Even daily life has a lot of horses. I spend some quality time in a small pueblo in rural Andalucia where people still ride horses to the central plaza, tie them up, and go into the cafeteria for a drink. (Also a lot of burro culture although nobody seems to ride them, they just carry things for old farmers). Every small town festival has people on horseback—Cruces de Mayo, the romerías, the ferias, the pilgrimage to El Rocío. As the day wears on, a lot of drunk people on horseback (not such a great combo with the evening fireworks.)

Anyway you probably know all this already. Thanks for the opportunity to reminisce while waiting for the EU borders to reopen to all. One question, do you know why the women ride sidesaddle at the festivals? It seems pretty uncomfortable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Western look and culture is very popular in Europe and particularly in Germany. Even country and western music has a following.

Just don't wear athletic shoes and don't wear shorts.

Athletic shoes are really popular in Europe right now, esp. Paris. A lot of people wear shorts now, too. It’s not like it used to be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Western look and culture is very popular in Europe and particularly in Germany. Even country and western music has a following.

Just don't wear athletic shoes and don't wear shorts.

Athletic shoes are really popular in Europe right now, esp. Paris. A lot of people wear shorts now, too. It’s not like it used to be.

Anonymous wrote:Western look and culture is very popular in Europe and particularly in Germany. Even country and western music has a following.

Just don't wear athletic shoes and don't wear shorts.