After nearly 20 hours of flights and countless reruns of Elite, I’m a born-again Spanish fashion fanatic. Although my style veers more towards understated silhouettes, neutral colors, and classic tailoring, two weeks in the Spanish capital of Madrid has breathed life into my closet.
To the surprise of no one, the anti–skinny-jean trend remains strong. Spanish women are more receptive to out-there trends than their French neighbors, so baggy styles like cargo pants and ultra-wide trousers made guest appearances as well.
Americana goes East. While cowboy boots boomed and slowly faded away among American influencers and celebrities (minus our favorite horse girl, Kendall Jenner), the Western staple still remains strong among Spain’s fashion crowd. Most of the women I spotted wearing them paired their boots with casual knit dresses—a combination I need to try for myself now that I’m back home.
While European women are most often associated with dark colors and understated prints in the winter, Spanish women completely throw that rule out of the window. For every elegant Breton-stripe outfit I saw on the streets of Madrid, there was a loud and cheery knit top, cardigan, or sweater following close behind. Who said freezing temperatures have to be boring?
Sherpa-lined aviator jackets and fur bomber jackets are one of my most anticipated outerwear trends of this season. To prove my point, look no further than retailers like Mango and Zara (or Loewe, for splurges) which are staples among Spanish women, spearheading the style across different countries. I picked up a vest bomber jacket during my trip I saw at least six people wearing it on the street, and truth be told, it may have been the best purchase I’ve made in a while.
I used to think you couldn’t pry miniature, ’90s-style sunglasses out of my cold, dead hands, but I stand corrected. I’m a newfound fan of oversize sunnies after seeing Spanish women style them. While the silhouette vaguely reminds me of early aughts tabloids and MTV’s Jersey Shore reruns, Madrid style has a penchant for being a bit more out there. Surprisingly, I picked up a few pairs ahead of Spring. I don’t think they’ll be leaving my closet anytime soon.
I’ve never met an oversize jacket I didn’t like—especially when I can hide a pair of sweatpants under it. On the street, the Spanish tend to dress overall a bit more casually and comfortably than French girls or Italian women: a winning scenario for me. As a result, overly oversize jackets and longline coats are hits among the fashion crowd in Salamanca, an upscale neighborhood in Madrid that is the beating heart of luxury shopping.
