Spanish Old Lady Style Is the Only Thing Inspiring Me Right Now

Summer is dragging on, and there are no new runway shows, but these Spanish gal pals are giving me life!

Hi, hello! It’s been a while! My personal style has been on the back burner lately, and we’re in a dead zone between fashion weeks, so I haven’t had much to say about clothes of late. It’s been too hot to be very creative with my own clothes, as I’m just trying to wear as little as possible without embarrassing myself or my family. Also, I’ve been working on a big non-fashion-related project that has been keeping my mind off style.

But the one fashion-centered thing that has me feeling excited lately is Spanish old lady style. Yes, I’m serious. Allow me to explain: I studied abroad in Madrid for a semester in college, and I had such a personal style transformation there. Zara, arguably the best of the fast-fashion chains, was founded in Spain, and at the time, it had not yet expanded to the U.S. Discovering it in Madrid was like entering Shangri-La for that fashion-obsessed poor college student version of me. It gave me the chance to experiment with more elevated silhouettes at a price point I could afford, especially during rebaja (sale) season.

I was also impressed by the general care with which Spanish people got dressed, especially the older folks. I lived with a divorcée in her 70s, and multiple times a week, she put on her finest frocks and high heels to go dancing with her friends. In Retiro Park, near where I lived, I loved to watch the old men strolling arm in arm, outfitted in tailored blazers and dress shoes. Clearly, they weren’t still going into an office, but they nevertheless defaulted to more formal pieces even on casual outings. No sweatpants or t-shirts ever!

My best pal, Jas, recently went to Spain with her family, and I was happy to hear from her that the Spanish old folks are still dressing to the nines. She sent pics to confirm.

Wild Pants

Spanish abuelita trend #1 is wild pants, which I’m happy to see in light of my missive on dressing more daringly (inspired by the new Valentino under Alessandro Michele).

I’m loving the crochet bottoms on the left, which are admittedly blurry, but it ain’t easy to take perfect street style pics while remaining discreet AND running after a three-year-old! The pants on the right could have been ripped directly from the Valentino show, and pairing them with metallic ballet flats and a quilted Dior bag is just perfection. Brava, abuelita!

Here are some great abuelita pants on the market right now:

L to R: Sir crochet pants; Tanner Fletcher gingham high-waisted; Maeve scarf print; Isa Boulder crochet AND print; Farm Rio always has the ultimate wild pants

Matched Sets

I’m a sucker for a set, and I’ve clocked them on the runway recently. It’s pretty impressive that three out of four of these gals is doing the monochrome move, and the fourth one may be doing the same, but the over-shirt is obscuring what’s actually going on. My favorite abuelita in this group is the one who’s “all redded up,” as my son would say—down to the chic bow flats. I mean, come on!!!

These gals are rocking it too. To be fair, the one on the right is not an abuelita, but she’s standing next to one, so close enough! This cobalt blue is a thing right now, and I love seeing it on two generations in the same image.

Here are a few of the sets I’ve been eyeing at the moment:

L to R: Souer chambray set (I REALLY want this one!); beautiful Cos knit skirt set; with a name like Leset, you better believe they have the sets; why is this J. Crew so CUTE?!; Crochet AND set from DISSH

My aforementioned big project may keep me from Substacking for the next couple weeks, but Fashion Week is right around the corner, and I can’t wait to hunt for the trends and share them with you all! Stay tuned!

xx,

Joanna