No Spain, no gain
It’s not clear why the Spanish get a raw deal in the international style league. Every one of us could write a dissertation – at least – about Parisian style. We could probably get it published too. There are dozens of fanciful books on the subject on Amazon alone, including boxed volumes (I kid you not) and the latest offering from Mireille Guiliano, entitled French Women Don’t Get Facelifts – a title I think we all know is a massive porkie.
Scandi style? Know quite a lot about their layering skills, and more than I could ever wish to about their homely but winning ways with a cute pair of mittens and an earthenware coffee mug (are you sensing that I never want to read another article about hygge?).
Manhattan style? Got it, thanks to a quarter of a century’s minute reflections on Anna Wintour. Italian style? From Claudia and Sophia to Monica and Franca, I think we’ve got that covered too.
Even the
Brits have had their fair share of accolades, most of which zoom in, somewhat hazily, on our nonchalant “spontaneity”.
So why the cold shoulder when it comes to Spain?
I know why, you’re thinking. They’ve only got Queen Letizia. She’s the only woman in Spain who knows how to get dressed.
But that’s just it.
Pootle around the sweeping avenidas of Madrid or the cafes of Barcelona and your eyes will be on stalks at the sheer elegance of the general populace. Elegance. That’s not a modern-sounding word, but that’s the charm of Spanish style. They’re probably not chasing the latest grunge meme. They’re not big on Uglybut-fashionable. Instead, they understand clearly what suits them and, even when they look high maintenance, they’re dressing in a way that, to them, seems effortless. Even in their early twenties, they like tailoring, quality, classics, colour. That doesn’t mean they look oldfashioned, but they buy with an eye to longevity. They’re polished even when they’re low key, and know the power of a bold accessory. It’s no coincidence that Spanish brands – Zara, Massimo Dutti, Uterqüe, Masscob, Sunad, Bimba y Lola – are whipping many of our homegrown ones.
Originally launched as an underwear and swimwear specialist in Barcelona in 1986, TCN offers pieces designed to look current for years. Leather is a speciality but there’s also practical and discreetly eye-catching year-round accessories, from sheepskin stoles to feminine but sporty lace-trimmed camisoles. You could call it high-functioning fashion rather than high-concept – it feels like a website you can rummage in fruitfully without having been railroaded by trends. From £102 to around £400 for coats; tcnbarcelona.com