The gorgeous flamenco dresses for women and the "trajes cortos" (short suits) for men.
What to wear (and what not to) when you go to the fair...
By Brenda Padilla
As tourists approach the Seville Fair in simple shirts and trousers, cameras in hand and sunglasses ready for action, it might appear that all the natives are simply dressed in some traditional folkloric costume that only varies slightly in colour and cut from one person to another.
Look again. In fact, every year the styles change at the Seville fair with new patterns, colours and dramtically different cuts in the traditional flamenco dress putting some women on the cutting edge of fashion and marking others as last year’s leftovers. Not only that, but those smart suits you see on those lucky enough to attend the fair on horseback also evolve, but only within very strict guidelines (one of them being – no sunglasses to accompany the suit!).
The gorgeous flamenco dresses we foreigners admire today at Seville’s spring fair started way back when the whole purpose of this event was to buy and sell animals. Women – mainly gypsies – would attend the fair with their husbands, who were there on business. These first female participants wore simple country clothes, dresses with two or three tiers.
Over time, these simple peasant dresses were actually copies by upper class women attending the fair, with more and more ruffles added and a sexier cut evolving over the years in order to create an ever more dramatic effect walking down the street.
Eventually the “traje de gitana” (Gypsies’ Outfit) became emblematic fairgoing attire.
Along another vein, the dress for those on horseback was evolving. This too dates back to the early days when men wore these “trajes cortos” (short suits) to work in the countryside – probably donning the jacket when they went to town or to a féria to trade cattle. At first, this was only for men, but as the suits became fashionable and women riders also needed suitable attire, a whole line was designed for them.
What’s rather interesting about the “short suit” and wide-brimmed hat that riders wear is that the association of Tailors of Seville actually turned out an official list of do’s and don’ts for riders. And in a city like Seville, where dress is everything, a list like this approached Bible-like status at the fair. Here are a few do’s and don’ts.
Do choose dark fabrics and choose a hat in matching colour (it must at least match the jacket). Do wear spurs, suspenders, vests, handkerchiefs and cummerbunds – and do check to be sure you’ve got the right buttons this year!
Don’t wear a tie, scarf, gloves, belt, wristwatch or sunglasses. Forget about pleated shirts or pants with ironed creases, black or brightly coloured fabrics. And no long beards, long hair, pony tails – or spurs on the ground! For goodness sake!
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