by Isaure Cointreau

For the fiftieth anniversary the bi-annual Cibeles Fashion week will stage once again Spain’s greatest designers. Between the 18th and the 22nd the show will be on at the Feria de Madrid while a special edition of the show will be presented to mark the 25th year of the event.

The IFEMA will be showing off some new features launching and promoting Spanish Fashion as a whole. While announcing the return of Adolfo Dominguez and Roberto Verino on the Madrid catwalk, could there be more? The Cibeles stage will be awaiting the work of fifty six designers, and to that number we would have to add another thirty five who will present their collection in the EL EGO showroom featuring direct sales to the public.

However on the 21st the Feria will pay a huge tribute to a great Spanish fashion master Elio Berhanyer, who just celebrated his eightieth birthday this year. This September edition will also fire the most outstanding Spanish models such as Tammy, Natalia lopez, Esmeralda Martin and Irene Jimenez.

An event to look forward to.

by Isaure Cointreau

It’s getting hot in here and laziness is part of the daily routine as the siesta becomes a must. After a light lunch, eyes come closing as the hot air of the southern weather imposes its heavy weight on our energy. After the necessary nap, the afternoon stands open armed to fulfill one’s urge to move from the living-room sofa.

Next step would be showering and changing into something lighter than jeans and shirt. However when the closet imposes itself with jumpers and winter clothing what can one do? Summer is here for sure but for those who are still not armed to face the heat, where clothing would be ideally an accessory; a dresser’s reorganization is unavoidable.

Luckily sales are on Spain-wide in little over a week. However if the idea of fighting over a shirt in a crowded shop where people don’t mind stepping on your foot to get what they want, you might want to rethink that. So what’s next? What is the other option that would include cool stuff for an attractive price? If you have heard about vintage shopping then you know what I mean as Madrid is full of these second hand shops.

Heading towards Malasana, a few euros in the pocket, the lookout for new-old stuff is on the go. Down the Corredera Alta de San Pablo, Retro City appears as a cave of wonders. Of course one should be prepared to get their hands dirty as the amount of boots, vests, dresses and various accessories are outnumbered. Expect to spend at least a half hour to find something, but to be sure, you’ll leave the shop with Doc Martins and an exotic jump-suit or a leopard printed scarf, jean shorts and an Austrian mountain hat. Prices are deliciously reasonable and therefore style is not much of a luxury. Although accessorizing can make anything look like a million dollars, one still has to count on their basic tees, though that’ll be the job of any Gap or H&M.

A little further down El Barco, the Corachan y Delgado shop offers a wide range of 20’s to 80’s clothing. Walking in the shop feels a little like entering an exhibit on XIXth Century trends. However, though it’s not on the cheap side, “haute couture” stands before your eyes and in good condition, so have a look around to see if you can find something that’ll suit your taste. The owners on the other hand will gladly help you as they have the eye to understand what could appeal to you.

However for those who prefer something a little more retro-like, linked to a very cool and soothing ambiance, C/Velarde’s Magpie-Vintage might suit them best. In a charming little shop with very little furniture, shoes, hats and bags from all age and condition are at hand. Although most of the clothes exposed are way too much of a high maintenance look, you could be surprised by a few finds. However don’t forget to check out the 5 to 10 Euro basket as vests and amusing t-shirts may be just waiting for you.

To continue on the vintage stroll, C/Pez is a keeper. Holala opens its doors to all eccentric style lovers. Although some dresses seem to have been designed for an Almodovar movie, some jewelry, shoes and sun-glasses can be a catch. Though pricy for the most part, such as the bags and costumes, it is always great fun to have a look around. But who knows what can come of it? Maybe it is just what you have been looking for.

Therefore on a hot afternoon when shopping is an option to avoid the crowd of the busy center and eventually replenish your wardrobe of nice summery kinky stuff, Malasana is the place to go.

By: Jeanne Reidy

When I told my Mom that I went to the fashion museum in Madrid, her reaction was less than impressed. ¨With the Prado, the Reina Sophia and the Thyssen, you’re spending your time in the fashion museum?¨ Yes,  mother, and I don’t regret it. The Museo del Traje is more than just a fashion museum. It tells, shows, rather, the history of Spanish culture through one of the more interesting and revealing ways- the clothes.

What better way to understand the way Spaniards looked at and approached their everyday life, special events and relationships with each other than through their wardrobe?

For example, seeing the transformation of the shape of corsets throughout the centuries until today, gives a better understanding of the way women viewed themselves during the different time periods. Watching the changes in the shapes of the body demonstrates which features were seen as more attractive and more willing to be emphasized. Let’s just say that the undergarments worn in the 17th century were quite different than those of today, which says a lot about today’s culture and how far we’ve come.

The history of fashion not only applies to women. Men’s clothing throughout the ages is well represented at the museum, as well. One of the most surprising and captivating features of the clothes is their size. Men, and women for that matter, were practically miniature during certain periods of history. Not just the waist lines on women, but the shoulder width and leg length of men were much smaller and shorter than today. Again, that must say something about the change in culture. Is it that we’ve become for active and interested in vitamins and nutrients over time, leading to bigger stronger bodies?

One of the most memorable, and somewhat disturbing, facts I learned at the museum has to do with the role of nursemaids throughout history. After the Spanish Civil War, upper class families would hire women known as ¨wet maids¨. These were younger healthy women from outside the cities who were hired to nurse the infants of the family so that the wealthy mothers were not bothered with the task nor did it take a toll on their bodies. As the child grew older, every time it grew a new tooth, the wet maid was rewarded with a piece of jewelry from the family as a thank you for her work in nurturing the child. Some of these pieces of jewelry are on display at the museum. 

I’d been to the Museo del Traje a few months ago, but went back this weekend to see the exhibit ¨Stilettos: Fascination and Seduction¨. The history of the stiletto is traced from its first appearance Christian Dior´s 1940’s collection through today. Shoes from the highest end designers are present, including Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin. The fresh and newer feeling of the modern shoe designers in the exhibit gives the museum a new vibe that applies to a younger audience and gives a new spin to the ¨history¨ museum.

The exhibit at the Museo del Traje is ongoing until ongoing until August 30, closed on Mondays. Metro Cuidad Universitaria.           

by Stuart Yochem and Mary Doman

Two young American girls were about to take off for a summer in Madrid, neither of them knowing what the future would hold. In their first blog, readers will see that Madrid welcomed them, confused them, robbed them, got them lost… but somehow always led them back to a nice home and a soft bed.

Stuart: Only a week ago, I was sitting in my bedroom in Charlotte, North Carolina anticipating (or more accurately worrying myself sick) over what the next six weeks would bring. I was headed to Madrid solo, where I would take up a new lifestyle, job, and have to make friends all over again. It seemed that my adventurous nature escaped into a vast forest and was not planning on returning. Upon arrival, however, my fears and insecurities magically disappeared. In a matter of minutes, I became entranced with what I saw outside the taxi window en route to my new casa. Within three days, I began adapting the Madrileño life style, eating meals later and taking life slower. In no time, I realized that venturing to España may have been one of my best decisions yet.

Mary: Only a week ago, I was enjoying some drinks and conversation at my friend´s wedding. Between sips of Bud Light and bites of chicken fingers, I strained my ear to hear the jokes and high school stories of my lifelong friends over the loud classic rock band. I smiled and nodded. And they smiled and nodded back. A very American understanding, I´d say. After a while, we headed to the dance floor to join the traditional dance train and obnoxious sing-along to ¨Sweet Home Alabama.¨ The next day, I´d be leaving my sweet home in Tennessee for a casa in Madrid. Like Stuart, I was seeking after a new lifestyle, a new job, and new friends.

Day 1, Stuart: In my twenty-one years of life on this earth, I have yet to sleep on any moving object. As I stepped onto the US Airways jumbo jet in Philadelphia, though I had sleeping pills in tow, I anticipated the next eight hours would be filled with reading my new book, watching TV, and perusing the cabin while other travelers remained in deep slumber. Over the years, I have learned that instead of getting angry at all those people who can fall asleep on the spot, I must accept that motion insomnia is a part of who I am.

Upon arriving in the Barajas International airport, the color under my eyes turning darker by the minute, it took little time to collect my bags and make my way to the Instituto Internacional. As the taxi driver moved into Madrid, I suddenly forgot about my sleep deprivation and began marveling at my new surroundings. Other students in the program arrived within ten minutes, and most, looking and feeling as tired as I, were friendly from the start. After a two hour briefing on our new homes, school, and careers in Spain, I walked with my monster of a suitcase to my home stay, conveniently located two blocks from school.

After meeting all of my housemates, including my senora Juana, her two daughters, a family friend, a French exchange student, and a Spanish student from Alicante, all of whom were as nice as can be, I settled into my new room and lay down. The next thing I knew it was dark out, and time for my first homemade cena! It seemed, surprisingly, that I was settling in pretty nicely and warming up to the idea of a new home a new people.

Day 1, Mary: Unlike Stuart, I slept quite a bit on my first day (Or, depending on what time zone you´re in, my first and second day). A late night of packing, plus general excitement and anxiety, gave me a large sleep debt that I was happy to pay off on my way to Spain.
The napping began in Nashville, and continued to Chicago. I was nodding off towards Philadelphia when something actually startled me awake. No, not flight attendants with free pretzels, but rather, the pilot´s voice on the intercom, saying he had to turn the plane around. Something about a small technical problem, something else, something something something, but we weren´t in danger of crashing, so that was a good thing. The bad thing was that I would definitely miss my flight from Philadelphia to Madrid.

Back in Chicago, a US Airlines employee handed me a meal voucher and a ticket to Frankfurt, departing at 10 p.m. After that, I slept for 6 more hours in Chicago´s Terminal 2, taking a 2 hour break for a turkey sandwich and beer at a Chili´s bar. Then more sleep, more planes, yada yada yada.
I made the most of my short journey to Germany, though, by purchasing an overpriced soft pretzel in the airport! While I sat in the terminal eating it, I met a girl named Jacklyn, also heading to Madrid for the summer.

When our journey ended, finally, in the Barajas airport, Jacklyn and I rubbed our eyes and began a 2 hour quest to find our luggage, tucked away in one of the four baggage claim arenas. After we found it, my new friend Jacklyn informed me that she needed to call a friend to arrange a ride. She didn´t have any euros, and after the information desk didn´t understand/help us with the situation, we put our trust in the Spanish people. I asked a man in a coffee shop if I could borrow his phone, and handed his blackberry to Jacklyn, who stopped crying and called her friend. Jacklyn and I parted ways after that.

Instead of giving the taxi driver the address to my school, where I was supposed to go when I landed, I gave him the address of my homestay instead. It was 9 pm by this time, and I´m pretty sure I missed that group meet and greet/orientation that you enjoyed so much, Stuart! I didn´t know if my senora knew I was coming, but I didn´t have a phone, or her phone number, or any phone numbers, for that matter, to call.

Of course I had written the address down wrong in my diary, and my driver and I spent an additional 45 minutes driving in the wrong direction before we found my casa. We had good talks, though, about Obama and paella. He dropped me off, and I knocked at my senora´s door, where, luckily, she answered.

Despite my unique journey, my day one ended up just like yours, Stuart- a welcoming Senora, a nice dinner, and a good night´s sleep.

Day 2, Mary: Day two was going well! I managed to get in touch with the school, catch up on orientation, and meet with my internship advisor. Then I met some kids and we enjoyed a nice afternoon in El Parque Del Buen Retiro and our first Spanish beers. In part due to my academic and vocational progress, and also in part due to the beer, I was feeling very Spanish and very worldly when I stepped onto the metro for my first ride.

When I stepped off of the metro, I was feeling very touristy and very stupid. My purse was feeling very light, now that it was mostly vacant and my wallet (complete with an ATM withdrawal, credit cards, and a driver´s license!) was in the sneaky hands of a thief, long gone. I had been robbed.
My second night in Spain was similar to the first, but this time topped with tears and poverty. I managed to cancel my credit cards over Skype, and discovered that my laptop´s touchpad is surprisingly waterproof. My senora delivered a nice bocadillo right to my room, with a coke and a chocolate bar. Her act of kindness, I told myself as I lay in bed, could maybe cancel out the act of injustice I´d encountered for day 2…

Day 2, Stuart: It sounds like you had quite an eventful couple of days, Mary! First, missing your connecting flight and airport hopping through Europe, and second, when you finally get here, someone robs you! I think this means that things can only look up from here. Plus, your story gives both readers and myself reason to ferociously grasp onto our belongings, so in a way you were helping out mankind by being robbed on the metro. So thank you, thank you, Mary.

Mary: No problem.

Stuart: So, as a new day dawned, I made my way over to Fernando el Catolico for my first day on the job at EV. The morning turned out great and after meeting a lovely staff with whom I´d be working for the next weeks, I was off to the metro. En route to the Moncloa stop, I took a detour to check out what shopping in Madrid had to offer. All I can say is bravo. Lots of boutiques with lots of good prices. After my half hour detour, I came upon my first metro station in Madrid. Feeling accomplished after I purchased my first metro pass, changing trains without error, and making it to Ruben Dario, I was beginning to feel like a native! (or at least a native who looks and acts utterly American).

I exited the metro station and began walking up the hills towards what I thought was my calle. Wrong. Somehow, I made my way at least two miles away from Calle Miguel Angel. As an hour passed, I, stubborn as ever, refused to ask for directions. With time, however, the frustration settled in and I began asking passerbys to point me in the right direction. Funnily enough, no one seemed to know the street, or know which direction to point me in. Plus, it was quite difficult trying to re-hone my Spanish speaking skills. I began to encounter some pretty bewildering looks.

After two hours, I began to ignore the fact that I was completely lost and started admiring all the different neighborhoods and natives. I´ve had a bad sense of direction for quite some time now, so instead of going into panic mode, I´ve learned to just deal with my inadequate map reading skills. The street just takes me where it wants to, what can I say?

Throughout my time wandering about the city, I stopped in at a phone store, where I purchased my first Spanish cell phone! Proudly walking out of the store with pre-paid cell phone and mobile plan, which I later learned was a complete rip off, I went from bank to bank in an effort to change my dollars into euros. I must have forgotten that most banks close mid-afternoon for siesta, so my effort was doomed from the start. Exhausted from walking, I grabbed a coca cola light and sat at the park as young children dressed in full uniform greeted their parents after school. Oh to be young.
As I sat in the park, fully realizing that I was already an hour late for the lunch my Señora had prepared for me, I began a people-watching marathon and began to get what was so great about the carefree nature of the Madrileños. (For those who are interested, I did finally make it home where I was heartily fed and after a long day, I turned in early).

Day 3, Stuart and Mary: On our third day in Madrid, we met and became instant friends. After sharing stories of our first two days, we decided that we both needed a coffee break. Stuart paid, of course. We sat in a Spanish bar for quite some time. Speaking English was a relief for both of us, and we bonded over senora stories and ideas for the summer. We began brainstorming our first blog entry. This is it.

 by Jade Conroy

She’s as iconic as Madonna, Margaret Thatcher and Britney Spears. She’s had a doting boyfriend for 43 years who has never left her side. She’s had the perfect house, the perfect car, the perfect family and hasn’t allowed any obstacles to prevent her from following her career paths. She has even had a song dedicated to her go to number 1.

Two days ago Barbara Millicent Roberts, alias Barbie, turned the big 5-0, and she shows no sign of retiring anytime soon. In the past 50 years she has become an institution of American culture, growing up as every little girl’s best friend. As well as having over 108 different jobs ranging from doctor to astronaut to Olympic gymnast to flight attendant, she has generated a whopping 3.5 billion dollars annually in sales. According to The Economist, if all the Barbies and her family members sold since 1959 were placed head to toe, they would circle the earth seven times. So there seems to be no indication that the phenomenon surrounding this plastic-fantastic blonde haired beauty is decreasing. Barbie has even managed to oust the only significant opposition she has had throughout her existence- the Bratz Dolls- after it was claimed that their creator effectively stole the idea from Mattel before leaving the company to work for MGA entertainment.

In celebration of her birthday, Mattel has teamed up with an array of fashion designers such as Dianne Von Furstenberg, Alexander Wang and Tommy Hilfiger to recreate looks based on iconic outfits from the doll’s archives. These include the infamous black and white stripy bathing suit that the first ever Barbie dolls sported. Along with the perfect pink platforms designed by none other than Christian Louboutin, one of the most exciting catwalk debuts in history took place. In short the event was every modern day fashionista’s fantasy, a fusion of their childhood nostalgia with couture elegance, coated in bubblegum pink. There was even a bonafide, life sized Ken. To be honest, I was never really a Ken fan myself and opted for my Barbies to shack up in her dreamhouse with one of my Boyzone dolls or GI Joe and live happily ever after. However, admittedly this Ken lookalike model was almost adonic, strutting down the catwalk arm in arm with a Barbie suitably wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “Everyone needs a Ken”.

Furthermore, Jeremy Scott has just made a capsule collection of Barbie’s wardrobe and this, alongside her own line of beauty products, is on show at Colette in Paris at the moment. Karl Lagerfeld will also be hosting an exhibition which pays homage to Barbie and Ken, stating that as fashion icons they represent a type of beauty that transcends fashion fads. This is not the first time that Barbie has been a source of inspiration for an artist; in 1985 Andy Warhol created a Barbie painting.  

And if that wasn’t enough, interior decorator Jonathan Adler has made every little girl’s dream a reality- a life size version of Barbie’s Malibu dream house. Equipped with lift and all, the house served as an appropriate milieu for Barbie’s star studded birthday bash on Monday, with Lauren Conrad and Heidi Klum making an appearance. There was even a bright pink VW beetle convertible on the driveway, a perfect touch.

Something tells me however that GI Joe and Boyzone weren’t invited…

by Jade Conroy

Some may say that I am a fond lover of clothes. Well, they would say that it is an understatement to say that I am a fond lover of clothes. Yes, I am partial to a bit of shopping now and again; however my expensive hobby has pretty much left me in the red. So, last week, I decided to channel my love for clothing into another outlet and find a fix from somewhere else- The Museo Del Traje.

“Clothing seems to be an identifying characteristic of our species.”

The Costume Museum is built around this simple principle and it dedicates itself to the celebration of the language of clothing throughout the eras, stating “In every culture men and women, rich and poor, kings and commoners have all been distinguished by their apparel”.

Ranging from bodices from the romantic era to flapper dresses from the roaring twenties and the mini skirt phenomenon, the museum leaves no fashion stone unturned. You find yourself lost in an exquisite maze of 19^th century evening gowns and opulent jewellery collections dating back to the 1800s.

Furthermore, it dedicates a large part to the founding fathers of Spanish fashion such as Cristobal Balenciaga and their predecessors. The museum houses some of his traditional pieces from the 1950s which are still popular today, like the sack dress. It also has a section on Mariano Fortuny, a textile designer who believed that the body was a vehicle of beauty which must be respected. He designed the revolutionary “Delphos” dress which freed the female body of any support. The creations housed in this museum all serve to show the ever changing female silhouette throughout the eras.

You can also see some legendary pieces by Christian Dior as well as Elio Bernhanyer who actually has just had his own temporary exhibition at the museum. Some classic Chanel suits are also featured in this exhibition, as well as one of the most famous garments by Jean Paul Gaultier- the corset body which later became the design for the perfume bottle. Some pieces by Vivienne Westwood from the 1960s and beautiful couture bits by Christian Lacroix are on display too.

Besides the permanent exhibition, the museum holds temporary displays throughout the year and I was lucky enough to see VOGUE ROCKS. This display presented a selection of 38 published fashion photographs of distinguished jewellery brands such as Boucheron, Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels. Photographers included the likes of Patrick Demarchelier and Cecil Beaton. However, my personal favourite from the Vogue archives has to be the shot of the Buzz Lightyear figurine draped in Cartier diamonds shot by Mark Mattock for a 1990s issue of British Vogue. Another of my favourites would have to be Helmut Newton’s photograph of a woman wearing a pair of sumptuous earrings by Van Cleef and Arpels, who strikingly resembles Audrey Hepburn. Some regular faces also cropped up at this exhibition, such as Gemma Ward, Uma Thurman and Pharrell Williams.

In short, the museum is definitely great for those lazy Saturday afternoons, especially as after half past 2 it’s free. It pays homage to designers and demonstrates their lasting contribution to the world of fashion. It definitely took my mind off of shopping for a few hours although I couldn’t resist popping into the gift shop before leaving, obviously.

by Helen Macrae

My friends, winter is well and truly upon us. You might ask what prompted me to arrive at this groundbreaking and outrageous conclusion. Was it the drop in temperature and resulting scrabble in the back of the wardrobe for those long-forgotten mittens and scarf? The trees in the Retiro shrugging off their leaves and stretching out their branches like bony fingers clutching at the sky? Or perhaps the giveaway was when all that snow unexpectedly fell from the heavens on Friday and turned the city into a winter wonderland? No, it’s because the other day I spotted my first child clad in top-to-toe beige.   

I arrived in Madrid last January with my good friend H, and we were immediately struck by the amount of beige we saw on a daily basis. It was everywhere: on the streets, in our classes, on the Metro, in the bars. There were beige coats, beige trousers, beige handbags, beige hats, beige shoes…there were even beige dogs. We devised a mindless but rather entertaining game where the first person to spot something beige and shout “beige!” got a point, but we stopped when we realised the Spanish word is rather similar (errr… it’s “beige” in case you didn’t know already).

As the year marched on and winter turned into spring and then summer, the beige started to disappear. Until now I had thought it was because I was becoming assimilated into Spanish culture and had stopped noticing it. But it seems I was mistaken and there is, in fact, a direct correlation between the outside temperature and the percentage of people wearing beige. Perhaps someone should do a study on it and work out a formula or something. Of course, people do wear plenty of other colours and I know I shouldn’t generalise, but if you come to the city in winter I assure you you’ll notice the pervasiveness of this colour and its variants (cream = “summer beige”, gold = “weekend beige”). For some Madrileños, it seems that beige is not just a colour, it’s a way of life.

At this point I must put my hands up and admit that I haven’t embraced the beige yet. I don’t own anything beige-coloured as I don’t think it suits me, plus I actually find the word offensive: a good example of onomatopoeia where it sounds just as dull as the actual colour. But perhaps it’s just a matter if time. Maybe after a few years of living here I’ll know I’m properly Hispanified when I can eat pipas, make a drink last all night and skip down the street in winter dressed from head to toe in beige.

by Matt Johnson

“What are you going to be this year for Halloween?” I recently asked a British friend of mine.

“Nothing,” he replied. “I’ve never celebrated Halloween before. I think it’s more of an American thing – I don’t really get it.”

“Joder.”

It was in that moment that I came to a shocking realization – there really are some poor unfortunate souls out there who don’t have the first clue about the finer points of this spooky celebration. Well, for those of you who remain uninformed and in the dark, let me shine some light on it for you.

Halloween is the best holiday – the BEST. For the youngsters, you get to dress up like your favorite super hero or movie character of the moment, knock on strangers’ doors (the only night of the year that parents encourage their children to go looking for strangers with candy), and receive endless amounts of tasty treats until your pillow case carrying sack is gushing gobstoppers. This phase in the Halloween Stages of Development Theory is known as the “back when everything used to be fun,” or simply, the “treat” stage.

From there, Halloween takes on a different role as we enter into those pimply-faced, squeaky-voiced, punk-rockin’ adolescent years. The candy was always great and everything, but now with your supermarket bag boy minimum wage pay checks, one can afford to gorge one’s self on candy whenever and wherever. The treats have now taken a step away from the focal point of Halloween motivations, and we therefore move into the “trick” phase. I’m talking of course about Halloween pranks. Have you ever done such a thorough toilet papering job that instead of high tailing it afterward, you just stood and marvelled at the majesty of your artistry? Have you ever done a midnight egg-launching air raid on the neighborhood miser’s house? Have you ever plastered a sleeping street with the hollowed out, decorated shells of toothless, grinning pumpkin carcasses? I’m not recommending that you consider wreaking this type of havoc in Madrid, but if you haven’t participated in these acts of typical teenage town tormenting, then I’m sorry but you’ve missed out. You didn’t even have to dress up for this, either.

We now come to the third phase in the Halloween Stages of Development Theory: the party phase. This is the one most of us are currently in at the moment. Who said dressing up was just for kids? There’s nothing like getting tipsy in your finest 80s rocker costume! For some reason people just seem to lose their inhibitions (for those of us who have inhibitions) when they’re dressed in disguise, perhaps because for one night out of the year, it’s like you can technically be another person. Hey, I wasn’t the one who came home last night and ate your chorizo, it was Spidey – I swear!

This then brings us, of course, to the final stage of the Halloween Development Theory: the “over the hill,” or “responsible adult,” phase. Typical symptoms include but are not limited to: staying at home to watch cheesy horror flick marathons, answering the doorbell for hours on end, passing out free candy to ungrateful neighborhood brats, and going to bed before 10. Please, when I reach this phase, shoot me.

Okay, now that we’ve got all phases covered, let’s move on to my list of Halloween Do’s and Don’ts. There are many ways to celebrate this holiday in style, but some are better than others. Take it from a seriously overenthusiastic costume buff like myself – making the wrong wardrobe or accessory selection can be the difference between a good night and an “oh-my-God-that-was-the-best-night-ever-if-only-I-could-remember-it” type of deal. So read ahead, friend, take my advice, and go boldly into the night.

Do’s

- Think outside the box. Creativity counts – if you have to be a superhero, ditch Superman for Mighty Mouse or Quailman. For guys, the possibilities of costumes can range from Cartman to Edward Scissor Hands, or from a dairy cow to a beer can (yes, I have seen both). Girls on the other hand, try to think of something more clever than a slutty (insert noun here). Don’t worry though – if nothing comes to mind, you won’t be hearing any complaints from our side anyway.

- Wear a moustache! Guys, girls, who cares? What’s more fun than shaking the beer foam off your whiskers? The moustache adds a creepy compliment to any of your retro outfits, and is also a perfect punctuation to any of your creatively-lacking costumes as well. If you’re going to be a fireman, why not cap it off with a solid ’stache? Pirate? No biggie. Throw on a moustache and you’ve got the best costume in the bar. Extra points for handlebars!

- Make your own costume. Think outside the readymade Robin Hood suit. The fun is in the hunt – think you can find a pair of green tights or a puffy-sleeved shirt in Madrid? The challenge is on!

- Get into character. If you’re going to look the part, act the part. Working on your accent and mannerisms are key. If you’re going to be a leprechaun for example, maybe consider watching Boondock Saints before heading to the bar. That way the Irish brogue will be fresh in your memory and ready for use.

- Find a sidekick. A good ol’ fashioned partner in crime is always a great way to celebrate the night, whether it’s your drinking buddy or the old ball & chain. Just please, spare us the Sony and Cher routine. It also goes without saying, but Raggedy Anne and Andy – don’t even…Also be sure to explore all available avenues. Video game characters come in great pairs, and are always under-represented. Mario and Luigi, Ken and Ryu, Scorpion and Sub Zero, etc.

Dont’s

- Come as yourself! Sadly, I’ve seen this done way too often. It’s more of a cop-out than a joke. Hey, if all your friends are dressed like fools, shouldn’t you be, too?

- Wear face paint. After a long night out on the town, the last thing you’ll want to do is come home and scrub your face for hours. This is for guys especially! That is, of course, unless you for some reason own a bottle of makeup remover…Another hazard of wearing war paint is that if you somehow forget to remove it before hittin’ the hay, you’ll be sure to wake up with a rainbow of colors smeared across your sheets. Saturday should never be laundry day. Ever.

- Wear a costume without easily accessible/functional pockets. Make sure that you are able to pull out cash, metro tickets, cameras, and flasks when necessary. Getting a drink takes long enough already without digging for five minutes! But most importantly, always make sure your valuables are secure. Poor pocket placement on your costume may make for a quick hit-n-run by the wallet hijackers of Sol. Also keep in mind the funky tunes: if you’re going to be breakin it down on the dance floor til the wee hours of the morning, avoid a costume with shallow pockets – otherwise you might as well just toss your wallet backwards into the crowd like the bouquet at a wedding.

- Rent a costume. I’m not sure if this is even possible in Madrid, but I’m guessing that it probably is. First of all, most rentals are very cheaply made. They usually don’t fit right and the material is often itchy, plus the fact that it’s like the bed spread at a cheap motel – you don’t know who’s been in it or the last time it had a good washing. Other than that, you run the risk of losing your deposit, which is never cheap. I personally don’t want to tip toe around all night trying to avoid mid-bar collisions and worrying over shirt-staining sangrias.

- Finally, and most importantly, don’t stay in one place all night. Madrileños are fun enough to watch on any given day. Imagine what kinds of craziness you’ll see while you’re out and about on Halloween! There will be Halloween parties all over town – it won’t be hard to find yourself a good starting/ending point. And if you can, make it over to the EV party, look for the lad in the lederhosen, buy him a shot, and tell him how much you enjoy reading his blogs!

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Por Carla Vázquez Jones

Hay que dejar en el armario hasta octubre 2008 los colores pardos, oscuros, en general, los tonos invernales, porque con la primavera, la sangre altera.; como ya decía el dicho. De ahí, los colores vivos y alegres. Este año no iba a ser menos. La moda viene cargada con la protagonista particular de la estación: la flor. En la calle, las personas parecen ramos de flores. El estampado floral vaya donde vaya trae consigo un éxito asegurado, y además la variedad de flores es ilimitada: color, forma, tamaño, etc. Durante el día en el trabajo o en la universidad, o incluso para ir a pasear al parque; de tarde para tomar un café con los amigos y de noche en una fiesta. Tal estampado alegre nos avisa que el verano está a la vuelta de la esquina y nos hace sonreír con tanto colorido. Ya que… ¿a quién no le gustan las flores?

De la cantidad de tipología floral doy paso a otra tendencia: el multiculturalismo, ligado a su vez con la idea de la globalización que estamos viviendo en estos momentos. Aquí hago un respiro y comento que las personas no suelen vincular la idea de que la moda, un elemento de identificación y expresión personal, va muy a la par con los acontecimientos de la sociedad y de la cultura. Así concluyo que después de escuchar a tantos políticos hablar sobre la globalización, de una forma u otra se tenía que ver una representación del concepto encima de una pasarela y dentro de las tiendas. En la imagen se puede observar la inspiración safari que tiene el estampado del vestido. Sin embargo, esta tendencia no se limita a las costas africanas, sino se pueden ver pinceladas de distintas culturas en prendas ajenas a éstas

Esta temporada estar a la última es fácil, uno sólo tiene que echar un vistazo a la naturaleza y a las culturas vecinas.