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 Isaure Cointreau

- I am a Bobo.

- A what?

- … a BOBO!

- What the hell does that mean?

Not everybody knows what it stands for but I believe everybody knows one. So where do they hide? Who are they? What do they eat? Just like you and I they are normal people who live in this completely dysfunctional world. However they can be distinguished by their extravagant lifestyle. Bobo is a label given by David Brooke to those who appear to lead their life through two opposite concepts such as the Bourgeoisie and the Boheme. Even so, this could to some not shed any more light to the term as it relates to very frenchy connotations. In simple words a Bobo is a mix between a hippy and a yuppie.

Are they somewhat of a specific bread of human? More of a group of snob idealists who can also be compared to eco-capitalists with strong roots in traditional values, though thinking ahead to the future and embracing modernity. In a nutshell, they are somewhat of a multi- contradictory grasp of ideas and ideals.

These urban inhabitants claim their wild wish to live in the countryside though they are intrinsically linked to the city. Working in a suit during the day, outside the office they change into the cool musician, bio-cook, anti-globalization supporter and so on. However, if one thinks they are cheap well let him think twice. Although they will only buy for the sake of setting an example, including values and ethics on every purchase, they won’t hesitate to look into their wallets. Purchasing the bio-toothpaste for the sake of the planet rather than its (disgusting) taste, they put a smile on Oxfam’s people rather than their banker, if only he knew. However as said before they are linked to the city, working in serious outfits by day, looking like any other entrepreneur, so money is not an issue. They just won’t spend it on a shopping stroll on the high end streets like the C/ Serrano. The Bobo is an anti-consumerist. One might find out that his new scarf had been traded at a barter market, his carrots and tomatoes grown in his backyard, his bookcase found on the street rather than bought. And in fact why not? It seems more of an inspiration, or aspiration than anything else.

Now that his profile is more or less defined, Madrid strikes me as being the perfect Bobo city. Although, it did require a little hint to make me link them to one another. On a hot Sunday while hanging out at a café plaza Dos de Mayo, I found a propaganda sticker on my chair. It said:

-Yo ya no uso MP3… Y TU?

-TAMPOCO: prefiero sentir el viento a mí alrededor – La poeta

- Tampoco – Sois Bobos.

The message instantly appealed to me and while I was thinking of what it was referring to, it appeared clearly that Madrid was completely suitable to the Bobo spirit. With New York, London and Paris along for the ride, Madrid is another happy habitat for those yuppie-hippies.

I would imagine them living in the center of Madrid, in boroughs such as la Latina or Huertas. These lively districts have a very welcoming vibe with charming little streets filled with restaurants, bars and jazz stages. Though not far from there, bookshops and art galleries flourish only to their delight. On the other hand the Rastro and la Charca de la Rana would be their destination when looking for antique furniture or to exchange goods.

Malasana on the other hand offers a perfect background for the Bobo hunt as it is not impossible to see them shopping in the numerous vintage and small designer shops. The nightlife in this area, although pretty delicious, is not their cup of tea as Bobos would prefer a more chilled ambiance. However, during the day the borough appears to them as a large coffee terrace.

As an individual I would depict the Bobo as an art amateur who enjoys a good museum once in a while. Cultivated and curious, he wants to know everything. Having a foot in the past, the other in the future, he doesn’t know how to define his taste other than defining it as personal, though as he cherishes the old and worships the new, he is the illustration of contradiction. He is a frequent movie goer though preferring the Cine Dore’s classics than any new Hollywood big budget creation. In fact he is also a member of the Circulos de Bellas Artes where he goes painting, sketching, reading or checking out the exhibitions.

Could this be the new rising class?