Seeing More Than Jeans

In the shops and on the streets of Madrid.

Steps from my flat in Madrid’s Chueca neighborhood is a shop I walk by every day called BF by Beatriz Furest. In the windows, one mannequin wears a slim trench over a polo tee and putty-colored corduroys; another is in pleated, rose-hued gauchos and a loose-knit striped cardigan. Nice, but these clothes were never of interest to me. Until yesterday, when for whatever reason and suddenly, they were.

I walked in to learn that BF is a Barcelona-based brand manufactured entirely in Spain, with twelve stores in eight major cities across the country. The clothes – contemporary and breezy – feel like COS-meets-Rachel Comey, void of print and preppy-ish, but with a jolt of shape in the leg, for example. Think natural fabrics. Functional accessories. Nothing is so different from what we see in the States, but it’s certainly unfamiliar (to me) and not a look I typically wear. I took pics of the Adidas-y sneakers before leaving¹. I’m still thinking about this collared cardigan tee.

I’m telling you this story because it’s a good example of something I noticed this week, which is that my eye is shifting to see and like things I wouldn’t have glanced at twice when I first arrived in Madrid three+ weeks ago. Of course, eye-shifts happen in fashion all the time: Seasonal collections come down runways and hit us with tidal waves of newness that, like a foreign country, can seem totally inaccessible at first. Over time, we adjust. And a year or so later, things like see-through skirts are staples. (I still don’t wear see-through skirts, but I do wear see-through pants, you know what I mean?)

The thing is, I’ve only been in Madrid for twenty-five days. Twenty-five days and I can feel a change in what I want to wear. I observe myself reacting to craftier basics and non-denim bottoms (seriously), and it’s real. Yes, the weather is getting warmer (and what’s more transformational than spring?). Yes, I’m starting to relax – the routines I’ve now established for my kids afford me the brain space to do things for myself, like exercise and shop. But twenty-five days is still a very short period of time. A blip. That a distinctly Spanish brand like Beatriz Furest is beginning to make sense to me – that I am seeing how to work pieces of it into my own wardrobe and life – is evidence of a kind of aesthetic fluency that’s practically involuntary and linked directly to living here. They say the best way to learn a new language is to drench yourself in it. Well, total immersion seems to move the language of style along at a breakneck speed, too.

Fashion. Flowers. Madrid is full of things I’ve never seen before, like this Fritillaria imperialis, or Kurdish tulip, at my neighborhood flower shop, Margarita Se Llama Mi Amor. Isn’t it magnificent?!

Much of my schooling in Spanish style has come from observing what women wear in the neighborhoods around El Retiro Park, from Justicia to Barrio Salamanca. I’m particularly impressed with how older Spaniards dress, in jeans or other casual pants, with bright spots of color inserted on shoes or a dog’s leash. The women here appear less at war with their age than my fellow Americans (and than I am with myself, I admit). They wear their grey hair in messy bobs and French buns. Is Botox legal in Spain? Of course it is, but I actually Googled it to confirm because it doesn’t seem like the women here use it. They look incredible.

On the streets of Madrid: Shots of color, crossbody bags, grey hair, and absolutely zero interest in luxury-brand logos.

From what I’ve observed, the truly stylish ladies here do not carry designer bags. Crossbodies are popular. Puffy totes – or sporty, perforated neoprene carryalls with corded straps, like so – are everywhere. Meanwhile, Prada’s designed-to-go-viral nylon bucket is absent on the streets. I haven’t seen one ALAÏA east/west bag. And though, yes, there’s Loewe (it’s headquartered here, with design offices in Paris), the new Madrid isn’t being represented in Madrid. (I tried it in the store and found it hard to hold, honestly.) What a joy to see women wearing bags that are personal and functional and void of logos. Without any signaling, their very confident vibe shines through.

---

Here are 3 things I discovered this week:

The Mercer Brand: Made in Amsterdam and inspired by New York City, this American-retro sneaker and apparel company does really cool shoes for dudes. (I tried the women’s Re-Run and it was way too cluncky for my frame, but if you like a high profile trainer, go for it).

Men’s shoes from The Mercer Brand at the Despacio Concept Shop in Chueca.

Monste Esteve Nugget Bracelets: A heavy gold stone strung on a sporty nylon cord that comes in dozens of colors. They’re made in Barcelona and I found them here.

I like the ones without the diamonds.

La Pajarita: A delightful bonboneria steps from Serrano Street that sells the prettiest hard candies in the most satisfying packaging.

Stacks of hard candies at La Pajarita. The shops wrapping station (right) was equally organized (swoon).

---

It’s spring break next week and my husband and I are taking the kids to Tenerife with friends. Never been! I’m excited. If you like this post, please say so by hitting the heart button. Your encouragement means a lot to me. Thank you for reading, and, as always, Denim Forever.

Jane

1. FOOTNOTE. These are some of the sneakers at BF by Beatriz Furest. They clearly nod to Sambas, swapping the stripes for a graphic brand logo. What do you think?

BF by Beatriz Furest Teo sneaker in black. See all of the footwear – there’s quite a lot! – here.