Spanish Gypsy dress or flamenco dress? What is the correct name for the flamenco clothing?

Flamenco dresses, spanish Gypsy clothing or Gypsy dresses are some of the names that are indistinctly used by the ordinary citizen when referring the clothing that women in Andalusia wear on Romerias, fairs and other events like that. So called flamenco clothing.

  

However, even all those and much more terms are used when speaking about the same type of dress or clothing. Is it correct? In other words, do all the terms for this spanish clothing mean the same? Basically yes, but it´s also the fact that all of them has their reason to be called as they are. Practically, these are the considerations that have to take into account respectfully:

• It is common to turn to use the terms Gypsy costume or Gypsy dress to refer that type of regional clothing. Why? Because precisely the dress has its origin in the clothing that the women in Seville (sevillanas) with the ethnic gypsy background used to wear in the commercial fairs where they sold livestock in the end of the century XIX and at the beginning of the century XX. Tailed gowns, in particular, were those that shined and afterwards inspired the women from the upper classes to design the official clothing that they used to wear during the “Feria de Abril” celebrated on 1929, the year when the capital of Andalusia organized the Universal Exposition.

• On the other hand, it is also typical to call the flamenco clothing as a flamenco dress. It is common used term, and this clothing has stayed as a use of regional clothing to convert to a dress on that a woman wants to shine in diverse cultural and social happenings where she feels herself specially attractive.

For that reason, the purists say flamenco dress is the only correct name to be used when referring this clothing. However, also the other common terms are allowed to be used when speaking about this spanish clothing.

Which flowers are in fashion this year? Hortensias and peonies.

Each flamenco dress can be accompanied with lot of accessories but the essential one is a flower pinned to hair. Traditionally roses and carnations were used, whether natural or fabric, always matching the material and color of the dress. In recent years, however, the flowers have changed and it’s good to  follow the new trends so you don’t look the same every year.

Peonies started to be popular couple of years ago. If your flamenco dress is made of reds and pinks, a natural peony in a similar color is a perfect match. What’s more it makes your look unique and elegant because of its special petals and facture of the flower.

Another flower that has been widely used in recent years, known for its beauty and versatility (it looks good with all kind of hairstyles) is the hydrangea (commonly known as hortensia). If you want more natural look you can choose less artificial colors such as white, pink or blue. They look very good on your hair, worn in a traditional way or above the ear as well.

If the flamenco dress is another color we can always choose accessories and supplements which will match the dress. Artificial hortensias or peonies come with all the colors you can imagine. If you already have one you can even paint it in the color you wish in order to fit into current trends.

The important thing is finding the right color and choose a right size of the flower that goes well with other accessories and that it looks natural and elegant. You can also use various small flowers and make a combination of different shades that contrast with the dress, using for example big hortensia in the middle and small flowers to form a bouquet around. Combining tradition and new trends will look outstanding in the Real de la Feria.

Mantilla – a traditional Spanish veil

Even though everybody recognizes world-famous Spanish dresses – it is not only the design of flamenco dresses that is so important for Spanish women. The tradition of flamenco dresses has started in XX century but not many people know that there is a part of Spanish costume which has a longer history. 

Mantilla is a significant element of Spanish culture and fashion – it’s a veil, cut in a shape of a circle, which edges are precisely decorated with lace. It is usually made of tulle, silk or just entirely with lace. Spanish women wear it on a top of their heads, so that its sides fall down on shoulders. In traditional Spanish version Mantilla is attached to hair with a big decorated comb called peineta.

Mantillas were born in the hot Spanish climate in Andalusia at the beginning of the seventeenth century and they have gained recognition among the high class very quickly. We can recognize them on many paintings of Velazquez or Goya. A huge fan of this type of veil was Queen Elizabeth II, but after her abdication in 1870, the habit of wearing mantilla began to fade. Primary it has symbolized woman's humility before God. Right now it is still strictly associated with catholic religion and tradition. However Spanish women started wearing it only during special occasions like funerals, weddings, Sunday masses but also during less religious events such as bullfights. Today mantilla is a mandatory headgear during official visits to Vatican.

Also during the celebration of famous Holy Week, we can see women dressed in flamenco dresses holding decorative black fans and rosaries. But it’s a tradition than during Holy Thursday they wear black Mantillas as well. It is an essential element of folk costume worn by women in some parts of Spain, so certainly it cannot be missed during Semana Santa. 

Feria de Abril: Spanish fashion week

It’s not so long till the beginning of Feria de Abril. From 6 till 11 of May Seville will transform into a place of endless dancing, singing, eating and drinking. Feria de Abril is an event organized in Seville in which thousands of people participate every year. During this week the home of many residents of Seville moves to Real Feria Square, where they dance sevillanas, sing, drink Rebujito and eat.

Feria de Abril is a huge flamenco-party with a rather private nature. Even though almost the whole city is celebrating – they do it in separate tents called Casetas. Casetas can vary in size – some of them tend to be small and can accommodate only a few dozen people, but there are also casetas-giants, which can be filled with several thousands of people.

Even though Feria de Abril is a celebration of flamenco it is not true that all Seville residents know how to dance it. It is true, however, that almost all of them can dance sevillanas – a folk version of flamenco typical for the region of Seville. Sevillanas consists of four stanzas and can be danced in pairs or in groups of four. Texts of sevillanas usually speak about love, joy or even about Seville itself.

However, without a doubt, the most important thing during Feria de Abril is the outfit. Seville turns into a true fashion capital… Capital of flamenco fashion. There is no outfit more “Spanish” that the one associated with flamenco. Flamenco dress or a gypsy dress, as it’s called here in Andalusia, definitely goes beyond the categories of a regional outfit. Flamenco dresses evolve with fashion - depending on trends – they can be more or less colorful, shorter or longer, with two or several flounces.

Flamenco outfits are usually associated with long dresses with flounces in various shades of red and orange. Accessories are also necessary: huge flowers, different colored combs, long earrings, beads and shawls. Flamenco fashion, although dates back to more than a hundred years ago, blooms each year, with new designs, colors, patterns and accessories.

While walking in Seville you will surely come across a number of shops selling trajes de gitana, or offering to sew a dress specially made for you. These stores are primarily owned by well-known fashion designers of flamenco clothing. It is common to buy or sew a new outfit every year, always fitting into actual trends. Are you ready to the biggest flamenco fiesta of a year? 

2014 Trends in flamenco fashion

If you are aware that is it time for you to renew the flamenco dresses and compliments that you have been saving in your closet, it is extremely important for you to have in mind what the fashion is going to be and what people are going to wear this 2014.

Even though flamenco fashion maintains its essence, every season new lines and colors are created that go along with the new trends. For this reason, we will try to help you buy your new dress by giving you some of the tendencies that will be imposed this year.

· One of the most important things that you should have in mind is that during these twelve months there is not a single and dominant color for these dresses.

· As in the previous point, you can buy costumes in a variety of fabrics. You must choose the one that’s most enjoyable to you, the one that’s less heavy or the one that best suits your taste and your pocket: silk, tulle, chiffon, poplin, cotton…

· The prints, like in any other field of fashion, will be imposed this 2014. However, among the great variety of them the ones that are going to highlight will be the ones with dots as protagonists, the essence of traditional gypsy dress.

· Also, we will stress that another very important trend in these types of dresses are the long sleeves. 

· To all this, it is essential to know that this year the dresses will have a traditional cut.

· Finally, when talking about the compliments of the flamenco dresses, large flowers and embroidered shawls or shawls with fringes will be used.

Enjoy all the flamenco fashion trends for this year visiting the following link.