Hot summer outfit in style of vintage Spanish beauty

Earlier, before I visited the "bullfighting country" for the first time, I imagined Spain and the Spaniards in a completely different way. 

I thought that most Spaniards followed the traditions and traditional clothes of their ancestors. 

I thought that most women either wore traditional hats, or wore jewelry or a rose in their hair, but in any case, combined it with a puffy dress or skirt. 

I expected to see sultry black-haired beauties in mantillas and proud courageous caballeros, a land of passionate serenades and tempestuous emotions...

However, unfortunately, in fact, it turned out that Spain, like all other European and not only European countries, has fallen as a victim to globalization and standardization. 

No special national clothes and emotions. Everything is like everywhere else. Boring and monotonous.

Therefore, I decided to compensate this absence by trying to recreate the outfit of a true southern beauty, that was, exactly the way I imagined to be a true Spanish lady. 

But at the same time, as always, I stay committed to my vintage spirit.

Unfortunately, I have not yet been able to find a real old or at least vintage mantilla, not made in China, with which all the shops in Spain are littered now. 

According to my family lore (which were documented), more than 160 years ago, my great-great-great-grandmother Marie, an aristocrat, a philanthropist, a famous salon singer and an art salon owner, had several wonderful hand-woven silk lace mantillas that she ordered as copies of the mantillas of the French Empress Eugenie, née Eugenia de Montijo.

The mantilla (from the Latin mantellum - veil, cover, covering) came into the world fashion from the woman national costume of Spain.

Previously, the mantilla was a silk or lace shawl or veil, which was usually worn over the head, attached to a high special comb (la peineta), made from tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, celluloid. 

In the 19th century, mantillas and la peineta were very fashionable among European aristocrats.

But, unfortunately, all my family mantillas have been lost in the ages.

However, the craving for mantillas remained in my blood. 

As well as an extravagant style of dressing, because my great-great-great-grandmother Marie also loved to dress brightly and unusually! 

I hope someday I will find my mantilla and la peineta...

In the presented Spanish-like outfit, clip-on earrings with fans by “Louis Feraud Bijoux”, were among my few vintage findings at the Lublin (Poland) monthly flea market.

An amazing feature of Poland, in the time I lived there, was that one with any luck could find dresses from the modern British luxury brand L.K. Bennet, and vintage Louis Feraud jewelry, and vintage silver, made in the USSR, in its second-hand stores and flea markets. 

But it was a few years ago and I don’t know, how it is now.

I am wearing:

• Real vintage scarlet pure silk (Maribor Svila) sleeveless button down blouse with ruffled neckline, made in Yugoslavia, about 1970s-1980s
• Real vintage red with stripe and flower print cotton pleated puffy knee length skirt, made in Austria, about 1970s-1980s
• (not seen) Black pure silk petticoat, about 2010s
• Red sinamay and feathers fascinator by “Blanc du Nil”, about 2020s
• Real vintage gold tone metal with black and white enamel and white rhinestones fan shaped clip-on earrings by “Louis Feraud Bijoux”, about 1970s-1980s
• Real vintage sterling silver bangle bracelet with leaves decor, made in USSR, about 1960s-1970s
• Real vintage sterling silver six piece bangle bracelet set, made in USSR, about 1960s-1970s
• Red genuine leather braided belt, about 1990s-2000s
• Real vintage black velvet and red embroidered and beaded silk purse, about 1950-1960s
• Black leather shoes with mid-high heels, 2010s-2020s, made in Spain
• Real vintage artisanal handmade black with hand drawn flowers wood and cotton fan, made in Spain, 1960s-1970s

I ended up with a romanticized and vintage outfit of a Spanish lady in the style of the late 1940s or early or mid 1950s, similar to vintage Spanish advertising of that time.

Contrary to Rita Hayworth (nee Margarita Carmen Cansino), who aspired to become a red-haired typical Hollywood beauty and get rid of her Spanish features, I decided to emphasize my innate features and become a black-haired typical Spanish beauty.

What do you think? Write your thoughts in the comments, I would be very interested to hear your opinion!