The following article is published in the #RGNNMadrid Magazine: Vol. VI, Summer 2018, produced during ROOSTERGNN Academy’s Travel Journalism, Photography & Video Internship Seminar in Madrid, Spain, under the editorial direction of RGNN Expert and Mentor Benjamin Jones. Follow #RGNNMadrid for all of our Madrid coverage.

Spain is beautiful… that’s no question. And what I’m really in awe of is the different way women style their clothes. In my hometown of Chicago, the style is all about track pants and sneakers,  whereas in Madrid, the women are polished in their wrap dresses, culottes, and mules.

I make sure to get a street side seat when eating whenever I can, to discover the day’s top trends out on the streets. I went out on the calle and asked local fashionistas what their favorite street looks are and how Spanish fashion is different in comparison to the United States.

I know what you’re thinking – that this is going to be an article entirely devoted to Zara. While that isn’t entirely the case, Zara does dress the entire country if not the world. Inditex, Zara’s owner (along with seven other brands), has 7,448 stores established worldwide across Europe, America and Asia, as well as online stores.

A few other familiar Inditex owned stores include Pull & Bear, Stradivarius and Bershka. With that being said, here are the top five trends seen to be worn the most.

Trend #1: Easy breezy smock dress

Arancha Alvarez in a head to toe Pull & Bear outfit | Yasmine Duran

The first trend spotted was all over Calle Fuencarral, a street lined with Spanish and international fashion brands in Madrid’s city center, and adorable. I definitely felt the need to go to Pull & Bear and purchase a smock dress of my own after seeing 18-year-old Madrid local, Arancha Alvarez, strolling down the street with her friends. Smock dresses are typically lightweight and easy to throw on and accessorize with. Arancha styled her dress with a basic white t-shirt, light camel colored espadrille sandals and a simple crossbody purse.

Trend #2: Straight leg pant

Alejandra in a posh ensemble- pieces from Zara and Mango | Yasmine Duran

Remember when you were younger and you absolutely hated your mother’s wide leg work pants? They were baggy, wide, and dragged at your feet! Now, these pants are a staple- even outside of the office. I spotted Alejandra Saez, a Venezuelan fashionista living in Madrid, walking around Plaza Mayor, a popular tourist spot, in her put-together outfit. She was wearing a pair of navy blue culottes and dark green tied shoulder blouse. Saez says, “Mango is the spot for this staple piece. The pants there are cute and affordable”.

Trend #3: Bodycon dress and trainers

Belen Espinosa serving urban looks in her Stradivarius bodycon dress | Yasmine Duran

This outfit spoke to my Chicago girl heart. In the Windy City, all the girls wear are fitted summer dresses and bulky trainers. It came to my surprise when I noticed someone wearing this around the Sol neighborhood. “It’s comfy and I look athletic”, Belen Espinosa said. She’s definitely right about that! The sneakers add the comfort and effortless cool girl vibe; it for sure stood out in a crowd of wrap dresses and maxi skirts.

Trend #4: Not your boyfriend, boyfriend jeans

Maria Elen shopping around Calle Serrano in her comfy but cute denim | Yasmine Duran

Denim is a universal style staple. This outfit in particular was amongst my favorite in the comfy category. Maria Elen, a Valencia native now living in Madrid, says she could “live in jeans for the rest of her life”. Her seamless look matches several Selena Gomez weekend fits and she swears that boyfriend denim is going to be the ultimate staple in the streets from August through the rest of fall. Maria Elen also commented on Pull & Bear’s new inventory of denim and is positive that the comfy boyfriend and mom jean styles will be around for a while in everyone’s wardrobe.

Trend #5: Shirt dress

Marisol Monteros channeling the simple chic look | Yasmine Duran

Who knew that Tom Cruise would be the original inspiration for this popular fashionista trend? It sure is Risky Business going out in nothing but a dress shirt; Marisol does a fabulous job of making it work as a full ensemble. On days she wants to look chic without trying too hard, the Madrid student explains how she throws on an oversized dress shirt (she buys them a size or two large for this reason), some mule slides, and a cute bag to carry over her shoulder. This is definitely one of my favorites and will undoubtedly be part of my 9-5 work wardrobe.

Being able to discover these new trends while here has been such a treat. I cannot wait to bring these style tips back home with me to Chicago! What is your favorite street style trend?

For a representative sample of Spanish fast fashion, check out these shops in Madrid:

Zara

Calle de Fuencarral, 126-128
Telephone: (+34) 914 45 82 71
Opening Hours: 10AM-9PM
Website: https://www.zara.com/es/

Pull & Bear

Calle Gran Vía, 31
Telephone: (+34) 915 21 89 99
Opening Hours: 10AM-10PM
Website: https://www.pullandbear.com/es/

Stradivarius

Calle Gran Vía, 30,
Telephone: (+34) 915 23 07 15
Opening Hours: 10AM-10PM
Website: https://www.stradivarius.com/es/

Bershka

Calle del Conde de Peñalver, 4,
Telephone:(+34) 914 35 31 10
Opening Hours: 10AM-9PM
Website: https://www.bershka.com

Mango

Calle Gran Vía, 32,
Telephone: (+34) 915 21 08 79
Opening Hours: 10AM-10PM
Website: https://shop.mango.com/es