Chilean Fashion

Sometimes I look super gringa.

Plaid flannel with jeans and Sperry's.

If I wanted to dress more Chilean, how would I?

ONE: Colors

You know, people used to always tease me about my fashion aesthetic back home. I usually describe it as wannabe-goth-kid-and-part-time-hippie with enough flannel and corduroy to make me look a little bit like Eric Foreman from That 70s Show.

In short: I wear a lot of black. I love black. I think it looks good with my skin tone (my skin is beyond pale; it's translucent), and I think black always looks nice. But, a lot of people disagree with me. To many, too much black looks drab or sad. I'll always stand my ground with that one, though. Black looks good on everyone.

When I announced that I was moving to Chile, a lot of people joked with me that I was going to have to change my wardrobe to dress more latina. I think a lot of people believe that all latinos wear bright colors all the time. We have images in our heads of latino men in white linen suits (Cuba) or latina women in bright colored petticoats and flowy tops (Mexico, a la Day of the Dead). Of course, those are all preconceptions, and they might be right some of the time, but certainly not all of the time.

Chile isn't like that. Fashion-wise, the colors in Chile are more muted. I see a lot of black. Black coats, black pants, black shoes, black belts, black bags, black skirts, black hats... lots of black. In this sense, a lot of people consider Chile to have a more European fashion sense.

There are other colors, too, of course. I see lots of rich grays, nice navies, olive greens, bordeaux reds, khakis, and all shades of brown. Sometimes you'll see crisp white, which really contrasts the other colors, and, in my opinion, looks great. In general, though, there aren't a lot of hot pinks or baby blues or highlighter yellows.

Some people might find that boring and repetitive, but I don't. I love the colors I see on clothes here. People find ways to make those colors play with each other in ways that are exciting and new.

TWO: Accessories

The biggest fashion accessory in Chile is by far the bufanda, or scarf. (Bufanda remains one of my Cosby students' favorite words to say.) I suspect the scarf mania has something to do with the cold, but, as a lot of people know, scarves tie outfits together. They look nice. They can help frame your face, or finish off an outfit.

And it's not just women who wear scarves. The way Matt put it: "Chile is one of the few places where men can wear scarves with impunity, and look good."

Men in the US should wear more scarves. They're practical in the winter, and they look nice. I think men in the US are afraid of accessorizing in general. A lot of men put seemingly more effort into not caring how they look than I do into caring how I look, because to them caring how they look is somehow not macho, which is dumb. (And people say Latin America has a culture of machismo!)

Most people in the city keep the jewelry to a minimum. This is mostly practical. You don't want to wear your finest jewelry in the street where someone could see it and steal it (which is advice given for any big city, not just Santiago), and you don't want to lose it.

I've been wearing my little bird earrings. They go with most outfits, and they don't get in the way of my hair, shirts, or jackets. I do have a pendant with a clock on it that I wear sometimes. I would be sad to lose it, but I bought it at a thrift store, so I wouldn't be out too much money if I did.

I have a fair amount of materials that I take with me for work, so I need a bag to carry them in. I brought with me the blue backpack I used at Cosby. It's a solid backpack - Jansport, with lots of cool pockets that keep me organized. But there are two problems with a backpack: 1) when you're wearing it on your back, you can't feel when someone is opening the pockets, and 2) it looks a little juvenile.

Don't get me wrong - I'm all about backpacks. Many young professionals here use them. Matt has a nice black one that he takes for work. But, being five feet tall and baby-faced, I wanted something that would look a little more grown up.

So I bought this bag. It's great because it's sturdy and gorgeous. Importantly, it has a cross strap. In 2011, Matt saw a Chilean woman have her purse stolen right off her shoulder, so I always try to wear mine across my body.

I bought the purse from a store called París. It's like a Macy's. They sell everything. This bag cost me 20.000 pesos, or about $40.

THREE: Shoes

I've never been shoe-obsessed. Growing up, shows like Sex and the City always made me think something might be wrong with me, because I wasn't in love with shoes, and I found the idea of Carrie Bradshaw dropping $400 on Manolo Blahniks horrifying. Eventually, I grew up and realizd shows like that - and more generally, stereotypes like that - are in place to indeed make me consume more.

I now sit reassured knowing that it's ok, and in fact normal, for a woman to not be obsessed with shoes, and to not want to drop all her hard earned money on them.

Shoes, however, have indeed been important here. I walk 1.5 miles to work, and 1.5 miles back from work. When I'm not walking to work, I'm standing on or running to a bus or metro. It's important to have sturdy (but attractive) shoes.

When I got here I noticed two things: Chileans wear a lot of boots and heels. Sometimes they wear boots with heels. I swear, it seems that if you're a woman here, unless you're an abuelita, you're wearing heels. Wedges, stilletos, heeled boots - you name it, chilenas are wearing it. I watch in terror as they cross over city street grates in heels. I'm so scared that a stilleto heel will slip between the grates and that I'l hear an ankle snap.

I like heels, but I also like to not feel miserable, so I don't wear them everyday. I definitely needed solid winter shoes when I got here, though, so I did some shopping.

I bought these dark gray ankle boots (with a tiny heel) at París for about $35. They've been nice so far. I like the little buckles, and I like the way boots feel in general. Wearing boots make me feel authoritative and in control.

One thing to keep in mind - your shoe size will change when you go to a different country! Go look inside one of your shoes. You'll see your US size, and usually you'll see other sizes. Here's a chart that's supposed to break it down.

I wear a US size 8 in most brands. According to this chart, I would be a 38.5 (Chileans use European sizes). The tag inside the shoe I wore to the store, which was a US size 8, said I'd be a 40. It seems size coversions can be inconsistent. I had to try on a couple different sizes to get it right. (Big thanks to the shoe clerk who helped me.) I eventually got a size 37.

Men have great shoes here, too. I am a huge fan of oxfords and loafers. I think they look sharp and classic. Not a lot of men here wear sneakers, even on the weekends. You see most people with shoe-shoes on, unless they're going to the gym.

FOUR: Influences and Trends

Chileans, in general, dress professionally. They tend to dress up rather than dress down, but that doesn't necessarily mean they look like they're coming from church.

One thing I love about Chilean fashion is that it seems heavily influenced by goth/punk culture. There are lots of small punk details, like spikes on boots or on sleeves (just enough to be interesting). There's actually a big punk and metal scene in Chile, so I guess the music has really influenced the fashion.

Chileans tend to dress conservatively. Shirts aren't typically low cut; you rarely see a lot of cleavage. The only place where the hem might vary is on skirts. Skirts can be short, but typically they're worn with black tights (one of my staples, as many of you know) or leggings underneath. In the summer, bare legs are out in Chile. Otherwise, though, there's not a ton of skin.

Another trend I happen to love here is military fashion. The outerwear especially has a military flare to it. Navy colored coats with regimented rows of silver buttons abound. I'm a really big fan of that style.

So what have I been wearing?

I tried to take pictures everyday this week of what I've worn.

Monday: Black 3/4 length sleeved shirt, gray A-line skirt, black tights, and gray boots. (Yes, I'm standing on the toilet. Our mirror is awesome, but I am not tall enough to get the whole ensemble in witihout a little assistance from the toilet.)

Tuesday: Black pencil skirt, black sweater with white lace stripes, black tights, gray boots.

Wednesday: Black A-line patterned dress, black belt, black tights, black cardigan, and black flats.

Thursday: Black and white striped shirt with lace elbow detail, black pencil skirt, black tights, and gray boots.

Friday: Gray patterned blouse, red pencil skirt, black tights, and gray boots.

With my coat and bag in a department store mirror.

In general, I love the aesthetic in Chile: darker clothes, with conservative hems, but cut close enough to the body to be flattering.

After I buy a few pieces here, I'll post about it again.

How's the summer fashion in the US? Everyone staying cool? Miss you all very much.