Packing for my big move, I was a little freaked out about what to wear in Portugal. I was very concerned that when I moved to Europe, my utter lack of fashion sense was going to bring down a blitzkrieg of pointing and laughing. I am that adult who needs Garanimals. I wear mostly solids in basic colors. Jeans are my go-to.
But Europe! The fashion! The trendy people! European-made clothing! I would stand out like the proverbial sore thumb or, more to the point, the Ugly American.
Easing into European Fashion (Or Not)
The first few months of living in Portugal were easy, fashion-wise. We were in lockdown and the only places you could go were grocery stores, the doctor, or you could exercise. I learned to always bring my cloth grocery bags with me, even if I wasn’t going shopping. It looked like I was going shopping and most days, I ended up using a bag. More to the point, cloth grocery bags were practically a fashion accessory during lockdown.
Because it was winter turning to spring, people were wrapped in quilted jackets and fleeces, wearing jeans and yes, exercise clothing. But really, we were so covered up, no one knew if you were carrying an extra ten pounds or not. So far, so good.
I moved to a small fishing village, a working fishing village and that meant most people were not dressing up to go to lunch. I sent up silent thanks when I saw almost everyone was wearing t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. I was equipped for summer, at least.
I had a couple of pairs of dress slacks with me. I have pulled them out perhaps twice in three years. Jeans are my go-to, though I have upgraded to European-made skinny jeans. I would feel ridiculous in them except that everyone wears them and so I fit in, even with my grandma bod. And yes, the stretchy material helps hold my tummy in, but not nearly as well as Spanx. You know what? I just wear long shirts.
I have yet to wear a dress here, though I brought a couple of dresses and a suit back with me on one of my trips to visit my storage space. This past trip I managed to bring back BOTH pairs of cowboy boots. I have yet to wear them here. (The sequined ones are over-the-top, even for the States.) I will get to wear them at some point. I’m thinking the red ones will look spiffy when I ride my scooter, but I am so accustomed to wearing running shoes that I forget to wear them.
A Different Kind of Wardrobe Malfunction
My main wardrobe malfunction is one of style. I spent a good fifty years wearing starched dress shirts, suits, office wear. I spent the last thirty years in Florida, where I had a “winter” coat that I wore for approximately one week per year. I had a couple of sweaters and turtlenecks that may have been worn that same week and then cleaned and put away.
I work from home, so most of my day is spent in shorts or sweats, flip flops, and t-shirts. Client meetings on Zoom get “waist-up dressing”—you know what I mean. When I go out, I have dark jeans and a nice blouse. But my blouse/shirt wardrobe is still very office-y and really, no longer comfortable.
In summer, women tend to wear gauzy flowy blouses and sundresses. Nice and cool and summery. And there I am, in my medium blue business shirt. Winter dressing involves soft, fuzzy sweaters. My sweatshirts were not going to make the cut.
It’s About Soft Comfort
I am slowly changing over my wardrobe to softer fabrics, knits in some cases, fleecy things in others. I need clothes that will travel and not wrinkle, that are easy to dress up or dress down, depending on where I’m going and what I’m doing. To that end, I am working on building a small travel capsule wardrobe and, eventually, a capsule wardrobe for my life. I was happy to donate a lot of clothing when I moved here. I came with one suitcase of clothes and one small suitcase of paperwork. With the exception of a pair of jeans and a new pair of running shoes, I really didn’t need more than what I brought. (Until winter, of course, when I needed a real coat.)
Most women wear 20% to 30% or less of their wardrobe. And, if we’re being honest, most of us wear 10% to 30% of our wardrobe. Very few of us wear 100% of our wardrobe. I rotate six t-shirts with sweats or shorts. I have four or five pairs of jeans, wear one pair most of the time, two other pairs every so often and the other two? They hang there.
So, in this new life, I am changing over my style, or lack thereof. I am looking for soft fabrics that hang well (so they won’t, as my mom use to say, look “hakey”). I also want those soft fabrics because they won’t wrinkle up when I travel, like my stiff blouses do. My apartment came with two irons. I have no desire to use either.
My favorite part of living here? As I discussed in another blog post, Portugal is built for comfort, not for speed. The lifestyle is casual and comfortable. I have no need to wear Spanx. Or pantyhose. Or heels unless I want to. My village is “come as you are” and I feel, at last, that I have found my people.
