Madrid’s hottest new trend is shopping while eating and drinking.  Well, maybe not doing all three at exactly the same time, but new spaces are popping up around the city offering compras in addition to having an area where one can drink coffee/tea, sample wine, have a snack or even a full on meal.

This new concept is fabulous for me.  As a woman, I thrive on doing as many things as possible at one time, so any place where I can kill two birds with one stone (e.g. buy a new shirt, have a coffee, shop for gardening supplies and taste wine) works wonders for a girl on the go.

The three places I’m suggesting are all very different — each one with their own particular idea of what it means to offer goods for sale and something to eat or drink.  Pick which one goes with your style or better yet, pay all three a visit!

Roxanne Moda y Café

Upon entering, the spacious, impeccably organized boutique invites you in with its detailed decorations, soft hints of jazz music floating around, original fashions and the prospect of a hot cup of tea and a new pair of boots.  Don’t be thrown by the designer fashions — the setting has that warm, comforting feel of your favorite coffee shop while at the same time being cool and trendy.   Down to every detail this place is perfect, a beautiful French coffee cup, a delicious chocolate cake and fur lined jackets to die for.

At Roxanne Moda y Café, you can purchase women’s clothing, jewelry, shoes and accessories and enjoy a cup of hot tea, coffee or a tasty sweet treat like a slice of homemade apple cake.

The only downside? Closed on Sundays, as most boutiques are!

Federica & Co.

As you walk down Calle Hermosilla, it’s the typical city setting, gray building after gray building, when suddenly a shining courtyard appears with flowers and greenery taking you light years away from anything city-like.  This magical garden setting is Federica & Co., a concept store that includes several shops within a courtyard and also offers wine tasting and cooking classes. Pop up shops also make the occasional appearance.

Visiting this space is a wonderful way to get away from the hustle and bustle of the busy city and stock up on anything from wine glasses to a picnic basket to a new necklace, followed by a wine tasting or learning how to cook that Italian dish you have been dying to prepare.

Living in London

Living in London is a sit-down restaurant/bar serving British food and tea where you can also buy British food items like a nice Earl Grey to enjoy at home.

The cool thing about this space is it’s actually two spaces, one right next to the other! One is a shop where you can purchase cute little knick-knacks and kitchen items like teapots and coffee mugs. Then stop into the local right next to it for a nice coffee, a daily lunch menu, or even a copa as they boost a full bar.  The “restaurant” location is where you can buy the food items to take home as well.

This place is heaven for anyone who loves British tea, although I wouldn’t call it cheap. It will cost you 3.40 euros for a mug of their English Breakfast Tea!

Savory Shopping appeared first on ¡Vaya Madrid!

Once upon a time, every designer presented a very unique and diverse selection of clothing and accessories at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, Spain’s top platform to promote fashion. But this year and in recent years, the appearance of the “IT” trend has recently changed the way designers operate. While each of the 42 Spanish designers presented their own original selection, it was very easy to identify a few common trends for the fall based on fabric, silhouette and color.

Think back to the peplum silhouette this past fall, the infamous oxblood color, or the appearance of lace fabric. Doubt you will be seeing much of these in seasons to come, as oftentimes, these trends are fleeting. Every once in a while though, you’ll get lucky and a trend will stay put (think skinny jeans –still going strong!).

What I suggest regarding runway trends is to quickly invest in a key piece for each trend at the beginning of each season. If you wait for rebajas, it’s likely this piece/color will already been going out of style. If you get lucky, this trend will continue and you will be able to continue sporting your item for seasons or even years to come.

Below is a key guide to some of the runway trends for fall/winter 2013 based on the Madrid catwalks.  Will these trends last? Maybe not. But if you know now, you can already beginning shopping for these pieces!

“IT” color for fall:  Green (all shades)

“IT” silhouette: The jumpsuit, a la 70′s style

“IT” fabrics: Leather and Fur

I think leather and fur will actually be here to stay, at least for a few more seasons. Fur has been coming back into style for a while now and I see it staying.  (If you are an older Spanish woman, you’ve been wearing fur for the past six decades). Remember, if you aren’t into real fur, the fake stuff is just as stylish and can even keep you just as warm.

Leather is also a more basic trend so you can easily sport your leather jacket or boots for years to come, however, a leather dress may go out of fashion more quickly.

For all the men out there, don’t panic, you too can participate in these trends.

Keep these “IT” ideas and suggestions in mind for next fall/winter and happy shopping!

Main photo courtesy besos y flores

Roaming the Runway appeared first on ¡Vaya Madrid!

Valentine’s Day is inching ever closer which means gift giving woes are in full effect. Year in, year out, the question remains the same: what can you give that special someone for Valentine’s Day? Flowers, candy and jewelry are so cliché; it’s time to start thinking outside the box of chocolates.

Handicrafting is a hot trend these days with people not just buying homemade and handcrafted treasures from small-scale artisans, but they’re taking it a step further by creating things themselves. Online marketplaces like Etsy and DaWanda have helped the trend reach a global audience by allowing any craft nerd to set up shop easily.

But you don’t have to go online to find a gift that’s been made with love. There are a handful of shops in Madrid where you can buy handmade goods or make something yourself. So put away the roses and dive into these 3 great ideas to make your Valentine’s gift one to treasure.

Personalized, handmade cards

Papier de Norma is a greeting card business founded by expat Norma Galán about two years ago. Norma realized that Madrid was lacking in the card department and therefore decided to create her selection of greeting cards and invitations.

You can pick out one of Norma’s beautiful handmade template cards and she will personalize it for you, or you can essentially “design” the card yourself by telling Norma the colors and the style you’d like. For example if your mother loves owls she can make a special owl sticker for the card.

French inspired and truly original, these cards would be perfect for your Valentine!

Create your own perfume or cologne

Abadía del Perfume is a small shop where you can actually create your very own unique scent personalized for that special someone.

The process begins as you smell different kinds of scents and choose your preferences, such as citric, musky, floral, fruity, or sweet. The perfumists encourage you think of the kind of person you are creating for and their personality. Are they dynamic? Timid? Romantic? As you think about this, it may be easier to pick a scent to match their personality type. You can test different combinations until you feel you’ve got your desired result. The process doesn’t stop there — you then pick the size, bottle, tag and gift bag for your perfume.

The prices are quite reasonable at 10.95€ for 50 ml and 8.95€ for 30 ml.

Paint your own mug or ceramic piece

Pinta en Copas is a small, inviting local where you can pick your ceramic piece and paint it.  This is probably the most DIY item on the list, but you don’t necessarily have to be artsy. Just go with an idea in mind and follow the below five steps.

1. Pick your ceramic piece (there are so many kinds, ranging from salt and pepper shakers to vases to coffee mugs).
2. Pick your paint colors and brushes.
3. Sit down, have a tea, and start painting.
4. Leave your mug to be fired.
5. Pick it up, and give it to that special someone!

I’ve made a few mugs in my time and although they weren’t, ahem, the prettiest pieces of art I’ve seen, I know the people on the receiving end loved the personal touch.  Your Valentine will surely think of you every time they drink coffee out of their special mug created just for them.

They also offer discounts on certain days of the week so make sure to check that out.

My Crafty Valentine appeared first on ¡Vaya Madrid!

A scarf isn’t just a functional accessory you throw on before you rush out the door to keep your neck warm during a blustery fall or winter Madrid day — they’re an essential part of your outfit for men and women alike.

It’s just a simple piece of fabric but a bufanda can upgrade and pull together any outfit instantly. They aren’t limited to the colder seasons either and can be worn all year long.

I find I wear scarves much more here in Madrid than I ever did back in Chicago. Since moving here, my scarf collection has grown from about 6 cold weather scarves to about 20 different types of scarves — and I still enjoy the occasional scarf purchase here and there. You can never really have too many!

A Scarf for Every Occasion

The best part about bufandas is that they are easy to find and usually reasonably priced. You can find a hip scarf from a street vendor,in a small vintage boutique shop, in a department store or large retail chain store. You can even knit your own!

1. Day to night scarf
   Pick something you can wear to work but is also cute to wear out, like a muted, solid color (navy, black, brown) that’s not too llamativa.
2. Always out scarf
   If you are sensitive to the cold in general or you need to be outside a lot, definitely go with a warm, extra-long, wooly scarf. Great colors this season are oxblood, gold/orange or army green.
3. Special occasion scarf
   Something glittery, silky or glamorous for an evening out or a wedding is always a classy touch.
4. Trend scarf
   You can never go wrong with a leopard print scarf. Fake fur neck wraps are also trending this season.
5. Pattern scarf
   Patterns are super stylish right now, more specifically florals, paisley or stripes.
6. Cuello
   These are basically scarves in a circle that you pull over your head and wear around your neck.

Still a Man’s Man

A special note for the non-European guys: don’t be afraid to wear a scarf even though you’ve never worn one in your life. They are the perfect way to make you look extra stylish but laid back at the same time, without too much effort.

In general, the male scarf selection is slightly simpler and more basic than the female — you can go with a cuello, a big wooly scarf or a lighter pashmina one.

I would suggest keeping it simple and solid, muted colors are great. Grey and navy always look sophisticated on a man. Try to pick a color that doesn’t clash with your pant, footwear and shirt selection. When in doubt, pick something that meshes with your own personality.

Once you have your scarf in hand, the possibilities are endless: what do you wear it with? How do you tie it? Here are 25 ways to wear your scarf:

Happy scarf shopping!

Scarf It Up appeared first on ¡Vaya Madrid!