Chic Dressing In a Shabby Economy

As the Spanish economy shrinks back into recession, my recent trip to Barcelona showed my that fashion still remains at large. In particular, I became infatuated with it's high street stores!

Barcelona is all about Zaras and Mangos. They literally swarm every single street in the city centre! Whilst depressingly unimpressed with Mango over there, Zara absolutely blew my mind. I know we have Zara's in the UK too, but being a Spanish brand I had high hopes! It's not too expensive, and I literally could have bought every single item in the shop if only my poor student finances would allow me. I did go a little crazy though, and blew my entire holiday budget in this one Zara store. 

My new handbag! Been looking for a nice leather tan one for a long time, and whilst it is fairly huge I love it!

New skirt! Thought I better jump on the peplum bandwagon and I love the colour and style of this one!

Except for how amazing Zara was, I didn't particularly see a lot of amazing style on the streets of Barcelona. From what I saw, people tended to dress more simplistic, casual and practical over there. I did notice however, that Spaniards do accessorize very well! Everywhere you go you see over-sized bags, sunnies, beautiful shoes and scarves.

I came across a shoe shop opposite Gaudi's famous 'La Pedrera' which I thought was so creative and one of a kind. 

These shoes belong to New York designer Stuart Weitzman. The shop itself is so beautiful to look at, and his shoes and handbags really do stand out. When I got back to the UK (how depressing) I felt the need to research into Stuart Weitzman even further. 

"Stuart Weitzman understands that a great shoe is about more than a form or function. It is about making a woman feel beautiful. A Stuart Weitzman shoe, as well as a Stuart Weitzman handbag, is equal parts spectacle and sculpture. It is a playground for exotic and often unexpected materials, in constrictions that routinely push the boundaries of traditional footwear."

His shoes are made from materials such as chrome, bamboo, stainless steel and lace - really pushing the boundaries of traditional shoe making. Not only this but they are beautiful too! Definitely worth a visit if you ever head to Barcelona!

Uterque

Another AMAZING store I came across was Uterque. Personally, I'd never heard of this store before but it's stores are international, covering many countries in Europe (in particular Spain) and the brand also reaches the United Arab Emirates. The store, however, has online sites for many more countries such as the UK, Mexico, Russia and Egypt. 

 The store was set up in 2008 by Inditex, owners of Zara and Massimo Dutti, as they wanted to create a new accessories brand. 

"Immaculate shop design is the Uterque signature. Its image is inspired by old English libraries, with solid wooden furnishings and studied lighting effects to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Recyclable materials are used and the premises are specifically designed to save energy."

I would place Uterque in the high-end high street bracket, as whilst prices are fairly high (on the majority higher than Topshop prices) they are still affordable. I love this store, and really do hope it comes to the UK someday!

Jess xoxo