May is approaching, and with it, in a normal year, the pilgrimages would also approach. Unfortunately, the pandemic will probably deprive us of these beloved festivals in Andalusia for another year. It is not only the Romería del Rocío that Huelva, Seville and Andalusians in general live for. The pilgrimages of each of our towns and cities are some of the most anticipated festivals by everyone, the joy, the countryside, the gypsy and flamenco dresses, the music, the singing, the guitar, the horses and an endless number of things that make them special. With the smell of the flowers that spring brings us, lovers of these festivals would begin to prepare everything necessary to enjoy them to the fullest. In this article we are going to review something that is essential in any pilgrimage worth its salt, whether we are men or women and whatever our age, our attire.
In Andalusia we feel proud of our land and our customs, and proof of this are the countless festivals in which we take advantage of the opportunity to wear our regional costumes, but we have another reason to be proud, since we have made our official costume a living fashion, which evolves with society and adapts to changes, something that rarely happens with other typical costumes. But apart from fashions, there are always some canons to follow and respect, so as not to be out of place at these festivals.
Men
Gentlemen have the opportunity to show off their short suit, which consists of country trousers, if they have a turn-up or fringe trousers if they have buttonholes, these must be accompanied by a waistcoat, jacket and shirt. We can say that this is the basic kit, but what gives the finishing touch are the accessories. A good wide-brimmed hat, a sash, and of course, some good cowboy boots.
The short suit has evolved less than the women's suit, but more and more fashion touches are being seen in the designs, not so much in the shape as in the fabrics and colours. The most daring use light tones, even pastel, while those who prefer the classic and elegant opt for a wide range of shades of black, grey, brown and green. Another option that we have seen in recent years is stripes, never too large and ostentatious, but that small detail can make the difference. The fabrics are increasingly fresh to offer comfort on the hot dates of our holidays, 100% cotton fabrics but that offer a pleasant touch and with enough body so that at first glance you can see that it is a quality suit.
Women
This costume is undoubtedly the one that has undergone the most changes throughout the history of regional costumes. Today we have achieved a comfortable dress, reducing the number of ruffles, and using lighter fabrics, and above all, one that enhances the female figure like no other.
Although it may seem a cliché, we must highlight the difference between the dress for a pilgrimage and that for a fair, since at a fair you can allow yourself a tighter and heavier dress than at a pilgrimage. In both cases, we will not look out of place at a fair with a basket dress or at a pilgrimage with a dress with ruffles, but the comfort necessary to enjoy a walk should take precedence over everything else. And that does not mean that elegance should be lost, since accessories can give the touch that is missing to our dress. Large earrings, flowers in natural tones and a shawl are the three accessories that stand out, always keeping in mind that we must seek balance in our clothing, so as not to fall into excess.
There are differences of opinion regarding footwear, as we must distinguish between fair footwear, which can even be high heels, and pilgrimage footwear, which can be trainers. But the most suitable is the cowboy boot, and within them the famous rociero boot, since it fits perfectly with our suit, and offers us comfort, support and breathability, three basic qualities, especially in the case of pilgrimages.
The footwear
As with any outfit, footwear is something that must be given great importance, for two reasons: because it can improve or destroy our look, aesthetically speaking, and because uncomfortable footwear can make us go to sleep earlier than we would like. That is why we have decided to offer this section to the famous boots mentioned above.
To get the most suitable footwear for the pilgrimage you must take into account three issues:
– Material and manufacturing: Footwear that we are going to wear for several hours in the countryside in the middle of spring must be waterproof as well as breathable, and this can only be achieved with top quality materials and careful manufacturing. Experts in handcrafted footwear are the professionals at Equitación Valverde, a company from Valverde del Camino that, with its extensive experience, is able to offer simply perfect rociero boots for men, women and children.
– The correct size: We must be sure that we have chosen the correct size, and that we have used socks of a thickness similar to the one we will wear.
– Flexibility and support: shoes that are too rigid will cause chafing, and shoes that are too flexible can cause ankle sprains when walking on uneven terrain, so we must look for the correct flexibility.
