What to Wear in Southern France and Spain in the Fall

   
        Before we left for our trip I did a bit of research as to what people wear in the locations we were visiting during the fall(I hate looking like a tourist). Since the weather is still warm for the most part but they are such fashion forward spots, I was curious whether they follow the fall fashion trends or dress for the weather. I could not find anywhere what the norm was. I found discussion boards that mention designers are big and men do NOT wear shorts, which were true, but I didn't find what I was looking for. So here you go, if you are traveling to Spain, Cannes, Nice, Monaco or the surrounding areas for the first time I got you covered!
    In Barcelona I found that all the locals definitely dress for fall. Even on the warmer days, the ladies layered knitwear and leather jackets with scarves and wore boots. You could easily tell apart a tourist because they were wearing sundresses, flipflops and shorts. The people there are a lot more casually dresses than France because the majority of them take public transport, walk or bike everywhere so flats were popular. If you insist on dressing for the weather, like I did, make sure to consider layering because nights in the fall get quite cold in between 50-40 degrees.
     Antibes, Cannes, and Nice were pretty different. These are major vacation spots so people there dressed like they were on beach vacations. It still got cool at night, though, so carrying a light jacket if you are out for the whole day is wise. The warmest day in France for us was 78 and no higher. The style was very laid back. Toulouse was more like the French style I expected. People here dress very chic and much more business like than in the South of France.
     By far the most stylish and glamorous place we visited was Monte Carlo. Here I saw huge designer names on women's AND men's shoulders and feet. Every other car was a Bentley, BMW, Ferrari or Porsche. At night, the ladies rocked furs. If you are visiting here, there is no question about it, fashion trumps weather and designers rule over all. More is more here!
     Also, like I mentioned before, it is not acceptable for men to wear shorts. It was either long pants or man capris. Women in France and Spain do not wear flip flops (unless they are a tourist). They wear different types of sandals or flats. If you plan on bringing a knock off bag or shoes with you, don't. A equally stylish,durable and affordable bag is much better than a knock off and much less tacky. Trust me, the women here will be able to tell. I can recommend the bags from H&M, they are very sturdy an,d pretty good quality for the price and look more expensive than they are. If you must have an expensive bag, consider using this site to borrow bags for your trip, or buy second hand.

                                    If you guys have any extra advice on these locations, pitch in!
                                                                  Thanks for reading!