If you find yourself spending your summer vacation on the Costa Blanca, chances are that your wardrobe will consist mostly of a bathing suit and a pair of sunglasses, with a sundress or pareo to use as cover-up at lunch time. This isn’t a really fashionable area, people just wear what you’d expect them to wear in a place that’s warm and sunny and where their main activities are swimming, sunbathing and takings afternoon siestas.
If, however, you drive a bit out of the way for the day and you want an outfit that will keep you comfortable and cool during the day but also looking nice enough for your evening activities, go for something like this:
Left: Dorothy Perkins chiffon maxi dress, Juicy Couture espadrille wedge, Olivia Harris studded chain clutch, Tory Burch bangles.
Right: Phase Eight maxi dress, Maria Sharapova by Cole Haan gladiator Sandal, JJ Winters round chain clutch, House of Harlow 1960 necklace.
A well-cut maxi dress in a nice fabric (silk and chiffon are fabulous, but cotton jersey is a much more affordable and just as workable option) will keep you cool and comfortable while walking around during the day and it will work just as well for the evening.
So close to the sea, where the risk is looking like you are trying too hard (uncomfortable heels and an overabundance of sticky makeup) or not trying at all (same thing you were wearing home from the beach) a maxi dress is the perfect bridge between underdressed (shorts and tank top) and overdressed (lamé, sequins, high heels).
Following the same logic, a cute pair of flat gladiators or wedge sandals is a good choice as far as footwear goes, especially if you choose metallic leather or appliqués of some sort – that way you can walk around and explore during the day, and then keep right on walking… into the club or restaurant in the evening.
So as not to be weighted down, choose a small clutch with a long strap: after all, all you need is your wallet, your sunglasses and a lip balm, and maybe a fold-out map of the area your are visiting. This will allow you in the evening to avoid putting your handbag on a chair or on the floor, where they are at risk of “disappearing”, especially in a crowded bar. Make sure you keep well-hydrated with water and mineral drinks during the day, so you can enjoy your sangria and cava at night without suffering a headache.
I like to keep jewelry minimal in the heat, but you can always keep an an additional accessory in your bag and pop it on at night, to make the outfit just a little more dressy. Keep t simple, a long pendant necklace or a set of cute bangles will do the trick.
While in Spain, a family member who lives locally insisted on treating us to dinner and a show at the Benidorm Palace, apparently home to one of the best evening show scenes in Europe. Because of the fireworks happening not too far, we decided to set out early so we could easily find parking and avoid lines at the entrance.
Which means that while dinner started at 9pm (and the show at 10 pm) we were there at 7.40. I always feel silly being dressed up for the evening when it’s still day out, so I opted for the same sort of outfit I recommended above:
It worked out great, and even in the nightclub/piano bar interiors of the Palace I didn’t feel over- or under-dressed. The first half of the show featured a wide range of flamenco numbers, including a beautiful Sevillana and a really entrancing Zapateao that brought me to the conclusion that flamenco dancers are without a doubt the sexiest entertainment artists. (Yeah, I would have scoffed too if I hadn’t seen it… and felt it 
)
The second half of the show included several dance numbers with elaborate choreographies and over-the-top costumes with great music ranging from a 70’s medley to a remix of Madonna’s “Vogue” that included also a male voice, to more recent pop and dance hits; the kind of thing that wouldn’t be out of place in Vegas (including a closing number that had the feature dancers in feathered costumes and bare breasts.)
Interspacing the dance numbers were cabaret artists performing various kinds of acrobatics, some with dance or comedy. The food was just so-so, but the 55-euro price tag on the Menú Gran Palace Plus was well worth the fabulous seats the more expensive menu gets you – and the Cava that came with the food was lovely.
I wouldn’t have said something like this would be my cup of tea, and it had an over-the-top, old-fashioned kitchy cabaret feel to it, but it was actually really fun! The girls loved it, and they stayed awake until the very end of the show, around 1.30 am. If you are in the area, why not check it out? There are several options for foot and seats, including drinks-only tables on the right side of the stage for $28 Euro.
Photos of show segments property of Benidorm Palace.
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I LOVE all these pieces. I am such an accessories junkie that I need to buy another large jewlery box to house some of the stuff I don’t have room for and I just ordered some more stuff today and I can’t wait for it all to get here!!!