Thursday 9 July 2009

12 days to go: Defiant Red













I am looking forward to my holidays.
We are going to Spain.
I love Spain.
I love the weather, the food, the people and the landscape.
But most of all; I love Flamenco.
The first time I saw the dance performed by Spanish dancers I was mesmerised.
It wasn't just the dancing, the music, the costumes, the theatre.
It was everything.
Along with the dream of living one year of eternal sunshine by swapping the northern hemisphere for the southern hemisphere is a long-held ambition to visit Southern Spain at the time of the Flamenco festivals.
The strange thing is for someone so physically active I don't want to learn to dance Flamenco myself.
I couldn't.
I just want to watch and absorb the spectacle.
Over recent weeks I have found myself in a very difficult position battling with authorities who I know are wrong (and will be proved so in court)but currently wield the power.
And now I know why I feel a kinship with flamenco which is described thus:
"Flamenco is an emotionally charged and expressive Gypsy soul music where each hand-clap is a scream from the heart and every heel-smack an act of defiance."
So it was no contest about what to wear today.
My new (acquired through ebay sales) Joe Brown skirt.
It may not be a flamenco skirt but its colour and billowing freedom remind me of the ultimate triumph of the oppressed.

I wore:
Sandals - Clarks
Skirt - Joe Browns
Top - H & M
Tesco cardigan
Necklace - free with Spanish Instyle magazine

13 comments:

Sharon S said...

Hi there-such a vibrant outfit, that red skirt is soo flemenco, looking great my dear!

i_b_erin said...

Lovely description of the dance, for a lovely woman!

Darla said...

I can hear the castanets in the background. What a wonderfully playful skirt.

Darla

love home|life|style said...

Oh I adore this outfit Jane, red is perfect on you!

Imogen Lamport, AICI CIP said...

The skirt look so Summer! 12 Days to go - hard to believe? Which part of Spain are you going to on holiday? How long before you go?

Feel free to come and visit us in Southern Hemisphere for Christmas - we can sit by our pool and drink champagne and have a bbq!

Jane said...

Thank you Sharon - Rose.
Erin - I am glad you appreciate the passion of Flamenco.
Darla - it is playful. I want to spin around and stamp my feet.
Shopaholic - yes red is vying with pink to be my favourite colour.
Imogen - I may well take you up on the invitation! We are going to a small fishing village outside Barcelona called Cambrils.

Sharon S said...

Hi again-thanks for the well wishes, much appreciated!

lunarossa said...

Lovely skirt, Jane. I agree, it looks so flamento! I love everything about Spain as well. And I love the Spanish people too. They have a huge affinity to us Italians and I feel so at ease with them. Hope you'll have a great holiday there with plenty of sunshine! I've never been to Cambrils, but I've been many times to Tarragona where one of my best friends live and to Figueres. Lovely part of the country! Ciao. A.

Meli said...

Wow- great description! I love the idea of triumph and defiance applying to your outfit, good luck and I hope you have a fantastic time in Spain! I am sorry about your issues- I can comiserate, me and the hubby have some intense legal problems that aren't our fault either.

Unknown said...

Beautiful skirt!

Be strong and stick to your guns. Hope everything works out well for you. (hugs)

Jane said...

Anotnella - It is not far from Tarragona. We hope to go there for the day. I love Italy too :)
Meli - thanks for stopping by. I hope your issues get sorted too.
Sher - thanks for the hug:)

Stephanie N. said...

Go get 'em, Jane! Whatever it is that you're battling out with the authorities, I hope you and the courts kick their arses. And I can bet you will look good doing it.

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