First night out in Spain

If you love fashion, then not only is Madrid a good place to go, it's THE place to go. Prove it you say? I give you three words. Fashion's. Night. Out.

One night per year Madrid hosts an all night shopping extravaganza. You can peruse the best stores ($5,000 shoes? Check!) while snacking on free food, sipping free drinks and listening to the best bands play live just a few feet away from you. And it's all done at midnight while wearing your most Vogue-worthy outfit. (Picture Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada,” but with a Spanish flair).

For the event traffic is brought to a complete halt in the fashion district of Madrid (where I live) to make room for the masses of Madrileños in their most fashionable ensembles in search of the perfect outfit and a great night out. Celebrities and well-dressed locals are interviewed for Fashion magazines. Stages are erected outside stores for various types of entertainment to attract customers to their stores. Live models in the shop windows. And then there are the freebies. Free pink balloons from Juicy Couture? Stick-on tattoos baring the Dior logo? It'll make your head spin.

Then there's the holy grail of Fashion's Night Out. A coveted spot in Vogue magazine as a best dressed Madrileño. Girls try on jackets and accessories straight from the Vogue wardrobe department, have their photo taken by a professional and hope it’ll land them the fashion lovers dream of being in Vogue Magazine. This all happens in the middle of the street where a huge set is built just for the contest.

It’s definitely a sight to see and hear (which if you live where I do, you most definitely will until the early hours of the morning). For my first night out in the city this was an amazing way to start.

Hasta mañana

At Hard Rock Cafe on Fashion's Night Out with (from left to right) My host brothers, Daniel and Alvaro, Alvaro's girlfriend Paula, my host dad Jose Domingo, host mom Mari Carmen and me.