How to dress correctly with Traje Corto

In all the horse events related with Andalusian horses like morphology, doma vaquera,   ferias, exhibitions… we use to wear traje corto, but, there is a protocol that should be respected. I will try to explain the best thyat I can, the proper way to wear a traje corto to look fantastic for your Spanish event.

There are two versions of the traje corto the traje corto de faena (working suit) or traje corto de paseo (“party” suit). The Traje corto de faena, which was typically used for the work with cattle. These are the parts of this:

1. Hat is called sombrero de ala ancha
2. The shirt has to be white and should be always fully buttoned
3. The jacket is called “guayabera” and you only need to button the upper button
4. The trouser, also called calzona or pantalon de vuelta, has the lower part white and you should also use braces with them.
5. A scarf to wear tied on your waist
6. Zahones de ternera, these leather chaps goes crossed on your waist and buttoned up over your thigh. It is optional.
7. The boto campero or boots

It is the attire to work with cattle but it is also correct for Ferias and exhibitions. 

The traje corto de paseo is more elegant, a little more luxurious. How should you wear with your traje corto de paseo?

1. Sombrero de ala ancha
2. “Guayabera” or “chaquetilla abierta con solapas” (jacket with lapels)
3. White shirt with chorreras (pleated)
4. Vest, it is optional but recommendable
5. A scarf to wear tied on your waist
6. Pantalon de caireles. Cairel are little gold or silver decoration hanging on the lower part of your trousers. The trouser has typically 5 buttonholes the two upper ones should be buttoned and the three lower ones have the caireles hanging. Braces should be used too.
7. Leather shoes with polainas (short chaps) embossed or smooth

If we are strict these two stiles shouldn’t be mixed. You shouldn’t wear zahones (long champs) with traje de paseo, vest with calzonas… But my personal though is that there are some little mistakes that could be forgived, like wear boots with a traje de paseo… as long as the complete picture look fine.

The traje corto is suitable for both men and women and looks fantastic in both on them. But please, ladies, as gentlemen do, should wear the shirt completely buttoned, the earings should be small and discreet, you could use a nice black or blue ribbon on you hair but no flowers. It looks very elegant and no excessive complements are requires. Sometimes less is more.

The typical colours for the traje corto are grey, black and dark blue, but it is more and more a fashion issue, so it is becoming more common to see dark green, light grey or even light blue and pink suits, as long as you wear them correctly and with style. Our sombrero de ala ancha (hat) should match with our suit and has to be slightly bended to the right for men and to the left for women. The “barbuquejo” (the tape that holds the hat under your chin) shouldn’t be used, it is just used for speed tasks in the country or for doma vaquera competitions.

And the most important, fell like a king or a queen in your horse, show off with pride your beautiful PRE horse and have fun helping to preserve the Spanish culture and the traditional Andalusian attire customs.