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La Casa Encendida

one of my first madrid loves

Palacio Real

i take all my visitors here

Bosque del Recuerdo

to the victims of the March 11th Madrid train bombings.

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Sunday, 9 September 2007

Museo del Traje

You’ve probably never been to the Museo del Traje in Madrid. Did you even know it existed? Nestled just inside the Universidad Complutense in a modern, two story building, which I’m told used to house university design classes, the museum is a colorful and surprising treat. Frankly, I’ve seen few museums in the city that can compare in terms of presentation and attention to exhibits. A walk through the museum is a walk through the history of fashion, with a particular emphasis paid to Spanish fashion.

There’s a tenderness, a carefulness, to the presentation of these dresses, bustles and waistcoats, that goes beyond eliciting the immediate “oooh” and “ahh”. The clothes seem to take on a life of their own, disregardless of their unembodied states. The 1920s recreation of a Madrid chocolateria had me transfixed. Other treats include a room dedicated to regional costume and traditional work clothes and an enlightening (if not frightening) look at the evolution of female