Page 20 - All About History - Issue 70-18

SPAIN
THE

Anatomy

of

THESYMBOLICHAT

Matadors wear a distinctive black hat MATADORDETOROS
called a montera which was introduced
in 1835 by bullfighting great Francisco
Montes Reina. Covered in astrakhan fur, SUITOFLIGHTS
lined with velvet and kept on the head via SPAIN, 1835 PRESENT DAY
an artificial ponytail, it had been widely Montes also introduced the overall
worn by men and women living on the costume the traje de luces, or suit of
Iberian Peninsula. Matadors toss the hat lights. It got its name from the intricate
to dedicate a kill to a particular person or embroidery of ornamental needlework
the general public. as well as the silver and gold sequins
that cover parts of it, and it was similar
to a degree to the clothes worn by the
majo – the Spanish people from the
lower classes of society who would dress
NARROW NECKTIE extravagantly from the late 18th century.

As well as the short jacket
(chaquetilla) with its reinforced
shoulders, the upper body section
of the traje de luces includes a
vest, white shirt (camisa) and
a narrow necktie (called a
corbatín in Spanish). This SEEING
is typically black but RED
other colours are also
used. In all cases, it Matadors are
slips over the shirt, dressed by the sword
with the bottom servant about an
part covered hour before a fight,
by the vest. going through a ritual
only a privileged few
can watch. Matadors
facing the bull
alone in the
PAIRS OF third stage
of a
SOCKS fight,
waving a red cape
Two pairs of socks (muleta) to attract
– las medias – are and wear out the
worn over the feet bull before using
and legs. The pair the tempered steel
closest to the skin sword (estoque).
is made of cotton Muletas were
while the pair said to have
worn over the top been first used
are fashioned out by Francisco
of silk. These have Romero
been in a variety in 1726.
of colours but
today they
tend to
be pink.

STUDYFOOTWEAR TIGHTTIGHTS

When matadors began dodging and stabbing bulls in 1724 from suede but the traje de luces made use of silk decorated with
Until the 17th century, matadors wore tight-fitting tights made
© Kevin McGivern Matadors wear zapatillas – flat black slippers decorated are hidden by the clothing. Bullfighters once worse looser tights
rather than fight on horseback, footwear became crucial.
gold. Called taleguilla, these tights are held up with braces that
with a lace that lend the wearer a flat-footed gait. Ribbed
soles grip the floor of the ring although some matadors
have removed them in wet weather. but they like to be in well-fitting clothing since it leaves fewer
opportunities for the bull to catch them with their horns.

20