So you’re ready to pack for a trip to San Miguel de Allende. Whether it’s a brief visit, or you’re house hunting for a forever hacienda, you need to plan ahead and include the right wardrobe. Checking the local travel advisories is a start, and the overall weather is vital as well. Most importantly, how should you dress and pack for the trip? Deciding what to wear is going to affect the way you’re perceived everywhere you go. Here in the states, you might toss on some jeans and a favorite t-shirt for heading out on the weekend, but fashion is a little different in Mexico. Dressing for San Miguel de Allende is about more than mere adjustments for the weather. Moreover, the fashion boutiques in SMA are nearly as well known as the art scene. Get ready to pack your bags for a delightful adventure in colorful, comfortable, and well turned out fashion.
What do you wear to San Miguel De Allende? You should dress casually, but still nice in San Miguel de Allende. It’s important to know that in Mexico, people do not wear stained, faded, or torn clothing to leave the house. When you go out, you should expect to wear crisp, clean, weather-appropriate garb. Otherwise, you will look rather shabby. Also, be aware that it is not typical for Mexican men to wear shorts.
Weather Effects Wardrobe in San Miguel de Allende
When planning what to wear in San Miguel de Allende, you need to consider the weather and climate. On average, it’s about sixty degrees Fahrenheit in SMA for most of the year. However, there’s a rainy season, and per the norm, winter tends to be cooler while summer is hot. Moreover, the climate is dry.
Dry weather means static, so you may want to pack clothing that’s less prone to static cling. However, there are also relatively few carpeted spaces, so it doesn’t get too bad. Additionally, it would be best if you determined when you’re headed to San Miguel de Allende.
For example, the rainy season is typically from June to September. Thus you’ll want to keep that in mind if you’re headed in for the summer or early fall. Fortunately, the rest of the year has very little precipitation. Thus from October to May, you likely won’t need to concern yourself with rainproofing your outfits.
Winter in San Miguel
Because the weather is so balmy most of the year, you can skip the bulky jackets. Instead, plan to bring plenty of layers. A nice jean jacket or a cardigan is ideal outerwear. You can bring a scarf and a warmer hat, but you probably won’t need to worry about any snow or seriously blustery days.
For women, a classic ECOWISH Color Block Striped Draped Kimono Cardigan
is ideal. Multiple color combinations will help you blend into the bright and joyful local culture while you stay warm. The mid-weight brushed knit acrylic hangs long enough to provide plenty of warmth. Learn more on Amazon when you click here.
A light, knitted overlayer will breathe well, so you don’t overheat in the pleasant climate. Plus, it will help hold some of your body heat near the skin to keep you insulated and comfortable. Cardigans are more accessible to adapt to any wardrobe than a jacket and more stylish than most for wintertime near the equator. Stick to acrylic, rayon, or cotton and avoid the heavyweight blends like cashmere and wool.
Meanwhile, men can look classy and comfortable in a jewel-toned H2H Men’s Casual Slim Fit Cardigan Cable Knitted Sweater. The classic design goes well dressed up or down. With a range of colors to select from, you can find burgundy, red, aqua, and other more muted shades. Choose a vivid color unless you plan to wear a colorful shirt underneath. See the Amazon ratings right here.
Summer in SMA
The warm months can get quite hot and sweaty. However, dressing for the weather is more comfortable because of the dry climate. You’ll want mostly cotton or linen clothing. Polyester will only make you miserable in the heat.
Choose long-sleeved UVP shirts if you want to avoid the need to reapply sunscreen every hour or two. Make sure you pack comfortable footwear so you can get around town and see the sights. Additionally, you’ll want a well constructed, wide-brimmed hat to keep the sun off your face.
Cultural Garb
Although San Miguel de Allende is thoroughly modern, you can always expect to see some nods to mare historical fashion. Women in colorful long flowing skirts, blouses, and shirts with vivid embroidery, and men in classic boots are all normal. Tourists and ex-pats are always welcome to follow these traditions, or not as they please.
For a truly stunning look, try this sage green Umgee Boho Bliss! Dress from Amazon. The loose-fitting, yet flattering fabric will keep you comfortable in the warmest weather. Meanwhile, the stunning embroidery is a nod to local and national culture in Mexico. You’ll fit in and stand out. Get a Boho Bliss! for your next trip to SMA by clicking here.
What is Mexican Casual Wear
Americans are used to seeing people dress in clothing that is torn at the knees, or faded and stained out in public, but the same cannot be said for San Miguel de Allende. Mexican people are very meticulous about their appearance when they leave the house. Although you may see a few wrinkles, people in the SMA area wear beautiful, well-kept clothing even when they are dressed down.
From their clean and polished shoes to their many lovely hats, people don’t go out looking like slobs. Even visiting a Mexican Walmart will show you how vital this aspect of fashion is to the average person anywhere in Mexico. We may have The People of Walmart here in the USA, but no one in our southern neighbors’ cities would be caught dead shopping in pajamas or stained wifebeater shirts.
The women in the San Miguel de Allende area tend to dress in loose flowing layers for comfort. Modesty in collar lines is advisable but not totally necessary. However, exposed shoulders are also the norm for many women. While there are no modesty laws comparable to say visiting a middle eastern country, women in Mexico do tend to cover up a bit more than American women.
Men tend to dress comfortably in slacks or pants. You will see T-shirts, button-downs, and more formal wear among locals depending one where they’re headed. As an artist mecca, you will also seem more variety than the norm in more traditional areas.
San Miguel de Allende Fashion
Because San Miguel is an artsy, bohemian, international place to live, people wear all sorts of styles from everywhere in the world. There is no dress code per see. People are welcomed as they are. However, that doesn’t mean the city is unfashionable, far from it.
If you happen to show up at the right time of year, you could run unexpectedly into the semiannual San Miguel de Allende Fashion Days Festival. Naturally, you’ll see quite a lot of people dressed to impress if that’s the case. From catwalks to photo ops on the historic and lovely streets, dressing up is also part of SMA culture.
Notably, you’ll find plenty of vibrant and progressive fashion boutiques around town. That means you can always pick up a little something if you’ve missed out on some vital aspect of dressing-the-part for your journey. However, you should mostly plan to be comfortable.
Personal hygiene is a vast and often overlooked aspect of Mexican culture. Negative stereotypes here in the US notwithstanding, you’ll rarely see anyone in SMA who isn’t put together and tidy at the very least.
It’s important to dress for the occasion. A stroll around town and a stop into the cafe are incredibly casual. Shorts are fine by the pool, and on the young people in summer. However, if you plan to eat in a more upscale establishment, or visit the museums, it’s a good idea to kick your wardrobe up a few notches to match the day’s destination.
Stick to loose and lightweight casual layers for most occasions, and make sure you leave the heavy fabrics and dark, heat-absorbing colors at home. One final note- Don’t be afraid to bring plenty of your favorite colorful pieces with you. San Miguel de Allende is full of artists, after all, and no one is afraid of wearing bright colors in Mexico.
Final Thoughts
You will see people in San Miguel de Allende representing all sorts of fabulous international fashion. However, you’ll also note the trend for locals to dress in Mexican standbys like embroidered blouses. Although the incredibly friendly people would never deign to insult a poor fashion choice, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you don’t put some thought into your appearance.
SMA fashion is less about ‘what’s in this season’ and more about what is comfortable and classically appealing. Choose linen walking suits for men and cotton dresses for women in summer, and save the heavier denim jeans and slacks for winter months if you want to be comfortable. More importantly, don’t forget your hat.
Dress to impress or dress for comfort in San Miguel de Allende. Either way, plan to bring a spot treater in case of accidents and use the steam iron provided in high-end hotels.