The ('suit of lights') is the traditional

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...

that Spanish

bullfight Bullfighting is a physical contest that involves a bullfighter attempting to subdue, immobilize, or kill a bull, usually according to a set of rules, guidelines, or cultural expectations. There are several variations, including some forms wh ...

ers (, , and ) wear in the

bullring A bullring is an arena where bullfighting is performed. Bullrings are often associated with the Iberian Peninsula, but they can also be found through Iberian America and in a few Spanish and Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. Bullrings are o ...

. The term originates from the

sequins A sequin () is a small, typically shiny, generally disk-shaped ornament. Sequins are also referred to as paillettes, spangles, or ''diamanté'' (also spelled ''diamante''). Although the words sequins, paillettes, lentejuelas, and spangles can ...

and reflective threads of gold or silver. These are based on the flamboyant

costume Costume is the distinctive style of dress or cosmetic of an individual or group that reflects class, gender, profession, ethnicity, nationality, activity or epoch. In short costume is a cultural visual of the people. The term also was tradition ...

s of the 18th-century

dandies A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance. A dandy could be a self-made man who strove to imitate an aristocratic lifestyle desp ...

and

showmen Showman can have a variety of meanings, usually by context and depending on the country. Australia Travelling showmen are people who run amusement and side show equipment at regional shows, state capital shows, events and festivals through ...

involved in bullfighting, which later became exclusive to the bullfighting

ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...

. Later adornments include the hat, more elaborate embroidery, and decorative accessories.

Getting "dressed to kill" constitutes a ceremonious ritual by itself: the matador is attended by a
squire In the Middle Ages, a squire was the shield- or armour-bearer of a knight. Use of the term evolved over time. Initially, a squire served as a knight's apprentice. Later, a village leader or a lord of the manor might come to be known as a " ...
() who helps him to get dressed, often according to a "lucky" ritual in the privacy of a hotel room. Components of the for a may include: * : the hat that the bullfighter and his assistants (subalterns) wear. The bullfighter dresses during (presentation) and in first two-thirds of the ritual called (goading phase) and (lances phase). It may be offered to a spectator as a mark of honour following a tradition set by Paquiro (Francisco Montes Reina, a famous 19th-century ). * : a wide-brimmed round hat made of white or beige beaver skin that is worn by (lancers on horseback). * : a narrow black necktie. * : a short and rigid jacket, with shoulder reinforcements, attached only at the upper shoulder to allow the free and unimpeded movement of the arms. * : close-fitting tights which extend from the waist to underneath the knee, secured with
tassel A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe. History and use In the Hebrew Bible, the Lord spoke to Moses instructing him to ...
ed
cord Cord or CORD may refer to: People * Alex Cord (1933–2021), American actor and writer * Chris Cord (born 1940), American racing driver * Errett Lobban Cord (1894–1974) American industrialist * Ronnie Cord (1943–1986), Brazilian singer * Co ...
s or decorated
gaiter Gaiters are garments worn over the shoe and bottom of the pant or trouser leg, and used primarily as personal protective equipment; similar garments used primarily for display are Spat (footwear), spats. Originally, gaiters were made of leath ...
s. are supported by means of (braces or suspenders) concealed by decorative and protective clothing. * : two pairs of socks or stockings are used. The first pair are white cotton, and the external pair are silk. They are usually pink, but can also be white, red, or black. * : a white shirt, sometimes embroidered, worn beneath the . * : flat slippers similar in general appearance to ballet flats, and decorated with a bow. * : a vestige of the 19th-century promenade
cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment which drapes the wearer's back, arms, and chest, and connects at the neck. History Capes were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon. Th ...
, this is a short silk mantle with rich and luxurious embroidery which is used during the . Before the main performance starts, this ornate cape is exchanged for a more utilitarian red or purple , a long cape used to entice the bull to charge. This has stiff reinforcing rods at the sides ( also means 'crutch' or 'cane' in Spanish). * : A hair tie. In the 19th century, bullfighters wore long hair often secured in a bun (called a ) reminiscent of 18th-century wigs. This was secured by the . Traditionally, this bun was worn by a to indicate impending retirement. Modern bullfighters have instead tended to use a detachable hair adornment called a .

Colors

The main elements of the ''traje de luces'', the pants and jacket, are usually of the same color and embellished with gold, sometimes silver or black, embroidery, sequins, and Austrian knots. The choice of colors are at the discretion of the bullfighter, with the most common colors being red, blue, white, pink, and brown. A bullfighter may pick a color for aesthetic reasons or based on superstitions, e.g. wearing a color worn previously that led to success in a bullfight or avoiding a color completely due to serious injuries while wearing that certain color. Selecting certain colors can also be for practical reasons, like picking lighter colors to call less attention from the bull.

Components of the for a picador (the mounted
goad The goad is a traditional farming implement, used to spur or guide livestock, usually oxen, which are pulling a plough or a cart; used also to round up cattle. It is a type of long stick with a pointed end, also known as the cattle prod. The ...
er). * : boots made of
chamois The chamois (''Rupicapra rupicapra'') or Alpine chamois is a species of goat-antelope native to mountains in Europe, from west to east, including the Alps, the Dinarides, the Tatra and the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Ril ...
, instead of the slippers. Steel armour is worn on the right leg to avoid being gored ('' cornada'') by the bull's horns. * : a traditional
beaver Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
-fur hat. * : the 's jacket, adorned with gold, a privilege reminiscent of times when the was equal to or more important than the .

are mounted lancers who slaughter the bull while riding on horseback. The Spanish use the traditional suit of Andalusian cattlemen, while their Portuguese counterparts dress in the style of

Frederick II of Prussia Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...

, a fashion similar to the uniforms of upper-class

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

in the 18th century.

Goyaesque corridas

These bullfights celebrate the earliest versions of the modern ceremony, which evolved in the 18th century, and which were recorded by the painter

Goya Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (; ; 30 March 174616 April 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker. He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His paintings, drawings, and ...

. The suit is similar to the conventional , but with less adornment. The tights are more comfortable, being of silk with gold thread. Goyaesque toreros perform the with a

bicorne The bicorne or bicorn (two-cornered) is a historical form of hat widely adopted in the 1790s as an item of uniform by European and American army and naval officers. Most generals and staff officers of the Napoleonic period wore bicornes, whic ...

hat, and a ('struggle cape') that is similar to the , but in stiffer material and without the stiffening rods. It measures between 113 and 123 cm and weighs some 4 to 6 kg. Bullfights in the style of Goya are known as , and are celebrated in Spain at the end of September, and also at

Arles Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...

in France.

References

External links

Inventario web de trajes de luces

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20090202095446/http://andaluciaimagen.com/fotos-trajes-de-luces-p1m40a0in0I0IA0.htm assorted pictures of toreros in action {{Bullfighting Bullfighting Spanish clothing