Bullfighting is an art full of passion and tradition, where every detail has a deep meaning. And one of the most iconic and dazzling elements that give life to this bullfighting dance is the majestic “traje de luces” or suit of lights. Behind its brightness and color lies an authentic masterpiece that deserves to be admired and understood in all its essence. In this post we will see the different parts and elements that make up a traditional Spanish bullfighter costume.
You can see authentic spanish suits of lights for sale in our Matador Costumes section.
All the other accessories are available in our Capes & Accessories section.
1.The montera
It is the iconic round hat that the bullfighter wears on his head. It is a sample of elegance and tradition, although nowadays it is used mainly as an ornament. Matadors use it to dedicate a bullfight to the person of their choice or to the general audience.
2. Bullfighter jacket
It is the upper part of the costume and is often embroidered with gold or silver thread. Each suit of lights is a unique piece since the embroideries normally include motifs or symbols that represent the bullfighter.
3. White shirt
The shirt is an essential element in every bullfighting costume. Normally they have some embroidery on the front and visible since the jacket reveals the shirt.
4. Tie
It is very similar to a conventional tie but this time it is somewhat shorter and thinner, and tie and belt are normally the same colour.
6. Taleguilla
The pants or taleguilla are the lower part of the suit of lights (trousers). They are generally very tight as they are custom made so that the bull horns can not go through the fabric.
7. Stockings
Finally we find the stockings that are pink and have some decorative details in black. They must be high to be able to cover up to the knee since the pants are quite short.
Other bullfighting accessories
Despite having seen the most important parts of a bullfighter costume, we can find other extremely important accessories such as the following:
Shoulder pads
The shoulder pads, as their name indicates, are placed on the bullfighter jackets at shoulder height. All of them are decorated with handmade embroidery, decorative stones and round ornaments called cazoletas.
Alamares
The Alamares are one of the most characteristic symbols of the bullfighter costume. They are placed on the jacket, although nowadays many tailors do not use them anymore due to their cost and work, since they are handmade.
Tassels
Like the shoulder pads, the tassel ornaments are another part of the bullfighting costume that is used as a decorative element. They hang from the shoulder pads and at the bottom of the pants. They can be silver, gold and black as a general rule.
Manoletinas Shoes
The Manoletinas Shoes are the typical shoes that all bullfighters wear. They are all black and made of leather, with a black knot on the top.
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