To describe the unique style or manner in which something is done, Spanish uses the phrase a lo followed by an adjective or noun.
"In the style of..."
When using a lo to mean "in the style of," the adjective is always masculine and singular—regardless of the gender of the noun it modifies.
| We are going to customize this motorcycle in a classic style. | Vamos a personalizar esta moto a lo clásico. |
| You should customize the appearance in a retro style. | Deberías personalizar el aspecto a lo retro. |
| We decided to paint the classic motorcycle in a rebellious style. | Decidimos pintar la moto clásica a lo rebelde. |
Idiomatic phrases of manner
This structure is also used to create fixed, idiomatic phrases that describe exactly how an action is performed.
Doing something a lo grande means doing it in a big way, sparing no expense.
| They finished the restoration in a big way. | Terminaron la restauración a lo grande. |
Other phrases describe actions done roughly or recklessly, like a lo bestia (using brute force or doing something roughly) or a lo loco (haphazardly or crazily).
| They installed the exhaust roughly. | Instalaron el escape a lo bestia. |
| They did the restoration haphazardly. | Hicieron la restauración a lo loco. |
Describing the results
When customizing a vintage motorcycle, the final look is rarely subtle. Strong adjectives like brutal, audaz (bold), and radical often go hand-in-hand with these bold choices.
| This new chassis is brutal, which I love. | Este chasis nuevo es brutal, lo que me encanta. |
| This motorcycle has a radical and brutal design. | Esta moto tiene un diseño radical y brutal. |