Travel Blog: Swedish Fashion

 During my year in Sweden, I remember being in awe of the girls around me as we rode the bus to school every morning. I felt like I was living in a fashion show. Swedish girls really are as beautiful as people talk them up to be. With mostly long, but not always blonde hair, girls head to school looking as though they had been up since the wee hours of the morning perfecting their ensembles.
 
Swedish fashion is one thing that cannot be over looked. While Paris and London are still held as the prominent fashion capitals of Europe, Stockholm is quickly becoming very influential in the fashion world.
 
H&M? Acne? Cheap Monday? These Swedish brands are taking the fashion world by storm. Internationally, Swedish designers are influencing trends and pushing contemporary style to be more urban and edgy.
 
Adorned in Docker’s, oversized sweaters, tights, bold lipstick and nails, girls in Sweden are taking a stand against what was previously appropriate for women’s wear. The days of subtle femininity are gone, or at least temporarily.
 
Instead, there is a new sense of beauty. While still wanting to be desirable, the look women are putting across is much more dynamic and mysterious. Even the jewelry, has a more raw look. On a night out, girls will often top off their ensemble with a “shape-inspired” necklace.

Men are likely to be found wearing rolled up jeans, a dressy button up, and they aren’t afraid to rock ultra chic accessories: such as, hipster-esque bold glasses or a classy scarf. 
 

When I think of what’s trendy for young Swedish men, the Swedish clothing brand WESC truly encompasses urban trendiness with ease.  However, brands like H&M and Nudie are equally as popular.
 
What surprised me the most about Swedish men, was how much pride they took in having good style. They really cared about their appearance and weren’t afraid to show that they had put thought into their looks. This was extremely refreshing, considering I come from a small, central-Illinois, high school where sports tees and baseball caps were all the rage.
 
Overall, getting to experience European fashion taught me so much about predicting trends and taking fashion risks. Sweden’s young use clothing as a form of self-expression and I try to do the same. Now, whatever mood I am in dictates how I dress. It is so empowering to wear what you feel confident in. Don’t be afraid to be bold and take a style tip from Swedish fashion!