Hello from Denmark!
After spending nearly two months in Copenhagen I think I’ve gotten a pretty good sense for the dos and don’ts of Danish Style. Whether you plan on visiting Denmark in the near future (or any other Scandinavian or Northern European country—I’ve found that the “rules” generalize pretty well) or just want to import some Scandinavian chic to the streets (paths) of Gambier, here are some examples of quintessential Danish dress!
Do’s…
Ballerina Bun 2.0
This isn’t your average messy side bun…when I say high, I mean high: think Natalie Portman in Black Swan ballet bun. I think the general rule is that if you don’t have a migraine your bun is not tight enough. If you want proof of the trend’s virility consider this: when a girl who studied abroad in 2011 made a blog post about “how to look like a Dane” and included a satirical analysis of the Danish bun the post quickly went viral and gained fame status in Denmark! Though the post somewhat mocked the comical Scandinavian fashion trend, the Danes who commented on the post seemed to unanimously agree with the “guidelines” of constructing the perfect Danish bun! (scroll down to the comments at the bottom of her post’s page)
See Copenhannah’s post: “how to look like a Dane”
All Black Errthang
Black shoes, black jacket, black tights, black scarf, black pants, black dress, black headband. Danes LOVE to wear black. I found this surprising, since the winter in Copenhagen is already overall pretty dreary and gray so I’m not sure why the Danes don’t use their outfits as an opportunity to inject a little color into their lives, but alas, they do not. The all-black fashion trend makes blending in with the Danes easier though—you can get away with wearing pretty much anything style-wise as long as you have the color scheme down (can you even call it a color scheme when it’s all black?). The only time I have received a compliment on my outfit from a Dane is when I was wearing black leggings, a black chunky sweater, black combat boots and a purple scarf. And between you and me, she probably hated the scarf.
Sneakers, Sneakers, Sneakers!
Danes wear sneakers at all times, paired with everything from jeans to fancy dresses. It’s very typical to go out to a club or bar and see a Danish woman wearing a cute cocktail dress paired with Converse or Nike Free sneakers. I’m having my mom bring my colorful Nikes when she comes to visit because I left them at home…who knew I’d need my Dunks in fashionable Europe? I guess it’s convenient that sneakers are “cool,” given that walking on Northern European cobblestones in heeled boots is no small feat. NB: sneakers are the ONLY acceptable article of clothing that can break the “all black” rule—Danes sure love their brightly colored sneakers.
Obscenely Lightweight Jackets
Oh it’s 39 degrees? Let me throw on my trendy brightly colored windbreaker and not wear tights with my skirt and make the foreigners feel like wimps for keeping their parkas zipped and buttoned and call it a day.
Don’ts….
Being too dressed down or too dressed up
When packing for Copenhagen I was advised that the Danes have found a fashion “middle point” and stick with it no matter what the occasion—they would never be caught outside their homes looking sloppy but they also never get super dressed up to go out to a bar or club at night. I’ve found this advice to be 100% true, though I may have been skeptical at first. You would never see a Dane in sweatpants or a raggedy T-shirt, but you’d also be hard pressed to find a Danish girl in a club wearing a revealing top or bodycon dress either.
This was a big surprise for me because I think Kenyonians (or at least in my version of Kenyon) deal more in extremes: wear your comfiest oversized sweater, leggings and slippers to spend the day in the library and then transform into a glittery, bodycon skirt and crop top wonder by night. Kenyonians planning on traveling to Europe…you’ve been warned.
Being a brunette
(I wish I was kidding, why is everyone blonde here?)
Backpacks
People are all about the Longchamps and other various oversized bags. I guess the backpack wearing community is reduced to the population of over 1,000 less-fashionable American students studying in Copenhagen through various universities and programs, which I learned when a café worker kindly informed me one day, he “knew I was American the minute he saw my backpack.” Danes choose fashion over function with this one. I know it’s unfashionable, but I still wore my bright blue Patagonia backpack everywhere. Sorry I’m not sorry; backpacks are better for your back and posture than big purses…so jokes on you, Danes!
Well, collegiettes, if you aren’t on your way to being a Scandinavian fashion guru after these tips, then I’m afraid there’s just no hope for you. If I can manage to navigate my way through the fashion do’s and don’ts of one of the biggest fashion cities in the world and get compliments on my outfits (ok, one single compliment, but still), then so can you!