June 2009 - Style in Sweden - Blogs

Archive for June, 2009

Norrland fashion. Part två.

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

I’m back in Lund and as you can see I survived the Norrland trip. Fashion saved my life (as usual). My new rubber boots were the perfect shoes in the swamps and were even comfortable in the mountains.

I also had a special anti-mosquito jacket that my boyfriend’s father gave me. The army patterns were not exactly my style but I was really glad to have some protection against the annoying insects. The jacket included also a mask, which I just used when I really couldn’t stand the massive mosquito invasion. I think if I wore the mask here in Lund people would think that I wanted to rob a bank.

Look here…

Perfect protection against mosquitoes.

Even on my head...sometimes...

My friend Dag was much tougher than me and forwent all useful anti-mosquito fashion accessories. He didn’t even want any sprays or creams. Well, in the end I had about 15 bites. He had approximately 50 ones…on one arm.

Dag and me.

Apart from the mosquitoes, I was really impressed by the nature.

Sometimes there was snow even though it wasn’t cold…

Gustav with winter jacket.

We even made a snowman when we climbed a mountain.

Sometimes it was really warm so it was possible to swim in the rivers and lakes.

Gustav without any jacket...

The rural atmosphere made me forget all the hair styling products and make-up that I normally use. I was “clean” during that week.

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I really enjoyed the week in Funäsdalen in Norrland. Even if I really love big cities it’s a great experience to be cut off from the world for some days…

Dag.

Gustav.

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From high heels to rubber boots. Norrland fashion and other problems.

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Does anybody remember the Sex and the City episode “Sex and the Country”? Carrie and her boyfriend Aidan spend some days in his summerhouse outside New York in the countryside and she behaves like an idiot in every respect. She is afraid of the animals, hates the mosquitoes and her fingers are all thumbs.

When I saw the episode first I thought that Carrie’s behaviour was extremely embarrassing and exaggerated. I changed my mind.

My boyfriend and me went to his hometown close to Borlänge in Darlana to celebrate Midsommar. Tomorrow we continue the journey. Next stop Funäsdalen, Norrland.

Since he told me that all my shoes that I usually wear would be totally inappropriate in Norrland I bought my first rubber boots at Skopunkt for 200 crowns. I think they look totally ridiculous but I understand that high heels or Ballerinas are maybe not the best shoes here in the countryside with all mud and insects.

My new rubber boots. Beautiful, isn't it?

However, when we celebrated Midsommar I wore a skirt and some Ballerinas shoes instead of jeans and rubber boots because I thought it would be too ridiculous. Big mistake!!!

I have now about 10 mosquito bites on my legs. Since I grew up in an urban area I’m really not used to so many and aggressive mosquitoes. The result is that every bite is now about 10cm big and I look like I have the plague. Thank God that the Middle Ages are over! Otherwise, people would try to kill me because they would think that I had a horribly contagious illness.

I’m actually afraid of the trip to Norrland. What if mosquitoes bite me in my neck and I can’t breath? Aaah help!

I bought some sprays and creams against mosquitoes but my boyfriend means that they won’t help that much. I hope my new rubber boots will at least save my legs. I don’t want to sit with wet towels on the sofa (like I do at the moment) every night to cool my burning and horribly itchy mosquito bites.

By the way, I won’t have internet access in Norrland so I can’t write blog entries for a week. But I’m sure I can tell some funny stories when I’m back…

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Bye bye bikini! Hej hej swimsuit!

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

During the last ten years it was an absolute no-go to wear a swimsuit at the beach. I think I bought my last swimsuit when I was twelve and needed one in school for the swimming lessons. It was probably also the last time when I wore this swimsuit.

Apart from that my swimsuit is really ugly (blue one from Adidas) the idea to buy a swimsuit instead of a bikini has never occurred to me during the last decade.

This season H&M claims that the swimsuit is a must-have. Must I have it? I like the revival of the swimsuit but so far I haven’t found a cool one. I would like to have a 40s halter swimsuit with stripes or dots on it. Maybe I should check my grandmother’s wardrobe instead of the internet. Does anybody know where I can find such a swimsuit?

On the other hand, a swimsuit is really not a necessary garment at the moment; at least not in Sweden where the summer is obviously already over.

I’m also wondering if the tight 80s swim pants are on their way back. Yes, the tight ones that German 50 plus guys still wear. I’m not sure if younger guys would like them, too?!

Anyway, here are some swimsuits from H&M and Nelly that are nice but not perfect:

H&M. I think the form of the green os great but I have some problems with colours.

H&M. I think the form of the green one is great but I have some problems with the colours.

Cortina swimsuit, 795 crowns, Nelly. Ok, but a little bit too low-cut for me.

Cortina swimsuit, 795 crowns, Nelly. Ok, but the leg is a little bit too high-cut for me.

Circe swimsuit, 795 crowns, Nelly. Great colour but I don't like the form.

Stardust swimsuit, 1149 crowns, Nelly. The low-cut leg is great but otherwise not really my taste.

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Posted in Hip & Hype. Trends in Sweden. | 5 comments »

Blond eyebrows. Hot or not?

Monday, June 15th, 2009

Carolina Gynning, who became famous in Sweden after winning the reality TV show Big Brother, caused a huge eyebrow discussion. She appeared with bleached eyebrows on the comedy TV show “Söndagsparty med Filip och Fredrik” (Sunday party with Filip and Fredrik) and now many fashion magazines and bloggers consider blond eyebrows as the new big beauty hype. Even the Swedish daily Metro recently gave some beauty tips how to fix the perfect blond eyebrows.

Claudia Gynning with her new blond eyebrows.

Carolina Gynning with her new blond eyebrows.

I find this hype really exciting because eyebrows intrigue me! When I meet a person I always look at his or her eyebrows first. I think the colour and form are the crucial details that make a face beautiful and interesting or not.

Since I love eyebrows I want to see them. If they are blond it seems that they don’t exist, which makes a face empty and boring.

In other words, I’m not really convinced of bleached eyebrows. I actually thought that Madonna’s black and thick 1980s eyebrows were on their way back into the fashion world but it seems that I was wrong.

madonna

On the other hand, I wouldn’t be surprised if Carolinaa Gynning coloured her eyebrows brown again and the bleaching was just a trick to catch the media’s attention (what obviously worked).

So I can still hope for the comeback of the Madonna eyebrows.

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Posted in Hip & Hype. Trends in Sweden. | 5 comments »

Sandals. Sweden. Summer?

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Hermine Coyet Ohlén, editor at large of the Swedish ELLE, writes in her latest letter from the editor that all you need to be fashion-forward are gladiator sandals in Sweden this summer. I mostly know from the beginning if I like trends or not but this time I just can’t decide if I love or hate gladiator sandals.

What I really like about these shoes is that they are flat. High heels look great but I will never get used to them. I can wear them when I party but it’s impossible in school or at work. I always think that I walk like a stalk and that everyone realises that I have a silent fight with my shoes. It’s just so uncomfortable!

What I really don’t like about gladiator sandals is that you can see the toes. I don’t like my feet so I rather prefer not to show too much.

However, the biggest minus is that you need a real summer to wear gladiator sandals. I don’t know how but Hermine Coyet Ohlén must have forgotten that this can be a problem in Sweden. Right now, it’s 12 degrees outside and it’s raining. So no sandal weather.

As long as the weather don’t change I will wear my ballerina shoes (flat and cover toes)…maybe also if it changes…

Glady 149:- crowns. If I buy some gladiator sandals then defintely these ones.

Glady 149:- crowns, Nelly. If I buy some gladiator sandals then defintely these ones.

Attack 299:- crowns, Nelly.

Blink 199:- crowns, Nelly.

Gladiator 349:- crowns, Nelly.

Jenny 799:- crowns, Nelly.

Leather Gladiator 299:- crowns, Nelly.

Metall Glads 299:- crowns, Nelly.

Pictures from: Nelly

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Posted in Hip & Hype. Trends in Sweden. | 9 comments »

Dinner party. Martha Stewart must have Swedish heritage…

Monday, June 8th, 2009

My flat mates and me celebrated the end of the term with a luxurious dinner party on Friday. I have never done real dinner parties with my friends in Germany. We mostly meet at restaurants and sometimes we make raclette. But I think it would be a little exaggerated to call smelting cheese and frying vegetables cooking.

With cooking it’s a little bit like with clothes in Sweden: people care really much about it. They like it perfect! I think in no other country students would organise a seven courses dinner party to celebrate the summer holidays.

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Most student parties in Germany for example start with beer. We however started with champagne that Johan prepared.

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And that was the whole menu:

You are maybe wondering now where my name is on the list. Well, I took pictures and washed the dishes (yes, I can’t cook…).

However, my flat mates are fortunately much more talented in the kitchen. They are really excellent cooks!

First we ate Småland roles, a Mexican soup, a Japanese soup and Sushi (very international).

Kalle

That’s Kalle enjoying the Japanese soup. He is a very talented architect student and created the banner for my blog. Check out his great blog if you want to see more:

Johan.

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Ida & Kajsa.

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The whole gang.

The Sushi was incredibly delicious!!! Look how great it looked.

After the Sushi we did a break since everybody was already quite full.

By the way, look at my new skirt that I bought at Popolino (best shop in Malmö!!!) on Friday before the dinner. It’s from Popkitten.

We continued with the main course, salmon with potato salad.

For dessert we had a cheese plate, ice cream and brownies.

For some reason, I was still able to move after this huge dinner. I ended up at a party with some Danish theme. There I met this girl here. I think the dress is really cute (even though I don’t see the connection to Denmark apart from the colours…).

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Posted in Nightlife. | 2 comments »

Graduation outfits in Sweden. So beautiful!

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

I have seen a lot of people in sailor outfits in the clubs here in Skåne during the last weeks. First I thought that gay parties must have become enormously popular but my Swedish friends explained me that these people don’t come from the latest gay pride and that they don’t wear sailor clothes.

“These people are Swedish pupils who celebrate their secondary school graduation”, said my boyfriend Gustav.

Celebrating graduation in cute sailor dresses? How cool is that!? When I graduated from secondary school we had a Mexico theme. I had a sombrero on my head and wore a t-shirt with Speedy Gonzales on it.

Here’s a picture with my friend Gianna:

gianna-u-mareike

In comparison to Germany, the Swedish secondary school graduates are much more dressed up. The guys wear a black and white suites and the girls a white dress. Everybody wears a student hat, which I find looks like a sailor hat. I’m so intrigued by these outfits. Too bad, that I heard about the Swedish sailor look six years after my secondary school graduation.

Here’s my flat mate Johan with his friends celebrating their secondary school graduation last year.

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johan2

johan3

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I’m writing my Master’s thesis at the moment so I could wear something similar when I celebrate my graduation. Well, maybe without the hat. I think that would be a little bit ridiculous at my age (I’m 25).

I’m wondering why secondary school graduates exactly wear this outfit. Let me know if you know more about the background.

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Posted in People. | 3 comments »

Pocket watches. The perfect accessories.

Monday, June 1st, 2009

I received a mail from the Scandinavian fashion webstore Nelly today that Vintage pocket watches are the big hype at the moment. When I had birthday last year I wanted so badly a pocket watch and my grandmother was at least in ten jewellery shops to find such a bloody watch. She told me that all the sellers looked totally surprised at her and said, “A pocket watch? These days?? For a girl???”.

Of course, she found a beautiful pocket watch for me but I think it’s somehow funny that I’m offered Vintage pocket watches on the internet just a half year after we searched so hard for one.

The pocket watches from Nelly look really great and cost between 419 and 675 crowns. I think that’s a good price for a watch.

I always have my beautiful pocket watch me. It’s a perfect accessory because it’s practical and chic. Of course, a German with a pocket watch is a perfect cliché so that my friends from southern countries often make fun of me.

In particular when I do a presentation and fetch my pocket watch my classmates start to laugh. Come on, it’s fashion!

On the other hand, I will never get use to the sense of time that people in southern countries have. Last year I met some people from Spain and Australia quite often and I always had to wait for them…even though I hadn’t had my fantastic pocket watch yet.

My pocket watch:

watch1