By guest editor Claire Hastings

As the grand finale of summer approaches, we’ve wrapped up another delightful Scandi season of spring wardrobe that will help us make it to the blooming months of 2019. If you still haven’t seen some of the most notable outfits worn in the streets of Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, brace yourself for some serious wardrobe cravings. These girls will leave you with plenty to think about for next spring, though you’ll probably be eager to introduce some of these ideas into your own lookbook way sooner, and flaunt the freshest Scandi vibes one could possibly imagine.

One would think that nothing could match – let alone top – the imagination behind certain outfits presented by street style divas such as Rihanna or Beyoncé. However, a single glance across the streets of these Scandinavian capitals, and you’ll come across a slew of brilliant urban looks to inspire some of your own outfits.

FIN: Kesä lähestyy loppuaan, mutta onneksi Skandinavian muotiviikkkojen hempeät kevätmallistot auttavat meitä selviämään talven yli. Myös katumuodista voimme jälleen kerran ammentaa inspiraatiota. Kööpenhaminan, Oslon ja Tukholman tyylitaiturit tarjoilivat ideoita ensi kevään asukokonaisuuksiin, mutta parhaat palat voi poimia testaukseeen jo nyt. Voisi luulla, etteivät vaatimattomat ja minimalistiset skandit pystyisi peittoamaan katumuotidiivojen, kuten Rihannan tai Beyoncén näyttäviä asuja, mutta tänä vuonna pohjoisen daamit todella pistelivät parastaan.

LET THAT COLOR POP

For those of you who envision Scandi as somewhat of a black-and-white minimalism with an occasional twist of asymmetry, you’ll be dazzled by what these ladies have managed to do with just a handful of interesting hues. Sunset orange was a huge hit, especially paired with rusty red or baby blue. The takeaway message is: you cannot go wrong with an entire orange ensemble – or a pink one for that matter – especially if you embellish it with a contrasting tone such as a bold green.

FIN: Jos skandinaavinen tyyli tuntuu vielä synonyymilta mustavalkoiselle koruttomuudelle, on aika miettiä uudelleen. Auringonlaskun oranssi oli tämän vuoden ehdoton hittiväri, usein yhdistettynä ruosteenpunaiseen tai vaaleansiniseen. Paras muistisääntö lieneekin: koko-oranssilla asu ei voi mennä pieleen. Ei myöskään kokopinkillä, joka jatkaa voittokulkuaan – erityisesti yhdistämällä se vastaväriinsä kirkkaanvihreään.

EMBRACE THE PATTERNS

Scandinavian fashion weeks’ range of curious motifs would give you a year-worth of outfit ideas for cocktail parties and coffee dates alike. Animal print, for example, remains a top pick, while large florals, as opposed to last year’s couch florals, offer a picturesque look of feminine, yet powerful beauty.  We shouldn’t also forget plaid, seen both in pantsuits and as a separate item matched to a single-hued piece to add retro feel to the mix. Visually appealing geometry with minuscule patterns was also found in some prominent combos, and of course, the timeless polka-dots are an all-time favorite.

If you feel that pairing polka dots with stripes is an out-of-the-box fashion solution, you’ll fall madly in love with some of the mismatches made in heaven, that is, on the streets of Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen. The Swedish capital, in particular, expressed a strong passion for rebellious clashes that somehow wonderfully fit. Think of animal print – which is already bold on its own – paired with checkers, or vertical and diagonal stripes in a wide range of hues.

FIN: Skandinavian katumuoti tarjosi tällä kertaa niin laajan kirjon printtejä, että niissä riittää inspiraatiota koko vuoden tarpeisiin. Eläinkuosit leopardista tiikeriin ja käärmeeseen olivat esillä, erityisesti yhdistettynä näyttäviin kukkakuvioihin ja raitoihin. Myös vuosi sitten paluun tehneet, retrohenkiset ruudut ja pilkut pitivät pintansa ja printtejä sekoiteltiinkin surutta. Erityisesti Tukholmassa nähtiin todella kokeilunhaluisia ja kapinallisiakin yhdistelmiä.

CASUAL IS SEXY

Come spring 2019, and you’ll see many eager fashion lovers around you focusing on the same thing Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm have shown us in these previous weeks – comfort comes first! Yes, by all means, do put an effort into finding the right shade of pink to match your mood, but the catwalks and the streets have made their ruling in favor of oversized as opposed to tight and form-fitting. Hence the outfits with unbuttoned shirts, sleeves rolled up, A-line skirts for a breezy feel, and a multitude of dresses several sizes too big.

In fact, these ladies have shown us how you can create the same level of sophistication and haute couture without abandoning your need for comfort and room. Boho-inspired embroidered dresses paired with simple flats, or chunky pantsuits, the choice is yours, but there’s plenty of wiggle-room for classy and comfy at the same time. Another important detail that spoke in favor of comfort was their choice to abandon and minimize the use of makeup – go natural and let your skin breathe!

FIN: Sekä catwalkit että katumuoti nostivat esiin rennon puekutumisen. Ensi kevään koittaessa tullaankin näkemään skandinaavien innoittamana ylisuuria mekkoja, A-linjaisia hameita, rennosti käärittyyjä hihoja ja napittamattomia paitoja. Tyylikkyys ei enää tarkoita tiukkaan istuvia, räätälöityjä vaatteita vaan saman hienostuneisuuden voi saavuttaa mukavuutta unohtamatta. Rentous näkyi myös meikkitrendeissä: skandit suosivat huoletonta ja luonnollista lookia, jossa pakkelin määrä on minimi ja iho saa hengittää.

ACCESSORIES WITH A SPLASH OF FUN

Keeping it casual with baggy shirts, breezy pants, and ripped denim didn’t prevent these women from putting on a pair of statement heels to take their style to the next level. It wouldn’t be just any pair, but something as bold as the women wearing them – suede ankle boots, funky buckles, studs, or a piece of delicate plastic for an added effect.

There’s one fashion statement we can not skip to mention: flip-flops. Scandinavian capitals, known for their sharp winters and mild summers have become the capitals of this so-called Hawaiian trend. And we can not blame the Scandi girls – is there any better way to celebrate this ending summer than elevating your street style with this effortless detail? Flip-flops worn with designer pieces of clothing are just another branch of alive-and-well normcore style. Like always with normcore – people love it or hate it, and even editors of renowned fashion magazines have the debate whether they support this trend or not.

High heels or not, these colorful Scandi looks often put a spotlight on the smallest of items in the ensemble. Whether it’s a minuscule clutch, a pair of shades, layered delicate bracelets in pastels, or colorful necklaces, every single item on the list was perfectly balanced with the outfit, and yet added so much vibrancy to the final composition.

Perhaps the biggest and boldest of all trends was deeply Scandinavian in its essence, and it was the wicker bag, a purpose-built accessory that resonates with the local lifestyle. However, the love for all things wicker has already transferred to the rest of the world, so you can expect to see them with the first summer petals of 2019, too.

FIN: Kenkämuodin suhteen skandit jakautuivat kahteen leiriin: statement-korkkareihin ja varvassandaaleihin. Kenkävalinnoilla luotiin nerokkaita kontrasteja, jolloin rennon asun pariksi valittiin näyttävät, koristeelliset avokkaat tai nillkurit, kun taas upean couturemekon alta vilahtivat hiekan pölyttämät flip flopit. Skandinaaveilla onkin taito hioa asunsa pienintä yksityiskohtaa myöten ja muutkin asusteet oli huolellisesti valittu täydentämään huolettomalta vaikuttavaa kokonaisuutta. Kenties parhaiten skandinaavisen tyylin kiteyttivät käytännölliset pajukorit, jotka selvästi ovat tulleet laukkuhyllyillemme jäädäkseen.

Stylefullness contributor Claire Hastings is an Australian freelance writer passioned about fashion and aesthetics.

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