Ok, so I returned from a five-day break in the Swedish capital on Wednesday, so thoughts of Swedish style and fashion are still pretty fresh in my head. Before I went, I focused a blog on my memories of Stockholm fashion, refreshed by countless online articles of chic Swedish style.
A great deal of critique on Swedish fashion, tends to balance between the genders. My own personal opinion too is that male style in the city is indeed as worthy a mention as female dress.
The five days I spent in Stockholm was sun-filled and very very warm; perhaps not the type of weather most people associate with Sweden. However, as my boyfriend's father (who is a long-term resident of Sweden will tell me) summers do tend to be so… ultra-long sunshine days and more often than not, the kinds of summers we Brits wish we had.
So back to fashion and men. I spent the majority of my time in Ostermalm - an up-market district where a glass of wine costs upwards of £9 and Ferraris frequent the seafront streets. Men wore rather quite short shorts in bolts of animated yellow, green and blue. Similarly with trousers, statement dashes of red, orange or coral trousers with smart shirts, care-free choppy hair and groomed stubble looked dashing and inventive. Jeans were worn slightly skinny - not teenage angst skinny - just the right side of male chic.
Step foot into one of the other city districts and still guys look smart yet blithe with a real sense of gentility. And not a tracksuit or piece of bling in sight. Ahhhh.
The stereotype referring to Swedish women certainly has truth in its origins - but I think its time to start bigging up Swedish men who have carefree gentlemanly style well and truly nailed. A bit indie, sometimes preppy, perky and sometimes quirky, Swedish male style is well worth a peek for a shed load of both male and female style inspiration.
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