Having spent time in 13 different cities this year I can say without a doubt that those with the strongest cultures develop something of a trademark sense of style – a uniform, if you will. In Paris that trademark leaves young Parisian girls able to do their eye makeup with far more collective perfection than anywhere else you can travel in the world. In Florence it’s the condition of hair in winter that receives an agreement that I imagine to be collectively agreed. In Stockholm, I’ve found, the most fashion forward express themselves through something of a summer uniform. While the finer details change the two elements remain the same: short shorts and flat boots. Look over the late summer street style photos from Stockholm Fashion Week and you’ll begin to see precissely what I mean.
The above three photos are (badly) mocked up into a pastiche of the Stockholm style, and from it you can gather the other elements of the style. There’s often a jacket with a masculine basis included on the days where the sun doesn’t beat down too hard, where boots aren’t worn the flat shoes that replace them also have a masculine edge and are never ballet flats. When sunglasses are worn they’re generally aviators.
And the whole look works brilliantly. It not high fashion for a minute, but it is laid back and brilliant all the same.
The above three style photos were taken outside the Stockholm fashion week spring 2012 showings by Craig Arend.
