The Anomaly that is Swedish Fashion

I'm no fashion guru, but I have to comment.

I think I dislike this shoe more and more each day. I'd say 8 out of 10 Swedish students at my University wear this. Yesterday I saw 7 people in a row wearing the same shoe in different colors. Like one homogenous, walking advertisement for Converse.



The 50s are also alive and well here. A nerdy looking v-neck button down vest and collared shirt, combined with nerdy looking jeans rolled up at the bottom, some converse shoes, and a part or comb over hair for guys is a reasonably common sight. If it's not that, then we have the red pants phenomenon. Wow, the red pants phenomenon is unbelievable. I don't think you'll catch many guys wearing red pants in the US, but here, it is just part of everyday life. Here and there you get the bright greens and the bright blue pants on guys too. I'm not criticizing the colored pants though. Everyone should feel free to choose whatever color they'd like, free of gender or sexuality stereotyping.

And the girls are wearing these hideous shorts that also must be from the 50s. Where the waist line comes halfway up their upper body, the legs are rolled up inside out. And the butt part is so baggy it looks like it could hold a bowling ball.

I must admit, I threw in the towel and picked up a pair of shoes lately that increase my Swedishness substantially. For a bank breaker of $12, they will probably fall apart next week. However, these stunners also come in Red, White, and the surprisingly quiet color of Black.



Of course, H&M being from Sweden, plaid shirts are worn by just about everyone including the family pet. The word 'hipster' as it is thrown around in the US might as well be status quo here.

And since it is finally getting sunny, people are walking around with plenty of tans. Well, tan per se. It must be what they use in those fake bake machines, or the combination of the chemicals with the lighter sun deprived Swedish skin, but half of them come out looking orange. That's right, they all went to Syracuse University. Or, they could be from Mars, for all I know. Or drank too much Fanta. Not a nice color, however.

In general, I think that Swedes are pretty into their clothes and how they look. I'm not, so I provide a pretty biased and worthless critique....Guess that's why I look like a hobo! Well, on the bright side, at least I know they won't be calling me up to be an extra alongside John Travolta in the next Grease Lightning movie.