How to dress in Sweden?

How to dress in Sweden?

What kind of strange article is this? you might think. Can´t people dress however they like?
And yes, of course they can. Whether you are a bumster or a fashionista or anything in between – you are free to choose what ever outfit you prefer, as long as you cover your private parts.

Sweden is quite open minded in that aspect, but there are still some certain things that are good to know about how to dress in Sweden.

How to dress in Sweden by season

We are located up north which gives us seasons. That means different weather for winter, spring, summer and autumn. Which in turn means at least 3 different ways to dress!

In the winter

Our winters (dec-feb) are usually on the cold side. Historically they used to be much colder and we had much more snow, but now a days, thanks to climate change, the temperatures usually ranges between -15 and + 2 celsius. The more up north you are – the colder it gets. (- 40 C is not unusual).

Winter in Stockholm

You want to keep your self warm in the winter. Exploring a new country is much more fun if you are warm and dry, vs. than if you are cold and wet. And you can do that by layering your outfit!
The first layer should be a long sleeved shirt/pant that keeps close to the skin. Preferably in a natural material that is breathable.

Some winters you get a new hairstyle from your hoodie

The second layer should be more of a loose fit. This is because the air that gets trapped between layer one and layer two is going to function as an insulator and keep you warm.

Add a hat, some gloves and good shoes and you are good to go!

In the spring

Spring (march-may) is the tricky season. This is the season when you are absolutely freezing one day, because you are wearing too LITTLE clothes and then sweating the very next day because you are wearing too MUCH clothes.

All though it is a totally different season it kind of has the same solution – layering your clothes!

This time, our reason for layering the clothes is different, so you don´t have to mind the instructions for winter. In spring you will want to wear many thin layers of clothing so that you can REMOVE layers if you get hot and ADD layers if you get cold.

Choose thin warming knits, shell jackets and other items that are light to carry around.

You know that it´s spring when the cherry blossoms in Kungsträdgården bloom! The trees were gifted to our swedish king Carl XVI Gustaf 1996-1997 by the Emperor of Japan.

In the summer

Summer (june-aug) is the best part of the year in Sweden! The swedes get out of their houses, the cities welcome tourists from all over the world and people are generally more happy and good looking.

This is also mating-season for the swedish homo sapiens so in the summer people generally dress up more.

Dresses, shorts and other summery clothing usually works fine, but if you are staying out late at night it might be a good idea to bring a sweater or a light jacket since the nights can be a bit chilly.

In the autumn

In the autumn (sept-nov) the umbrella is your best friend! Wear shoes that don´t get wet and wear a thick sweater under your light/semi-light jacket.

How do the Swedish people dress in general?

Imagine a funeral. Add some semi-high-quality materials such as cotton and cashmere, and a blended-wool coat (black) with a good cut and there you have it! There is the typical swede for you. At least if you are looking at the careerist-bracket. (People 30-55 living in a city-area).

Aim for something like this and you will fit right in!

If you are in your mid 20-s you will find the clothes more trendy, since the youngsters like to “be in” or “stay cool”, or what ever the term is nowadays. Currently this means Berghain-fashion and oversized 90-s clothes. Mullets and mustaches for men and clumsy shoes for everyone.

And that´s about it!
I hope you will stay warm and happy on your visit to Stockholm!

xoxo/Salla V