The accessories and fashion trends of the 2011 spring and summer months are clearly evident on the streets of Scandinavia. Trendy people from Sweden, Norway and Denmark are sticking to the summer predictions when it comes to fashion, including the nautical wear, the comeback of leather in common informal wear and the vintage flower patterns.
Shoes are also taking centre stage in Copenhagen, as designers are channeling a fierce Lady Gaga and raw spirit through platform shoes and heels, whether they are black or denim-covered. It is not about following a trend on the streets of Copenhagen – each person has a personal style, an artistic approach to fashion and a laid-back vision.
Platform Shoes
While the flat ballerina shoe is still on the popular shoes list in Scandinavia, the platform heel is taking centre stage on the shelves. After roaming through the highly commercialized fashion and retail streets of Copenhagen, it is clear that Lady Gaga’s frequent wear of platforms have inspired designers to bring the crazy wear to the streets.
The shoes are commonly found in black, brown or covered in light denim material. The form of the shoe is often in a wide or thin heel, not a leveled platform. The intrinsic designs include a covered boot or a widely-braided look.
Braided Leather
Lighter brown leather is making a comeback in the accessories department across Scandinavia. The leather accessories are often thin straps of leather, braided together to give a solid string. This string is used as a belt, even though it is not strong enough to hold up a pair of pants. Rather, it is used as a decorative accessory.
The braided leather is also commonly used as a waist belt for summer dresses or large shirt dresses, which are still popular across Denmark. With a pair of leggings, the braided leather belt provides a fresh, but simple approach to any given look.
Hats and Scarves
Hats are also starting to appear on the shelves, as the sun has been shinning quite a bit in the early spring months in Scandinavia. Hats often come in white, black, vintage flower patterns and light browns.
Scarves remain a popular accessory item in Scandinavia. Back in 2009 and 2010, every girl on the street wore scarves to add color and texture to leggings and shirts. Since the weather is becoming warmer as that part of the world is moving closer to spring, the scarves are often being stored away on the closet shelves. However, vintage flower prints are present and often matched with black leggings and a white shirt dress.
Although the clothing itself has not changed much since the summer 2009 and 2010, the spring and summer period of 2011 promises to bring many more accessories to the shelves and onto the streets of Scandinavia. Canadians and Americans often find these same accessories 6 to 12 months after European release.
Malene Soegaard - Malene spends her life analyzing fashion and movies. She operates two print magazines and is a published author.
