Scandinavian Style at US Colleges

By Nora Lima Dahl

Since moving to the US about three years ago, I have noticed how drastically differently I dress when I am at home in Norway as opposed to at school here in the States. It is not really an evolution of my personal style because I quickly adapt back into my old fashion habits as soon as I go home over the summer or winter break. Reflecting on this habit made me wonder if I was the only Scandinavian who felt like my outfits did not render appropriate on both sides of the Atlantic. I reached out to some of my friends to see if they felt the same way and their responses were incredibly interesting and inspiring. I wish to share with you some of their thoughts.

I have previously written about the importance of finding your own style, which you can read here.

Bronwyn

Bronwyn is a first year at Middlebury College. While her dad was born and raised in Denmark, she grew up just outside of Boston. During her gap year, Bronwyn was able to live and work in Copenhagen. She was a social media intern at one of Scandinavia’s most influential fashion houses, Samsøe & Samsøe, and was quickly immersed in the Nordic fashion scene.

Did you feel like you dressed differently in Copenhagen versus at school?

Absolutely, I dressed very differently.  Scandinavian people have a higher standard for everyday fashion in many ways. I found that I put a lot more thought into my outfits when I lived there. Fashion was something everyone engaged in and was more intentional about than here in the States. I would not necessarily say that people were more dressed up, just more put together. Even though I was working directly with people in the fashion industry, I did not feel pressure to fit into some kind of standard. My style changed because I was inspired by people around me.

Are you interested in fashion?

Fashion is exciting to me. I am a very visual and artistic person, and one way that shows up in my life is in the way I dress. I have always been interested in fashion but in different ways. While I have always cared about the way I dress, I started to find the artistic aspect of fashion intriguing in high school. For the moment I have a very “look good, feel good” mentality with fashion. It helps me stay motivated to pursue my artistic interests.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion means a lot to me. It is something I am interested in because it transverses cultures in many ways. Fashion is a universal language to me that gives people something to connect over.

Where do you get inspiration from?

 @josephinevogt, @annawinck, @samsoe, @middclover

Hugo

Hugo is a senior at Middlebury College. He was born in Sweden and lived there until he was 8. For the last 13 years, he has lived abroad with his family, living in New York, Singapore, and Oxford. He still considers Sweden to be home.

Do you feel like you dress differently at home versus at school?

Yeah, I would say so. I think people here are a lot more casual in the way they dress and act. Wearing a hoodie outside of my room is totally acceptable here, but it wouldn’t have been at home. People pay more attention to fashion in Sweden, and so do I when I am there. When you are surrounded by people who dress nice, you want to do it too. I would say the driver for dressing differently back home is a combination of feeling more inspired by the people around me and complying with the standard of fashion.

Are you interested in fashion?

Not particularly. I do not seek it beyond outfits I wear or looking at how others dress, meaning I do not read any magazines or follow fashion houses on social media. I did not really pay much attention to the way I dressed until freshman year of high school, when I wanted to start dressing like my dad. 

What does fashion mean to you?

It means paying attention to your own and other people’s larger aesthetic, not just the way you dress.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Brands like a Day’s March, Knowledge Cotton, No Nationality, Wax.

Christian

Christian is also a senior at Middlebury College. He was born and raised in Denmark but spent his junior year of high school in China.

Do you feel like you dress differently at home versus at school?

Yes, hoodies!! I wear them so much more here. Not just in my dorm but around campus. I also find that I wear hats a lot more. When I have bad hair days… Essentially, I find that people, myself included, dress a lot comfier here. I think it comes down to the fact that we have everything we need on campus, and we have a lot less time to plan. Besides the convenience of dressing comfortably, there is a very different culture around fashion here. Sportswear is the norm. 

Are you interested in fashion?

Moderately so. I follow a few brands on Instagram. I think it comes down to being fascinated with an aesthetic, whether it is architecture, art, or clothes. I have always paid attention to the way I dress.

What does fashion mean to you?

I do not want to be cliché, but I think it is a way of expressing yourself. In so many ways you are similar to people, especially here at Middlebury, but the way you dress can really set you apart and be a way of differentiating yourself.

Where do you get inspiration from?

@middclover (obviously), @MichaelLillelund, @Lawrencevh, @RobertCavalli, @oscarjardorf, @gstaadguy

Lara

Lara is a senior at Columbia University. She was born and raised in Norway but moved to the US to attend boarding school. 

Do you feel like you dress differently at home versus at school?

Yes, I definitely do. I conform a lot more in Oslo. I feel limited in what to wear because people dress so similar. If I dress like that here, I look incredibly basic. I think people at my school and in NYC in general value individuality a lot more, which allows me to wear more weird stuff. It is not that I do not like the way people dress at home, but I prefer to dress differently. People here always inspire me. When I go out with my friends, I never know what they will wear, and I am always surprised by how they are able to push the boundaries of fashion. On the other hand, I like that we dress more formal at home, which sometimes can feel weird doing here.

Are you interested in fashion?

I would say I am pretty interested. It is a fun way to express myself and show my personality to people I cannot talk to. It is also a way to take control over my own body. You can definitely tell when I am going through a phase where I feel more introverted, I tend to wear more baggy clothes. In that sense, fashion is a good way to express how I am feeling.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion is a way to express your feelings and personality. It also gives you a chance to choose how to present yourself. I think it is unfortunate that we all dress so similarly at home, and that we don’t get to express ourselves.

Where do you get inspiration from?

@marianne_theodorsen, @polliani, @everyoutfitonsatc, @parisiensinparis, @watchingnewyork, @olsenoracle, @susan_alexandra, @himichelleli

Astrid

Astrid is a junior at the University of Washington. She was born and raised in Norway but moved to the States to play collegiate tennis.

Do you feel like you dress differently at home versus at school?

Yes. As a student athlete, I tend to dress mostly in athletic clothes when I am in the US. Back home I wear more formal clothes because I usually have a lot more time than when I am in school. I really like dressing up, it is a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I do not have time to put much effort into my outfits and dress more for convenience here.

Are you interested in fashion?

I cannot say I have always been interested in fashion, but I definitely am now. I like creating my own outfits and trends. As I grew older and more confident, I have been a lot more focused on figuring out what works for my body. I wear whatever I want to because I find it cool, not because it is a trend. Expressing myself through different mediums, like the way your hair is, how you dress, and what you say has always been important to me.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion to me is an expressive outlet. It does not have to mean anything at all, but it can mean a lot if you want it to. Fashion makes it possible to choose how you want others to see you, there is a lot of power and agency in that. Fashion to me means freedom.

Where do you get inspiration from?

@rihanna is a fashion icon, @beyonce inspires me, @naomiosaka, @outdoorvoices

Lillian

Lillian is a junior at Ole Miss University. She was born in Texas and lived there until she was 12 but spent her teenage years in Norway. Lillian is also a student athlete. (tennis)

Do you feel like you dress differently at home versus at school?

Yes, people at my school mostly wear leggings, sweatpants, and oversized hoodies, myself included. I think we have a more relaxed attire because most people are student athletes and have limited time to dress up. I find that people at home are more put together and dress up more. It is somewhat weird when people dress up here because no one does it.

Are you interested in fashion?

Yes, I do enjoy it, but I have no aspirations to be an influencer. I like dressing up and feeling good about myself. I also love the feeling of browsing stores or magazines and seeing something you just “have to have”. That was when I really started finding interest in fashion, when I was 15 and I was allowed to go to the mall with friends.

What does fashion mean to you?

I do not want to say this because it is so cliché, but fashion is a way to express yourself. It is about figuring out what you like, developing your own style, and connecting with other people. To me, fashion is a hobby.

Where do you get inspiration from?

(@zara, @jannideler, @åpenthusvindern)

Helene

Helene is a senior at University of Richmond. She was born and raised in Oslo but moved to the States to play collegiate tennis.

Do you feel like you dress differently at home versus at school?

Yes, I am definitely more chill here. I like to wear running shoes and oversized sweaters around campus. I really enjoy dressing up, but I do not feel like I have time or energy to do it here. No one around me dresses up here anyways. I sometimes wish I lived in a city so I could dress up more. Not to say that I feel the need to follow a certain standard here, it is just easier to dress more casual when I have to practice several times a day.

Are you interested in fashion?

No, but I do love to dress up. I am really bad at keeping up with trends and I do not really follow any fashion houses. I just wear whatever makes me happy. I love to find inspiration from people around me, but I make sure to always stay true to my personal style.

What does fashion mean to you?

To wear what you think is cool and nice. Whether it be formal or casual, whatever I find cool is fashion to me.

Where do you get inspiration from?

@biancaingrosso, @jannideler, @darjabarannik, @clovermidd, @emmaellingsen