Today’s edit is a collection of gift ideas for those special occasions, along with even more gifting inspiration and a curated selection of dresses for my paid subscribers, perfect for summer’s celebrations, whether it be a wedding, a garden party, or anything in between.

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

For the couple

Whether it’s something that finds a permanent place in their home or an experience that becomes a memory, these are gifts worthy of the occasion.

1. An overnight stay at a hotel – In Stockholm, my first pick would be Ett Hem.

2. What about two bathrobes? Tekla has you covered.

3. Svenskt Tenn’s pewter carafe was gifted to us by dear friends for our wedding, and it only gets better with age.

4. A beautiful handblown glass vase by Akua Objects.

5. You can never have too many bowls.

6. A handmarbled guest book feels very old school in the best possible way.

7. A leather travel backgammon set.

8. Nothing is more special than an antique piece as a gift – a 1940s Swedish brass candelabra.

9. A large mother of pearl caviar set.

10. Pewter vase in 1930s style from Svenskt Tenn

For the new arrival

For the little one and their parents, both for now and for years to come.

For the summer boy

A few things I’d happily give a little boy this summer, whether for a birthday, the start of the holidays, or simply because childhood summers deserve a little magic.

For the summer girl

Small treasures for a long summer of swimming, adventures, and ice cream runs.

For the milestone moment

The graduate, the girl moving out on her own, that friend who is turning 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or just because!

Read more

So school is out, but thankfully the kids are still reasonably occupied.

Summer camps aren’t nearly as big a thing here in Sweden as they are in some other countries. There are options, of course, mostly sports daycamps and a few overnight camps later in the summer, but it’s not really the default.

Instead, we have something called fritids (“free time”), which is a heavily subsidized after-school program that most Swedish children attend throughout the school year. During the term, it’s where kids go after school while their parents are working. When school ends for the summer in June, and again before it starts back up in August, fritids stays open and essentially becomes a full-day program, with lunch and activities included, so parents can continue working.

My 9-year-old still loves going, but my older son has reached the age where he’s officially too cool for it. He could still attend, but none of his friends go anymore, so that’s pretty much the end of that chapter.

He’ll spend the next few weeks hanging out at home and heading to his afternoon swim practice, but yesterday morning he left for a five-day swim camp with his team. He was both excited and a little nervous, and while I’m so happy for him, I’m doing my best not to cry at the thought of him being away for nearly a week.

So for now, one son is happily spending his days at fritids, another is living the swimmer life with daily training with a bunch of swim obsessed friends, and my husband and I are up to our ears in work, wondering how it suddenly became the middle of June.

To be honest, I feel a bit behind with this Substack lately. Work has been spilling well beyond regular hours, and I currently have 3-4 pieces in progress that I started more than a month ago and still need to finish. (I have a habit of working on several things at once.)

There were so many posts I hoped to publish before summer vacation, but June seems to have arrived in a blur. I’m realizing that I need to be much more intentional about where I spend my time and energy since family and work comes first. Some projects will simply have to wait until after the summer, even though I had hoped to share them sooner.

I’m trying to make peace with that reality rather than treating it as another item on my to-do list. The ideas aren’t going anywhere, and neither is this space. They’ll still be here when life slows down a little. Hope you’ll stick around.

For now, I’m focusing on getting through these last busy weeks of work, making sure everyone gets where they need to be, and trying to enjoy the fact that summer is finally here, even if it feels like it’s racing past already. Before long, the laptops will close, the out-of-office messages will go up, and life will slow down for a while.

And honestly, that sounds pretty wonderful right now.

Scenes from the last few weeks

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

These past few weeks, I’ve had zero inspiration to get dressed. As you’ll see below, it’s mostly been T-shirts and jeans.

Before heading out, I threw on my vintage Bally leather shirt in a soft pale yellow over jeans and a t-shirt, bike battery in hand. The outfit wasn’t exactly planned, and it certainly wasn’t my best work, but some days are just like that, and honestly, that’s perfectly fine too. As you can probably tell, I’ve been carrying my Lié Studio Charlotte bag* nonstop lately. I’m completely obsessed.

New month meant new tea supply purchased at Sibyllans. Sleepy Time and Moroccan Mint, check. I am easily tempted and gave in to the shortbread cookies in two different flavors as well.

After picking up my tea haul, I stopped by Supermercado, one of the places I even named in my Stockholm shopping guide. It’s the perfect place when you’re craving a bit of Spain. I brought home some gazpacho, tortilla española, and a few pastéis de nata, which my kids devoured.

Two weeks ago, my husband and I were invited to a summer drink at the office of our friends’ architecture firm. The location? Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town, a part of the city I rarely visit unless I’m showing it to friends from out of town. Being there was a quick reminder of its history and charm.

Their firm is housed in a building dating back to the early 1600s, and I loved the contrast between the sleek, contemporary interior and the original paintings that still cover the walls. The blend of old and new felt uniquely Stockholm.

Vintage 501s, vintage belt and Organic Basics boxy tee on repeat.

A couple of weeks ago, asked me to be part of her 20K Steps in Paris piece, which was such a fun read. My first reaction? I died a little inside. I hate being in photos. Then came about a million rounds of self-doubt, and I was very close to replying, “Sorry, I can’t.” But eventually, I decided to go for it. My son helped me take some photos, and once I’d settled on an outfit that felt completely like me, it actually became (somewhat) fun (at least the writing part). I chose my vintage tee from Ibiza that belonged to my grandmother, white jeans, my current favorite bag, a vintage Gucci Bamboo 1947, and a pair of sneakers.

How dusty is my laptop? That aside, I am really loving this WNU shirt* in this blue color.

This past weekend was spent at a 10-hour long swim meet with my son. Coffee in hand, I was ready for the day. I genuinely love sports, so I’m always happy to spend a day at a competition even if the long hours were a bit much this time.

Susanne Kaufmann is one of my favorite skincare brands, having tried and loved so many of their bath soaks and creams over the years. So I am especially excited to try their face products as well. This is Ecotin Repair Serum and the Advanced Anti-Ageing Rich Cream. They feel absolutely lovely on the skin.

My mom was here from the US this week, and she came bearing gifts:^: the infamous J.Crew rollneck in navy. I had one in a slimmer-fitting version some years ago, but I much prefer this one. I have a feeling this is going to be my knit of choice this summer.

The evil eye necklace is another longtime favorite. I’ve had it since childhood and rarely take it off.

A small note: after spending most of my career in PR, where I was usually the one sending gifts rather than receiving them, it still feels a little strange to be on the other side of things. I’m very selective about what I say yes to and always will be. If I’m going to share something here, it needs to be something I genuinely wear, use and would recommend regardless.

These earrings – the Inés Ascher Cut in the medium size – were a gift from Dorsey, and I’ve worn them almost daily since they arrived. I also love that they’re part of the permanent collection rather than a seasonal release, which means they’ll still be there if you’re interested in them months from now.

As I mentioned above, my kids are officially on summer break. Their end-of-term concert at Hedvig Eleonora Church is always one of the highlights of June. Although the school is international and wonderfully diverse, the concert is still held in a church, which is a longstanding and very common tradition in Sweden.

The history nerd in me absolutely loves the hand-painted ceiling in our building’s entrance. It was restored to its original glory a few years ago, and it makes me smile every time I walk out the door. Also, blurry proof of both my lack of imagination and my knit of the summer: the J.Crew Rollneck, paired with jorts.

The rosehip flowers are in bloom at the moment, and the bumblebees seem to be making the most of them.

That’s enough of the photos for now.

Father’s Day coming up

Next Sunday is Father’s Day in the US, the UK, and several other countries. We usually celebrate a little in our family since I grew up in the US, although Swedish Father’s Day isn’t until November. Gift-giving is very much my love language (receiving gifts, less so), so I’ve put together three collages below with a few ideas. Since my husband is an avid runner and cooks about 99% of the meals in our house, many of the picks naturally lean in those directions.

Whether you’re shopping for your dad, your brother, your partner, or your children’s father, I hope these suggestions spark a few ideas, whether you’re looking for a small gesture or something a bit more substantial.

P.S. I know gift guides aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve always enjoyed them. I don’t see them as a way to sell things, but rather as a chance to share thoughtful finds and things I genuinely like. I hope you feel the same.

Style notes: a polo summer

There is an inner prep in me that simmers down some years and comes alive in others.

I had a pile of Lacoste and Ralph Lauren polos when I was young, half of them inherited from my older brothers, and there is still something I can’t quite shake about a great polo shirt.

This year’s obsession may have something to do with Michael Rider’s Celine, the poloshirts at Loewe SS26, Louise Trotter’s Lacoste collections, or the fact that the preppy vibes from Ralph Lauren’s Men’s FW26 collection are burned into my mind.

But this summer, I plan on wearing my men’s white Lacoste polo, size medium for a slightly oversized fit, a little differently than high school Antonia would have. I’ve always preferred the men’s fit over the women’s, but it’s good to know that Lacoste now offers a “loose fit” option for women, but keep in mind, it’s not the classic rigid cotton.

I plan to wear it with longer skirts. Wide flowing trousers. With shorts. Just a bit messy. And when I come back to the city in August craving jeans again, I think it will be perfect with a tan and a pair of ripped Levi’s.

Loving this week

T-Knits

&Daughter dropped a collection of so-called “T-Knits,” and the imagery makes me want to sell everything I have on Vinted and go all in. The concept is simple: take the ease and versatility of a favorite T-shirt and remake it with the drape, texture, and craftsmanship of fine knitwear. My favorites are the cobalt blue, the tomato red, the longsleeved navy, and the ecru.

Rohé PF26

I know, I know, I shouldn't already be looking toward fall when summer just recently arrived to Sweden, but I can’t help it. Rohé’s Pre Fall 26 is SO good. The leather jacket! The red scarf (I am not over red accessories yet). The trousers! Twist my arm, a blue shirt! And I’ve said it before, their skirts are on another level.

This week’s wishlist

1. Michael Rider’s Celine gets me every time. These small white ballet flats are darling and would be perfect in the transition from summer to fall. I’d pair them with something edgy on top to downplay the feminine mary jane style.

2. Svenskt Tenn pewter is always on my dream wishlist – and I especially love this vase.

3. A racerback dress perfect to throw on after a day at the beach.

4. As you may have noticed above, I have a soft spot for the evil eye so this clearly made the list. My sister-in-law is Turkish, so our home is filled with them watching over us.

5. Jacques Marie Mage sunglasses with blue lenses – what a dream!

6. I may be the only human who prefers powder blush over cream, and I appreciate Chanel’s classic shades.

7. WNU’s seersucker shirt and shorts in this berry and white colorway is the perfect easy summer look.

8. White poplin pull on shorts.

9. A water carafe and on sale!

Notes from the Scandinavian bubble

This week’s big news in the Scandinavian fashion bubble is that former Raey creative director Rachael Proud has joined Dagmar as Design Director. Her debut SS27 collection, was created alongside Creative Director Sofia Wallenstam. The appointment also coincides with a new chapter for the brand, which has officially dropped the “House of” prefix and returned to its original name: simply Dagmar. Creative direction and styling for the campaign done by Linn Hägglund.

3 Days of Design – Tekla

I have a friend, Sara, from my agency days. She’s one of the sharpest PR people I know and has an incredible eye for what’s going to trend.

About six months ago, she told me quilts were coming back. Fast forward to 3 Days of Design, where Tekla devoted an entire exhibition to them, and I’ve been seeing quilts everywhereeeee. For example, earlier this spring Swedish interior designer Cathy Nordström starting selling antique quilts at her store. After seeing Tekla, I immediately messaged Sara and told her it was time to quit her corporate job.

Tekla’s “The Heart of Living” exhibition at 3 Days of Design reimagined the tradition of Swedish patchwork quilting through contemporary design, celebrating home, heritage and craftsmanship.

3 days of design – Griegst

As part of this year’s 3 Days of Design, Arje Griegst’s legendary Triton collection returns to Royal Copenhagen’s flagship store, exactly 50 years after it was first introduced there.

I don’t think anyone has missed Toteme’s archipelago-themed campaign shot by Mikael Jansson. What I love most are the subtle details that capture the essence of a Swedish summer: the chunky knit, the rocks by the sea, the towels hung up on the side of the house and the understated interiors of the island house with a radio on a small table symbolic of the simple life.

Lié Studio’s contribution to 3 Days of Design, The Keepsake, was created in collaboration with Melbourne-based artist and sculptor Tahni Bouhadana. The limited edition design object explores the quiet presence of objects in the home through a hand-cast black resin base, a sterling silver-plated vessel, and a black onyx detail. Each of the 20 numbered pieces is handcrafted.

Skall Studio highlighted the world of outofuseberlin founders Sissi Pohle and Pat Scherzer, whose carefully curated Bavarian home reflects a shared passion for antiques, craftsmanship, and objects with history. Set within the grounds of a 13th-century castle, the feature explored their distinctive approach to collecting, living, and creating.

It’s that time of year, sale season

My inbox is currently overflowing with sale emails. Every brand seems to have launched some kind of sale this week, which I know some people find thrilling. Personally, I find it slightly overwhelming.

And honestly, sometimes the best sale purchase is no purchase at all. More often than not, I end up so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options that I simply close the tabs and walk away. My wallet is grateful. There’s a certain freedom in remembering that a sale isn’t an obligation. You don’t have to buy something just because it’s discounted.

And one thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the pieces I truly want are often the ones that aren’t on sale. Sales can be useful, but they’re also a great reminder to pause and ask whether you’re buying something because you love it or because it’s suddenly 30% off.

For me, sale shopping only really makes sense when it’s a piece I’ve been considering for months, something that fills a genuine gap in my wardrobe, or something I know I’ll be wearing for years rather than just one season. With our summer trip coming up, I’ve been looking more at pieces that serve a purpose and will continue to work long after your holiday.

That said, there have been a few genuinely excellent sales these past two weeks.

The Toteme sale has probably been my favorite. What I appreciate is that the selection feels very true to the brand. These aren’t pieces that feel dated the moment the sale ends. If you’re looking to invest in timeless pieces rather than trend-driven purchases, it’s worth a look. My favorites include: The Country Coat (I own this and live in it all fall and all spring, size down 1-2 sizes), The Tank Dress (I own this too and love it so much), The Day Tote but in suede (this bag is very popular here in Sweden, and I love the brown more than the black), Day Pouch (I own this too, and love how it doubles as a clutch or a pouch in your bag), this Light Blue Shirt is the sale item that will haunt me as I can’t justify another blue shirt, and the merino wool ecru knit because I love a simple wool top.

Another standout is the &Daughter sale. As many of you know, it’s one of my favorite knitwear brands. Buying knitwear in June might seem counterintuitive, but it’s actually one of the categories where shopping ahead makes the most sense. In just a few months we’ll all be digging out our sweaters again, and &Daughter’s commitment to sustainably produced knitwear makes these pieces feel particularly worthwhile. They’re the pieces that you’ll wear for years to come and that’s ultimately what I’m looking for whether something is full price or on sale. I shared some favorites in my Scandi Delights chat here. I’ll continue to share things I find in the coming weeks, so make sure to join us there!

That’s all from me this week.

Next time I publish a Stockholm Notes, Midsommar will likely be behind us, my son will be home from swim camp, and hopefully I’ll have made a dent in the ever-growing list of half-finished drafts.

Until then, enjoy the longer evenings and I’ll see you in your inbox soon.

And as always, I leave you with some words.

XA

A small note on affiliate links and gifted products: some of the links in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. Occasionally, brands also gift products for consideration. Gifted items are marked with *.

As always, I only share products, brands and places that I genuinely like and would recommend regardless of any commercial relationship. Many of the smaller Scandinavian brands and retailers I feature do not work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

If you’d like to see everything in one place, you can find it on my ShopMy.

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One week you’re wrapping up the school year, fielding end-of-term performances, class parties and recorder recitals (if you know, you know). The next, someone is asking what your Midsommar plans are and you realize you haven’t thought that far ahead because you’ve been in cram-everything-in-before-summer mode since April.

And somehow, Midsommar always arrives before you feel ready for it.

I’ve been celebrating Midsommar for over twenty years now (remember, I was not born in Sweden) and my relationship with it has always looked a bit different.

In my early twenties in Stockholm, it was long evenings and outdoor dancing with my then-boyfriend-now-husband and the particular kind of magic that comes from a Swedish summer night that never fully gets dark.

Now, with kids and the particular kind of logistics that come with them, it’s become a bit more low-key.

Most years, we keep it simple. Stockholm, just us. Sometimes Skansen in the morning, which with children is perfect right at opening. The dancing around the midsommarstång, the flower crowns the kids can make, the feeling of participating in something that has been happening in this city for a very long time.

Then lunch at home. A properly set table, good food, some summery flowers. Some kind of strawberry dessert that the children demolish before anyone else gets to it.

It might sound a bit boring from the outside. To me it feels exactly right for where we are in life. When the kids are older, it will look different again.

This year is a little different. My brother and his daughters are landing from Singapore early on Midsummer’s Eve. So we’ll celebrate with them, and while we can’t offer the most over-the-top Midsommar imaginable, we’ll make it as great as possible for their jet-lagged bodies.

For many, Midsommar means big get-togethers, either with a large group of friends and friends of friends, or the same group they’ve celebrated with since they were teenagers. Some people celebrate with immediate family only. Everyone kind of does it their own way.

In many ways, it’s similar to how Americans celebrate the Fourth of July. There are traditions, and then there are the traditions that grow.

While loads of people celebrate Midsommar in the city, many end up in the countryside at someone’s house, in the archipelago, or by some body of water. In a way, Midsommar is also a celebration of summer itself and of Swedish nature.

If you ask Swedes, Midsommar feels more like the real national day than Nationaldagen ever has.

What people imagine

A long white dress, bare feet in the grass, flower crowns with wildflowers. A perfectly Pinterest-worthy table set outside under a sky that stays golden until 10pm. Aquavit/snaps. Strawberries heaped in a bowl. Some music in the background. The kind of evening people dream of all year.

And sometimes, it looks exactly like that. Midsommar is a bit like New Year’s Eve in that way. The idea of it is always slightly more perfect than the reality. You picture the ideal version, and then life — weather, children, logistics — causes it to look different. And it’s usually still lovely. I think being with friends and family over wins it all.

What actually happens

It’s cold by 7pm. The grass is wet from a rain shower or ten. Someone is wearing a parka or anorak over their dress and insisting they’re not cold. The dancing around the midsommarstång happens regardless, because the ritual matters the most.

There is something wonderful about the insistence of celebrating Midsommar whatever the weather does. The same instinct that sends children outside in rain gear in April, that keeps people on their balconies with blankets well into May. You adjust. You add a layer. You stay outside anyway.

The honest version is this: it’s often cold by evening, the grass is almost always damp, and the weather has a way of not cooperating at exactly the moment you’d most like it to. And somehow it’s still one of the best days of the year.

A bit of history

Midsommar is one of Sweden’s most deeply rooted celebrations, and as said above, it is more of a celebration of Sweden than our own National Day in the beginning of June.

In the north of Sweden, locals or those traveling back home to visit still dress in traditional dress that their families have been wearing for generations.

Nerd alert: The holiday predates Christianity in Scandinavia. The original Midsommar celebrations were tied to the summer solstice. Bonfires were lit to ward off evil spirits, and the night was considered a powerful and slightly dangerous threshold. When Christianity arrived, the date was shifted slightly to align with the feast of St John the Baptist, which is why Midsommar falls on the Friday between June 19th and 25th rather than the actual solstice.

Nerd alert: The midsommarstång,which people often call a maypole, is not technically a maypole at all. The name comes from majstång, where maj referred to greenery and branches rather than the month of May. It’s decorated with leaves and flowers and raised as a communal ritual, with everyone dancing around it in circles.

The frog dance, Små Grodorna, is non-negotiable and you will see young and old jumping around like they’ve lost their marbles. But you go all in.

Nerd alert: Midsommar was traditionally considered one of the strongest nights for folk magic. Young women would pick seven different wildflowers and place them under their pillow to dream of their future husband. The dew collected on Midsommar morning was believed to have healing properties.

What we actually wear

The week leading up to Midsommar is not, in my experience, the time to buy something new specifically for the occasion. What works best is what you already have — pieces that can handle a day outside, still look nice when you sit down to eat, and survive whatever the weather decides to do.

Many wear white, many wear flowery dresses. Most just wear what they feel like. There is no dress code (other than the traditional dress), but if weather allows, you’ll see most of the Swedish girls in summery dresses as we want to take advantage of any days that allow it.

Flat sandals if the weather behaves and sneakers or rainboots (is there anything more chic than a summer dress with wellies?) if it doesn’t. The knit comes regardless — it is a necessity. You will need it by evening.

Some people go all out for Midsommar — the full white dress, ordering an elaborate flower crown from their local florist, the whole fantasy — and I love seeing it. There’s something joyful about the people who fully commit to the occasion.

Some inspiration

(A small note before we begin: the below contains affiliate links. More on that at the bottom.)

Midsommar, dressed

(The below contains affiliate links. More on that at the bottom.)

Around the table

This is, honestly, where Midsommar really delivers. Midsommar is about the food.

What I see in my mind’s eye when I think of Midsommar is a dinner table in the grass or under the roof of a raw barn. Wildflowers in small vases, nothing formal or arranged. Birch branches propped in corners of the room. A tablecloth. Simple glassware. Candles for later in the evening, even if it barely gets dark enough to need them (and it barely does, which is one of the most beautiful things about this time of year.)

The food follows the same logic: seasonal, traditional and familiar without being complicated. Swedes have a thing for new potatoes with dill so this is a non-negotiable. Pickled herring in several varieties because everyone has a strong and slightly irrational opinion about which is their favorite. Gravlax. Eggs. Strawberries either as a cake or just separately with whipped cream or ice cream to finish.

What’s special about celebrating Midsommar with friends is that it’s usually organized as a potluck, with everyone bringing something to share.

If you’re assigned strawberries, you’d better have a plan and a budget. Every year, it’s the same story: either the shelves at your local supermarket have already been cleared out, or the berry stands lining the streets are charging ridiculous prices for the last few cartons.

Nerd alert: The Swedish obsession with new potatoes at Midsommar runs deep. New potatoes – färskpotatis – are only available for a short window in summer, and their arrival has historically marked the true turn of the season. They’re smaller, thinner-skinned, and sweeter than stored potatoes, and they’re almost always served simply: boiled, with butter and dill, because nothing else is needed. The fact that they reappear at Midsommar every year feels less like a food tradition and more like a reunion with something you’ve been waiting for since last summer.

And then there are the drinks.

For many, Midsommar isn’t quite Midsommar without snaps. Traditionally, small glasses of aquavit are raised throughout the meal, usually accompanied by snapsvisor, the drinking songs (like Helan Går) that everyone somehow knows despite only singing them a handful of times each year.

These days, you’ll find plenty of alternatives on the table too. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic options and, perhaps most summery of all, fläderblomssaft. Elderflower cordial appears everywhere this time of year, served ice cold and tasting like Swedish summer in a glass.

When I saw share a recipe recently, I immediately saved it. Now I'm in a staring contest with the elderflower bushes across the street, which seem determined to remind me every day that I should head out into the fields around Stockholm and pick some before the season is over.

A Seasonal Note by Carole Bamford

My elderflower cordial recipe

Read more

12 days ago · 36 likes · 8 comments · Carole Bamford

Stockholm restaurants to celebrate at

If you happen to be in Stockholm over Midsommar and don’t have plans, Stockholm Stadshotell would probably be my first choice.

They’re hosting a traditional Midsommar lunch and a special dinner from the grill, with a midsommarstång in the courtyard, ice-cold snaps and plenty of singing. It will feel very Swedish, but without being overly formal or touristy.

For a more traditional celebration, Ulriksdals Värdshus is hard to beat. You’ll find the classics: a Midsommar buffet, dancing around the midsommarstång, accordion music and flower crowns, all in a beautiful setting just outside the city.

If you’re looking for something livelier and city-living, Riche’s annual Midsommarprakt has just what you need. Think flower-filled dining rooms, snapsvisor, classic Swedish summer dishes and a crowd that takes celebrating seriously.

All three offer very different versions of Midsommar, but each captures something special about how we celebrate the holiday.

The details

(The below contains affiliate links. More on that at the bottom.)

After Midsommar

By the time Midsommar is over, the feeling of vacation is near. The school year is done, people begin leaving the city, and Stockholm starts to feel different. There is less urgency. Fewer things on the calendar. Longer evenings. More time spent outdoors.

Ours might be a modest version of Midsommar. But right now, it’s exactly what’s right for us, and I’m sure I will look back on these years with fondness when the kids are grown.

And this time around, I won’t leave you with written words, but with two songs that, for many Swedes, are the definition of summer itself.

Sommarsången, written for Pippi Longstocking, and Idas Sommarvisa from Emil i Lönneberga. Both come from Astrid Lindgren’s (the author of Pippi Longstocking) world, where Swedish summers seem endless, children roam freely, and every day holds the possibility of adventure.

For many of us, these songs are tied to childhood, school graduations (my 9 yo sang Sommarsången this week at his end-of-term concert) and long summers that felt as though they would never end.

Wishing you a wonderful Midsommar next Friday. xA

A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and my approach hasn’t changed — I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

If you’d like to see everything in one place, you can find it on my ShopMy.

This piece is much the same.

The thing about Scandinavian summer dressing is that it’s repetitive. It’s not so much boring as it is comforting. Every year, once the weather finally cooperates, the same pieces seem to emerge from wardrobes across Sweden. Ribbed tanks. Black dresses. Oversized shirts. Sandals or slides from last season, or ones you’ve been pining over for months.

Side note: what am I going to write about a year from now? At some point, there are only so many times one person can write about Scandinavian dressing.

Perhaps it’s because our summers are short, and we don’t feel like breaking the bank for a season that barely exists. Perhaps it’s because practicality still runs deeper here than we’d like to admit. Whatever the reason, most people I know spend summer wearing variations of the same outfit over and over again. Scandinavians rarely overhaul their wardrobes from one season to the next. Instead, they return to the same trusted pieces year after year, refining rather than replacing everything. And honestly, so do I.

I’ve never been someone who reinvents herself every season. I like clothes that feel familiar. Clothes that make me feel like myself.

That’s not to say I never try a trend or step outside my comfort zone. Every now and then, something catches my eye and I find myself tempted by a silhouette, color (shocking, I know), or styling trick that feels entirely unlike me. But more often than not, I end up returning to the pieces I know and love.

While I absolutely love fashion and admire people who dress far more creatively than I do, most mornings I’m simply trying to get dressed, get the children out the door, and remember where I left my sunglasses.

These are the pieces that are the backbone of my summer wardrobe.

(A small note before we begin: this post contains affiliate links. More on that at the bottom.)

The tank

Every summer I convince myself I need more interesting tops. And every summer I end up wearing a simple tank four days out of five.

For me, the tank is the white tee of summer. You know the tee that goes under every knit fall through spring? Well, the tank does just that.

It goes with almost everything, requires very little thought, and somehow manages to feel pulled together even when the rest of the outfit isn’t.

I keep a few in rotation every year. White, black and navy. They’re the pieces I reach for on warm mornings when I don’t particularly want to think about getting dressed.

A tank works under an oversized shirt, under a cardigan, under a blazer, or completely on its own when it’s too hot to contemplate layering.

It’s one of those rare pieces that feels just as at home in the city as it does at a summer house.

It’s also one of the few pieces I tend to buy new every season. I’m not saying you need to throw out all the tanks you already own, but there is something about a crisp white one, or a black one that hasn’t quite faded yet, that helps elevate the rest of the outfit. Especially when the bottoms have already lived through a couple of summers.

It’s that mix of old and new I mentioned here: a fresh tank with a favourite pair of worn-in shorts, a skirt you’ve had for years, or trousers that only come out once the temperature finally allows it.

Styling notes

• A tank, wide-leg linen trousers and leather sandals is one of those combinations that somehow looks polished despite requiring almost no effort.

• Perfect under an oversized shirt worn open

• Try a white one with white denim and a silk scarf tied around your hair

• I particularly love tanks tucked into fuller skirts, where the fitted silhouette balances out the volume below.

The striped long-sleeve

I’ve never known a Scandinavian summer without stripes. And judging by the number of striped shirts, sweaters, and tees Scandi brands release year after year, neither has anyone else.

They’re practically a seasonal rite of passage to summer at this point. It may not be everyone’s thing, but it’s certainly mine. In fact, stripes have become something of a family uniform in our house. My husband wears them, my children wear them, and I probably own more striped tops than I care to admit.

Part of the hype is undoubtedly Scandinavia’s connection to maritime dressing. Part of it is simply that stripes don’t quite feel like a trend.

Every summer I find myself pulling out some version of a striped top, whether it’s a classic Breton tee, an oversized striped shirt, or a lightweight knit thrown over my shoulders.

The beauty is that they instantly make an outfit feel complete. You can be wearing very little else. Even just thrown over a bikini.

Styling notes

• White denim and stripes can easily veer into nautical territory, but simple sandals keep the look feeling modern rather than costume-y.

• Stripes pair surprisingly well with linen. The contrast between structure and softness is part of what makes the combination work.

• Under a navy blazer on cooler evenings

• A striped knit thrown over the shoulders is very Scandi and perhaps the easiest way to make a very simple outfit feel intentional.

The scarf

This could probably be an entire post on its own. Let’s just say, I have a thing for scarves. Last summer I bought one scarf and somehow ended up with four. Suddenly they were tied around bags, my hair, ponytails and necks.

It’s also one of my favorite things to search for second-hand or vintage. There are so many small brands producing scarves in limited quantities and doing them exceptionally well.

One of my favorites is Studio Sofia Mehrotra. Founded by Swedish-Indian Sofia Mehrotra, the brand works with artisans in India to create beautiful scarves and textiles that somehow feel both timeless and modern. I own several and reach for them constantly throughout the summer. The Chennai scarf in the 80 x 80 cm size is particularly perfect for tying around your hair, whether you’re heading to the beach or simply trying to tame a windy-day ponytail.

The clothes themselves can remain incredibly simple. The scarf simply gives the eye somewhere to land.

I usually stick to neutral scarves in shades of grey, white, or navy, as they’re the most versatile and easy to wear with everything. That said, I love the idea of introducing brighter colours and playful patterns during the summer months.

Another tip is to keep a few old-school cotton bandanas on hand. They’re endlessly useful in warm weather and make the perfect beach bag companion, especially on days when you’d rather not risk getting a silk scarf wet after a swim.

Styling notes

• Wear it over your unruly hair after the beach

• Tied around a ponytail

• A scarf and a tank top is often all an outfit needs.

• Keep one in your beach bag. It can become a headscarf, a shoulder cover-up or simply something to throw on when the wind picks up.

The slides/clogs

When it comes to summer footwear, Scandinavian summer dressing becomes surprisingly practical. We’ve talked about flip flops and we know rainboots are in the forecast as well. But then there are the clogs, Birkenstocks, and leather slides. (We’ll pretend Crocs aren’t big at the countryside).

Shoes that prioritize comfort over glamour. I know, I know, but Antonia, Birkens are not cool anymore? My friends, the Scandis don’t care.

Historically, clogs belonged in gardens and summer houses. Today they’re just as likely to appear at restaurants or in city centres.

The same goes for simple leather slides or Birkenstocks.

The best Scandinavian outfits rarely look as though someone spent three hours planning them.

The shoes are often part of that equation. Nothing is trying too hard.

Styling notes

• With long dresses for summer

• Pull out a pair of chunky socks for that casual look with shorts

• Great with oversized shirts and denim

• They go with almost everything in summer, honestly

The cable knit

I know. A sweater in a summer wardrobe guide. But if you live in Scandinavia, you probably understand immediately.

Every year, around this time, I become overly optimistic and convince myself that I won’t need knitwear for months to come. And every year, by the first warm day and first cool evening, I’m rummaging through my closet looking for exactly the same thing: a cable knit sweater. It just feels like the ultimate summer knit.

I have a trusty cream one. Slightly oversized and big enough to throw over my shoulders during the day and pull on properly once the temperature drops. It comes to the summer house, on evening walks, to outdoor dinners and pretty much anywhere near water.

The funny thing is that it’s one of the least seasonal items in my wardrobe, yet one of the most essential for summer.

Styling notes

• Draped over the shoulders with romantic dress

• Over a plain black midi dress when the evening cools down

• With denim shorts and simple sandals

• Thrown over swimwear after a day by the water

Summer beauty

Summer makeup is perhaps the only category where I genuinely become more minimalist. For most of the year I’m trying to look slightly more awake than I feel.

In summer I mostly give up and let the sunshine do some of the work.

SPF.

A concealer when needed.

Cream blush or a highlighter.

Lip balm.

And that’s about where my beauty expertise ends.

The goal isn’t really makeup. It’s looking as though you’ve spent the day outside. Which, in Scandinavia, is our main aim when the weather is kind.

And when it comes to hair – mine is unruly, very wavy and absolutely needs extra love in the summertime. It does best with a leave-in conditioner while at the beach or right after and an oil other days.

And for everyone’s information, I will never claim to be a beauty nerd, so feel free to tell me what beauty products you can’t survive summer without.

And there you have it. Not exactly groundbreaking fashion advice, I know.

Ask me again next summer and there’s a very good chance I’ll still be talking about tanks, stripes, scarves and comfortable shoes.

But perhaps that’s ok.

Fashion changes. Collections come and go. Our wardrobes evolve. Yet most of us return to the same handful of pieces every year. The ones that feel like us.

There is something comforting about that. Fashion will always offer us something new to fall in love with, but not every season requires a complete reinvention.

What is the item that reappears every summer without fail? The piece that has somehow survived every clear-out, trend cycle and identity crisis? Mine is probably the striped top.

I’d love to hear yours.

And as always, I leave you with some words.

XA

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A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and my approach hasn’t changed — I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

If you’d like to see everything in one place, you can find it on my ShopMy.

If you enjoyed this piece, perhaps you’ll enjoy these too:

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

1. White Wool & Cashmere Knit

2. Triptych Labret Earring

3. Headband

4. Boxer Shorts

5. Mini Bag

6. T-shirt

7. Sunglasses

8. Frank Lloyd Wright Book

9. Slides

10. Peach galette

11. Image: Daria Werbowy by Mikael Jansson

A few notes on Matthieu Blazy

Can’t get enough Blazy? Neither can I. While on my flight the other day, I read this great interview with Matthieu done by Brooke Bobb at Harper’s Bazaar.

My favorite quotes from the piece?
— In an era where attention is king, Blazy is capturing it with clothes—and a feeling—that we can recognize ourselves in.

— “I propose stories and designs in which I believe, things that make my heart beat,” Blazy tells me. “No one needs a new bag or a new jacket. Chanel has to be a dream.”

— “I’m very happy if someone embraces the fashion and not just the product,” Blazy says. “Because the clients who want Chanel, they will come anyway and get it. But if a student starts to wear their old quarter-zip and jeans, or if a young woman chops her blazer, I think it’s good. And it’s fun.”

— "Blazy isn’t just crafting a world around Chanel, he’s making clothes for living in that world. “I never start a show or collection with the idea of the wardrobe,” Blazy says. “But I always lean to make sure that it becomes one.”

Summer on a plate

Another day, another recipe saved to my Pinterest. Is it just me or are others so ready for the tomatoes of summer? Here a tomato, onion, pecorino crostata.

Currently on my mind

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

Rohé continues to produce some of the most beautiful skirts around. These two have been sitting in my saved folder for weeks.

The fluid silk skirt and…

The draped check skirt.

A mesh bag that will take you from the city to the beach.

Rohé’s wool blanket can absolutely move in here at home.

A pink flowing dress for summer.

An unusually good tank from Massimo Dutti that looks far more expensive than it is. In black and white.

And a very sweet little bag coming soon…

And a pair of Jude sandals, the perfect height for summer.

Two LemLem pieces: the Mira tote

And the Eda dress

Morjas Boat Shoe is perfection. Crafted by hand in Italy.

Below, a romantic edit, alongside the best pieces I've found in the sales and would happily add to my own wardrobe.

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Hope you are all well. Apologies for the radio silence here this past week. I’m currently in an intense work period, have been traveling and simply haven’t had much energy left for late-night Substack writing lately.

This time of year always feels a bit strange to me. One day I feel energized by every possible project and idea, and the next I feel completely drained. I’m incredibly grateful that Stockholm has finally been giving us warmer days and sunshine lately, but it’s also very clear that the whole family is entering that final stretch before summer: work travel, school events, work deadlines, logistics, end-of-term everything.

For those of you who are new here, welcome. I’m both very happy to have you here and had a pang of performance anxiety today when realizing how many of you I am writing for.

For a little breakdown of what you can expect from this Substack: there isn’t really a strategy. I mostly write based on whatever I can’t stop thinking about at a given moment. Sometimes that becomes a deep dive into a color like navy, sometimes it turns into an exploration of Scandinavian summer dressing or seasonality, and other times it’s simply a collection of things I’ve seen, saved or become mildly obsessed with recently.

That said, there is a long list of topics I still want to cover. But today you’ve landed in what is probably my only actual recurring series: Stockholm Notes.

This is where I share a bit about what’s been happening lately in Stockholm (my thrilling life), what’s been on my radar style-wise, things I’ve noticed from Scandinavian brands, places I’ve saved, pieces I keep seeing everywhere, and other small observations from inside (and sometimes outside) the Scandinavian bubble. Basically just a slightly more organized brain dump.

Let’s go.

A few scenes from the past weeks

Two weekends ago, we headed down to Skåne again for the long weekend, but this trip was a lot less smooth than our last one. What should have been an uneventful nighttime drive turned into an eight-hour journey because of unexpected traffic. When we finally arrived, we discovered the heating wasn’t working after a power outage in the area the previous week had knocked out the system. To top it all off, my daughter came down with what was probably RSV and spent most of the weekend completely wiped out.

Despite all of that, it turned out to be a lovely spring weekend. We relied on the fireplaces to keep the house warm until everything was up and running again, and the weather cooperated just enough for us to spend some time outdoors. The rapeseed fields were absolutely breathtaking, and our house is currently surrounded by them. It's hard to do their beauty justice in photos.

Before my daughter went down for the count, we managed to pick up some sweetpea plants from Flower Power, fresh asparagus from Österlen Sparris and gelato from Ola Ols. If any of you have specific questions about the area, send me a DM!

Back in Stockholm, the lilacs were blooming. They’re literally everywhere now, and I’m already sad that they’re starting to fade.

Organic Basics kindly gifted me some of their “True” tees, and the boxy version is lovely with the wide collar, and the True Regular Tee will be perfect this summer with a skirt or under a blazer this fall.

I can’t stop wearing my Lié Studio Violet earrings*. Literally the best hoops (if you can call them that) I’ve had in years.

A recent favorite is With Nothing Underneath’s striped shirt and boxers set*. For now, I've mostly been wearing it at home while waiting to get a little less winter pale, but I already know it'll be a staple throughout the Swedish summer. It's incredibly soft and beautifully made.

Another highlight of my week was the massage I had at my go-to place - CCC Kroppsterapi. Claudia is genuinely the best massage therapist I’ve ever been to, and the only person who can properly fix my wonky neck. I recommend her to everyone. Even my husband, who spent countless hours on massage tables throughout his swimming career, swears by her sports massages.

And last but not least, we had the perfect dinner at Babette, one of my favorite spots in Stockholm. My husband drove us there with me sitting in the front of my cargo bike, which made me feel about five years old in the best way. We rarely go out for dinner these days, so it always feels special when we get an evening where we can actually finish our sentences uninterrupted.

The “ricotta Babette” with shelling peas, potatoes and wild garlic was absolutely delicious, and their pizzas are always ridiculously good.

The past week took me north for a three-day business trip. It’s always nice to visit HQ, but I’m always equally happy to come home again. This photo was taken on our approach to Stockholm, with the archipelago glowing in the sunset below. Just out of frame, a full moon was glowing, adding to an already magical view.

Got my eye on

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

I don’t know why, but I’ve become completely obsessed with footed vases lately. They feel like something you’d find in a grandmother’s cabinet rather than algorithmically sourced. I already have a larger version, and I'd love to add the smaller one to my home too.

1. Sophie Bille Brahe – Escargot iridescent Murano glass vase

2. Lobmeyr – Patrician Crystal Vase

3. Astier de Villate – Lion Hand-Glazed Ceramic Vase

4. Astier de Villatte – Simple Hand-Glazed Ceramic Vase

5. Akua Objects – Karl glass vase

6. Laila Gohar – Yellow & Blue Tangier Vase

7. Akua Objects – Blixen Large Glass Vase

8. Louise Roe – Drape Glass Vase

A wishlist of sorts

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

1. Lisa Yang Cardigan — I’m all about the basics, and a grey cardigan is on my wishlist for summer and fall.

2. Tekla boxer shorts — we’ve already covered my obsession with boxer shorts. These are so me.

3. Pura Utz Silver Dream necklace — these necklaces by Danish brand Pura Utz handmade have this nostalgia about them from when we were small and would bead necklaces. Perfect with a white tee.

4. Ballet flats — bury me in a suede ballet flat. Love the softness of this color.

5. Balloon pants but make them in cotton poplin and perfect for summer?

6. Byredo had a bath oil years ago that I loved, and this new body oil in the iconic scent Gypsy Water must be the next best thing.

7. Suede tote bag — from the men’s section and navy because that’s how I roll.

8. Small pouch — it’s refreshing with a color that is not black when my bag is already a black hole.

9. Necklace — another summery necklace to throw on when you are living your best minimalist life with a simple dress.

10. Costa Brazil — I clearly have body oil on my mind. I swear by Costa Brazil’s products and would love to try this one.

11. Wide strap flip-flops — a two tone option from Sleepers.

12. A grey tank — you can never go wrong, and with a square neckline.

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But even I am weak for black in summer. Perhaps because I’m no longer quite as pale as I am the rest of the year. And white, of course, returns every single Swedish summer without fail, as reliably as the strawberries and the long evenings and the collective exhale that happens when the temperature finally rises.

I do want to separate the following post from the current internet obsession with 90s minimalism and CBK dressing – Swedes have been wearing black and white long before it became a Pinterest trend cycle. For a lot of people who grew up around Scandinavian style in the 90s and early 2000s, monochrome dressing isn’t aspirational. It’s simply familiar.

Every summer, flowing white skirts, cotton dresses, crisp shirts, broderie anglaise and white denim reappear almost instinctively. Even people who spend most of the year dressed in structured tailoring, coats and dark denim suddenly become interested in romantic skirts and oversized dresses the second the weather changes.

And I’ve been thinking a lot about why black stays and why white always makes such a strong entrance.

Part of it is simply that black and white work with the wardrobes Scandinavians already own. A white cotton skirt works with the same navy sweater you wore nonstop in March. A black dress works with the same oversized shirt or leather jacket already hanging in the hallway. The pieces layer easily, survive trend cycles and adapt to shifting weather without much effort.

Scandinavian style has long been shaped by restraint and simplicity. By jantelag – not sticking out too aggressively from the group. Getting dressed should feel intentional, but never overly performative for others. While jantelag is obviously not something discussed among friends in modern times, it still sits underneath a lot of Scandinavian culture.

This doesn’t mean Scandinavia is devoid of color. Quite the opposite, really. Some of the region’s most iconic visual identities are built precisely around boldness and print: Marimekko’s joyful patterns, Svenskt Tenn’s exuberant interiors, Danish fashion’s playfulness, the way brands like Cecilie Bahnsen, Stine Goya and Ganni helped push Scandinavian fashion away from strict minimalism during the 2010s.

But even then, color here often exists within some kind of balance. A bright floral dress is usually paired with simple sandals. A patterned tablecloth in an otherwise restrained room. Practicality and longevity still tend to sit underneath it all.

A brief history

I’m a history nerd, so bear with me here – because the Scandinavian relationship to black and white goes back further than most people realize.

White, linen & Scandinavian summer

Long before Scandinavian minimalism became globally associated with black tailoring and monochrome dressing, white already held a very specific place in Nordic life.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, linen had become associated with cleanliness, craftsmanship and social status across Sweden, reflecting the country’s long relationship with natural fabrics and domestic textile traditions.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, white clothing also became increasingly tied to Swedish summer and archipelago culture.1 Influenced by European resort dressing and leisure life along the Stockholm coastline, white cotton and linen garments came to symbolize light, freedom and closeness to nature.

And when paid vacation became law in Sweden in 1938 – first two weeks, later expanded to five – summer leisure suddenly became accessible to a much larger part of the population, further cementing the connection between white clothing and the idealized Swedish summer.2

You can still feel traces of that today.

Black, functionalism & Scandinavian modernism

During the early 1900s, Sweden began moving away from the ornamentation and excess of the 1800s toward something cleaner and more functional. Functionalism became one of the defining ideals of Swedish culture, shaping everything from architecture and interiors to clothing.

At the same time, upper-class women in Stockholm were heavily influenced by Parisian fashion and the emerging modern silhouettes of designers like Coco Chanel.

Chanel famously said:

“Women think of all colors except the absence of color. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.”

Simplicity, practicality and clean lines gradually became the new standard – both in how people dressed and how they lived. Neutral colors like black, white and later brown naturally became central to this emerging Scandinavian aesthetic. Black increasingly came to symbolize understated elegance, while white reflected light and modernity.

Fashion journalist and trend analyst Cay Bond in 2012 described the Scandinavian relationship to black in Svenska Dagbladet:

“Dressing in black implies a choice of simplicity, where one embraces the garment’s form and material.”

These ideas carried into the rise of modern Scandinavian fashion during the 1990s, when brands like Filippa K, Acne Studios (Acne Jeans at the time) and J.Lindeberg established what became globally recognized as Scandi style: minimalist tailoring, monochrome layering, white shirts, simple denim, black knits and clean silhouettes.

Today, black and white still feel embedded in Scandinavian dressing and the region’s broader design identity.

On real life dressing

I want to make something clear before I continue: this is obviously not a guide on “how to wear black and white.” I’m fully aware most of you do not need instructions on putting on a white shirt or a black skirt, and many of you probably dress far better than I do.

In fact, just published a post on black, cream and white dressing and why tonal neutrals continue to feel so compelling. She makes the point that once color disappears from an outfit, texture, shape and proportion suddenly matter far more – which feels very true to Scandinavian dressing as well, and which I mention below.

While I love a polished look on other people, I’ve never really thought of myself as polished, nor am I chasing the immaculate perfection of The Row school of dressing. In summer especially, I dress for the reality of my days: biking around Stockholm, carrying too many bags, running after a toddler and two older children, sitting on the ground somewhere, or inevitably ending up covered in sand or sunscreen. What I do love, though, is simplicity. My vintage black Levi’s are still more beloved than almost any newer piece I own, which probably says it all.

I’ve never fully bought into the idea of the capsule wardrobe. I understand why it appeals to people, but I’m less interested in building a perfectly optimized wardrobe from scratch and more interested in the pieces that help me through multiple seasons and multiple versions of life. wrote about this recently through the concept of “range,” and I think about that often when getting dressed.

While writing this piece Danish owner of Vieille, Anna Engstrœm shared a post on Instagram titled “outfits I’ll wear on repeat this summer”. The fun part? The fact that many of them dated back to 2021. And I think that says far more about Scandinavian dressing than any trend report ever could. The clothes are rarely meant for one season alone.

The best pieces stay in wardrobes for years and simply get reworked slightly differently each summer.

Black & white together

Two of Scandinavia’s favorite colors, worn together year after year. Black and white rarely feel overly corporate or stark here. The contrast usually comes through silhouette, texture or proportion instead.

I do love the simple, but I still try to find some kind of balance when wearing black and white together. If I’m wearing something more structured on the bottom – long black denim shorts or jeans – I’ll often pair it with something more romantic on top. And vice versa.

Ethereal white

By the time my midsummer piece arrives, you will probably all be exhausted by hearing me talk about white dresses. Unfortunately for everyone involved, I’m nowhere near done.

White dresses and skirts return every Scandinavian summer because they feel perfectly at home in the Nordics. If you do any digging into the historical archives of photos from Stockholm’s archipelago, you’ll find loads of images of women in their romantic white summer dresses (as shown in brief history section above) – and not much has changed.

Today, a lot of Scandinavian brands include white dresses that lean romantic, almost angelic. Skall Studio and Aiayu do this especially well. Others take a more structured, minimal approach. Somehow, both still feel distinctly Scandinavian.

Texture, contrast & imperfection

Monochrome dressing works best when there’s some kind of contrast happening elsewhere. Otherwise black and white can quickly start feeling a little too flat, uniform or polished.

The contrast usually comes through texture, weight and fabric. Crisp cotton against softer knits. Satin next to wool. A plain white tank you’ve owned for years paired with a fuller, slightly romantic skirt. Linen pants wrinkling on top of smooth leather sandals. A thick cardigan thrown over a jersey dress after sunset.

Sometimes monochrome dressing you see online can feel flat to me. As though the entire outfit was ordered in one late-night cart and arrived the next morning still attached to its packaging. Perfectly clean, perfectly neutral, perfectly trend-aware – but without much personality underneath it.

I’m much more drawn to dressing that looks more lived in than that. More like real clothes attached to a real life.

The blacks are slightly different blacks. The whites are slightly different whites. Cream against bright white, washed linen against crisp cotton, faded knits paired with sharper tailoring.

The linen wrinkles, the black cotton fades a bit after years of washing, the oversized sweater feels slightly too heavy for the skirt underneath. Even newer pieces are often balanced by something older or vintage, which is usually what keeps monochrome dressing from feeling too perfect.

Long skirts & easy shapes

It also feels as though Scandinavian summer dressing has been moving slightly away from overly structured matching sets – like the Posse ones that were everywhere a couple of years ago – and back toward easier silhouettes. Long skirts, loose cotton dresses, wide linen trousers and oversized shirts. Shapes that allow for airflow, layering and movement rather than rigidity.

It probably also reflects that we’ve been influenced by the high fashion brands and the way their aesthetic has trickled down through the rest of the industry, or because it simply makes sense in a place where the weather shifts constantly and summer is spent moving between parks, ferries, dinners, bikes, cliffs, beaches, and city streets.

The pieces

A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself.

The white shirt.

We’ve done the blue shirt deep dive, and while that’s my absolute favorite, there is nothing better than an oversized white shirt in summer. Same logic, different color energy.

In Scandinavia, the white shirt rarely feels overly corporate or strict during summer. It’s usually worn in a more casual way. And perhaps that’s also why the oversized version works best. The masculine proportions are key.

The linen version is the truly summer-specific one, and honestly the only time of year I wear linen at all. But with linen, you have to commit fully to the wrinkles. There is no in-between.

Nerd alert: For centuries, most Swedish households produced their own linen as part of the bondesamhälle – the peasant farming society – where textile production was domestic work done largely by women. From the 17th century onward, linen became an important part of Swedish culture and economy, with the government encouraging flax cultivation and domestic weaving across rural households. By the 18th and 19th centuries, fine linen clothing symbolized cleanliness, craftsmanship, and social status, influencing the simple and natural aesthetic still associated with Swedish fashion today.

The dress.

We’ve already touched on this here, but there is nothing easier than a simple black or white dress during summer. They work in the city and on holiday, and rarely require much styling to feel right.

Scandinavian summer dresses also rarely feel overly “occasion” dressed. The less, the better.

White dresses are a must, and I touched on them more in my Scandinavian summer piece, but even here it’s worth investing in something with high quality cotton.

When styling a black or white dress, I personally try to keep the accessories simple. This summer, I’ll be taking inspiration from the looks below by tying a plaid shirt around my waist for a grungy touch or layering it over jeans.

The bottoms.

The one summer piece I reach for more every year is the white denim short. Not the uber short kind – something with a bit of length, a slightly relaxed fit, good denim. They work with everything from a graphic tee to a simple tank to an oversized shirt to a proper blazer. And they travel well, which matters during the summer months.

Another great option is a relaxed cotton or linen short in a longer silhouette. Again: practical and easy. And honestly, adding a belt changes everything.

Equally easy is the white cotton or linen trouser. Slightly oversized, softly wrinkled, worn with tanks, swimwear, oversized shirts or knitwear thrown over the shoulders. They somehow manage to feel both relaxed and pulled together at the same time, which is perhaps the entire Scandinavian summer ideal in one piece.

The blazer.

Even in summer, and even in heat that Sweden rarely produces, the blazer shows up. In the city especially. Thrown over a black dress, over shorts and a simple tee, over literally anything on an evening that turns cooler than expected. I’ve seen Scandinavians take their blazers on Mediterranean holidays, and while I think it’s a bit of a stretch, it is the one piece that makes everything feel more pulled together without much effort.

The accessories that get the job done

We all know Scandinavian fashion isn’t (usually) about loud accessories or over-the-top jewelry, but it’s often the accessories that bring out the personality. When the clothing itself is so simple, even the smallest details end up having impact.

Black accessories.

There is something very specific about how black accessories function in Scandinavian white dressing – they stop it from becoming too sweet.

Jewelry.

Against slightly tanned summer skin, simple silver and gold pieces feel especially beautiful. A fine chain, small hoops, a sculptural bangle or a pendant. Lie Studio’s pieces, which have become almost ubiquitous in Scandinavian summer dressing for good reason, work particularly well with crisp black and white looks.

Studio Bille’s jewellery (follow here on Substack for more inspiration) is perfection in this context and would be the ideal finishing touch to a black-and-white, all-black, or all-white summer wardrobe.

And while much of this aesthetic centers around minimalist silver and gold, there’s also a growing interest in moissanite and CZ stones in Scandinavia. I think Sophie Bille Brahe’s beautiful jewelry has sparked something among Scandinavians. There’s a clear desire for that delicate, diamond-like look, even if not everyone wants the accompanying price tag. Brands like Ragbag, Ennui Atelier and Blue Billie are stepping into that space with their own interpretations, and doing it well.

I also think this is why brands like Dorsey or Laura Vann resonate so strongly with a Scandinavian wardrobe and sensibility. Their jewellery has that understated, refined feel that works incredibly well with the clean lines and minimal styling Scandinavians tend to gravitate toward.

In practice

Yes, black and white can absolutely be called predictable. Boring, even. But Scandinavians clearly feel at home in these colors, and maybe that matters more than constantly trying to reinvent ourselves every summer.

Getting dressed is about feeling comfortable in your own life. And for many Scandinavians, black and white still seem to be the colors that feel most like themselves.

As always, I leave you with some words.

XA

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A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and my approach hasn’t changed — I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

If you’d like to see everything in one place, you can find it on my ShopMy.

Honestly, this format is also a nice way for me to share what I’ve been seeing without disappearing into one of my usual long-text rabbit holes like Stockholm Notes.

We’re currently down in Skåne for the long weekend, and my daughter has unfortunately caught what we suspect is RSV. She’s been down for the count with a high fever, so I’ve spent a lot of time beside her while she sleeps, scrolling, clicking, saving, and slowly putting this post together. Not exactly what I had imagined for this spring weekend, but perhaps also a reminder that we all needed a quieter weekend after the pace of the past few weeks.

Anyway. Let’s get into it.

(The below includes affiliate links, though many of the brands and pieces mentioned aren’t affiliate-linked at all. More on that at the bottom.)

A little wishlist of random things saved in the form of screenshots in my phone currently:

1. I included the Róhe tank as the perfect option for an elevated basic back in my navy piece. I’ve now realized it comes in white, red, black, and brown.

2. I love a flip flop, but what I love even more? Sandals that hold my foot from all sides and look comfortable from the get-go like these ones.

3. I’m a Dr. Bronner’s lavender and eucalyptus girl, but I’m thinking I need to treat myself to Necessaire’s eucalyptus wash.

4. Everyone is all about the baby tee, and while I personally can’t quite do the ultra-tiny baby tee version anymore, this light blue version is a dream. I also love this one and this one.

5. Love an Etsy find, as you all know.

6. Another dreamy Róhe top, perfect for summer with a pair of worn-in jeans.

7. The absolute perfect huggie hoop from Lié Studio. I have them in gold and they are perfection. Now I’m dreaming about them in silver too.

8. The perfect highlighter to give me a needed glow (I am so pale right now).

9. House of Dagmar is great at sunglasses – now they have an oval version in white.

10. The small version of Toteme’s belted tote bag is so cute.

11. My friends are raving about the Westman Atelier hydrobalm.

Toteme is so associated with black, white, and neutral tones that pieces like this colorful plaid shirt can easily be overlooked. What makes it work so well here is the styling: the dark denim and soft yellow knit balance the colors perfectly. At the same time, I can just as easily imagine it paired with light or white denim, or even tailored trousers.

From top left: Mariage Freres Earl Grey, Akua Objects Vase, Klimt Book, Teapot, Col Tempo Book, Cheese Knife, Tea towels, Small plate, Pot, Teacup

Danish brand Laoru Laoru creates ceramic pieces, including the striking Hera mask.

Leila Sfez showing us how chic you can look in Sezane. For a similar pair of shorts, I’d go with these or these from COS with a cardigan like this one.

About Arianne’s Bielle ballerinas were a direct save.

Below for my paid subscribers: more fashion finds, interiors, vintage gems, and inspiration I’ve saved.

Read more

I think most people imagine something close to the Hamptons or Cape Cod in June. And in some ways, I do understand the comparison. Having grown up on the East Coast of the US, there are definite overlaps. It’s also probably why many Scandinavians feel surprisingly at home in places like Boston, where I grew up.

But at the same time, until you’ve actually experienced a Scandinavian summer, it’s hard to explain its kind of magic. Or how unpredictable it really is.

This isn’t a vacation wardrobe piece – that one will come later. This is about the everyday version of summer. The weeks when the weather starts warming up and life slowly moves back outdoors, but you’re still very much in your normal routine.

Picking lilacs in the park when you’re technically not supposed to, just because you want that smell at home for a few days. High school graduations taking over the cities, students dancing on truck beds in white dresses and caps while spraying beer everywhere. The summer’s first ice cream, purchased from a 7Eleven. School concerts with children singing Ida’s Sommarvisa. Buying boxes of Swedish strawberries that are overpriced and still somehow worth it. Group chats about Midsummer plans starting in May. The city finally warm enough for balcony dinners and park evenings. That final intense push at work before everyone disappears for four to six weeks.

The feeling of finally forgiving the Scandinavian weather gods.

Reality vs. Fantasy

The reality, though, is that Swedish summer exists somewhere between fantasy and practicality.

The fantasy version is real. Barefoot dinners in the garden. Golden light at 10pm. Long evenings by the water that make you briefly forget how dark February was.

But so is the fleece you suddenly need at 7pm. The knit tied around your shoulders all June. The rain jacket and umbrella permanently living in your bag “just in case.” The freezing water Swedes insist on swimming in while everyone else watches from the jetty wrapped in towels. When I say cold, I don’t mean refreshing. I mean genuinely shocking. Swedes find this normal and lovely. I am actually starting to buy into it.

Heatwaves are rare here, though not impossible. June through August can just as easily mean 12 degrees and sideways rain as they can mean perfect sun until late evening. Everyone dreams of the Swedish summer, but nobody fully trusts it.

And I think that uncertainty about the weather shapes the wardrobe more than anything else.

What Scandinavians are genuinely good at is responding quickly when the weather cooperates. The second the sun appears, café terraces fill. Parks fill. Balconies fill. People suddenly start carrying towels around the city on weekends “just in case” they end up near water.

And even when people stay in the city during summer, Scandinavians still move toward the water. A ferry to Vaxholm for the day to eat stekt strömming, a friend’s summer house for one night, an afternoon swim off the rocks/bridges in downtown Stockholm, a park blanket stretched out beside the canal in Copenhagen, a glass of wine with friends at rooftop restaurants, the cliffs in Gothenburg filling the second the sun appears. Scandinavian summer in the city still revolves around escaping toward water or green space whenever possible.

The obsession with what summer will be

There’s also a collective obsession with the trajectory of summer weather that borders on crazy. If May is beautiful, people panic that July is doomed. If June is too good, everyone assumes August will collapse. There are constant weather app discussions (”I feel yr.no is the most reliable,” “SMHI is worthless”), endless comparisons between forecasts, and at least one person threatening to book a last-minute Greece trip if the temperature drops below 15 degrees.

And then, almost every year, September arrives and becomes the most beautiful month of all.

The long days

The other thing that defines this season is the light.

By late May and into June, the days seem to go on forever. The sun rises around 3:30am and doesn’t set until nearly 10pm, and even then the sky never fully darkens. People make the most of every hour. Dinners blur into evenings, evenings blur into night. There’s a constant feeling that you should stay outside just a little longer.

My most memorable Stockholm summer was the first one I spent here in my early twenties, when the weather gods were genuinely on our side. We’d go to outdoor clubs (which still feels slightly unbelievable in retrospect) at sunset and stay all the way through the few near-dark hours into sunrise, then walk home through a sleeping city, stopping to take a dip before we turned in.

So there’s a whole other version of Scandinavian summer I’m not even getting into here. The archipelago. The summer house. The ferry rides. The trip to Greece or Italy where Scandinavians suddenly start wearing color like they’ve been released from captivity. The linen trousers, the clogs.

That piece is coming later.

This one is about the city version of summer. The weeks before everyone leaves. When the energy is building and summer is finally here.

And the wardrobe for this season lives somewhere in the gap between the fantasy and the reality.

What Scandinavian summer actually looks like:

• A white skirt with a navy knit tossed over sunburnt shoulders (Nordic sun always surprises you.)

• Pulling up your pant legs so that you can bike without them getting stuck in the gears.

• A black maxi dress with damp hair after an evening swim.

• A blue shirt thrown open over a bikini top on the metro home.

• Silver jewelry against slightly tanned skin.

• A tote bag carrying sunscreen, a sweater, a book, headphones, and strawberries.

• Worn-in denim with a white top you bought for Midsummer 5 years ago.

• Flipflops with everything - from the weekend to the office.

• A sweater tied around the waist because everyone knows the temperature will drop eventually.

Scandinavian summer style works best when it doesn’t feel overly polished.

Which also means that no Scandinavian summer wardrobe is complete without a raincoat, a light jacket, and rain boots. Glamorous? Not particularly. Necessary? Absolutely. (I touched more on rainwear in my spring wardrobe piece, and most of it still applies here.)

Of course not everyone dresses like this – but there is a collective fashion language here that’s quite visible. We’re a small population with less access to brands than Americans, for example, both geographically and economically (more on that below), and trends spread quickly. Love it or hate it, we do influence each other a lot, which is partly why Scandinavians can sometimes seem strangely uniform from the outside. And contrary to popular belief, we do wear color. We’re just a little more selective about it.

A note on conscious consumption

Our summer wardrobe doesn’t change dramatically from year to year. The same pieces return again and again – not because people here ignore trends, but because most people buy for real life.

(I’ve touched on this before, but it feels worth repeating.)

Sweden is not a country of endless disposable income. Salaries are lower than in the US, taxes are high, and people tend to think carefully before they spend. You expect clothes to last. You expect them to work hard. You buy something imagining not just one season, but several years.

And Scandinavian brands reflect that mindset. The same trousers return season after season because people aren’t looking for constant reinvention. They’re looking for pieces that become part of their lives.

A great shirt doesn’t suddenly stop being useful because a trend cycle changed. A navy knit doesn’t expire. The pieces that work get worn repeatedly and replaced only when they genuinely wear out.

Which is also why most of what I’m about to mention, you probably already own.

The pieces

A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

The knit that never really leaves

Even after a warm Scandinavian summer day, the temperature drops. The second the sun starts lowering, you feel it, that Nordic chill moving in again. Which is why the knit never fully disappears from the wardrobe, even in July.

I called it the tag-along sweater in my spring piece, and the name still holds. Thrown over the shoulders, wrapped around the waist, stuffed into a tote bag and pulled out halfway through dinner when the breeze changes. If you’ve ever wondered why Scandinavian brands include knitwear in summer collections, or why cashmere labels do so well here year-round (look at Soft Goat or Lisa Yang,) this is the answer. Even at the height of summer, you need something warm nearby.

Knitwear is also one of the pieces Scandinavians genuinely invest in, because it earns its place all year long. Most of us have an H&M sweater or two in our closets, but it’s also clear that a well-made knit is worth spending a little more on: something you’ll return to season after season, and keep for years rather than months.

And while the knits obviously get lighter for the most part and cardigans are great options, there’s still something deeply Scandinavian about wearing a thicker sweater with bare legs. A cable knit over a white skirt. A grey cashmere crew neck with shorts and flip flops. A cream knit pulled over wet hair after swimming on your way to dinner with friends.

Something worth trying:

• Don’t save the knit for nighttime – wear it as part of the outfit. The contrast is what makes it work.

• Let the sweater look slightly oversized and lived-in.

• Instead of reaching for knits made of synthetics on cooler summer evenings, try wool. It regulates temperature far better than most people think.

White dresses and skirts

White dresses and long white skirts return every Scandinavian summer without fail, and they’re worth having for the same reason they always were: they work with everything and they feel right in summer light in a way that other colors don’t quite manage.

The Scandinavian version of white summer dressing rarely stays too pretty for long. More often, it’s paired with a heavy knit, a pair of worn-in sneakers, a huge tote bag, flip flops instead of delicate sandals. But it’s quite flexible in what you can do with it. A white circle skirt with an oversized navy shirt and flat sandals looks effortless. The same skirt with a fitted cashmere knit and ballet flats reads slightly more polished. Both are easy options. Neither requires much thought.

What I find most interesting is how rarely white summer dressing here looks romantic in the traditional sense, and the ones adopting it very often wear structured clothes otherwise during the year.

Something worth trying:

• The easiest way to keep white summer dressing from feeling too precious is to pair it with something slightly heavier or more practical. A pair of rubber flip flops, a worn-in leather/denim jacket or a pair of your favorite sneakers.

Black, even in summer

Scandinavians never fully abandon black, even in the middle of July. We just wear the summer versions of it.

And if it’s not full-on black, we add a bit of it here and there to feel at home. We’re talking black linen pants, black tanks, black dresses and black accessories.

The black dress deserves mention because it shows up every single summer without fail and somehow never looks like a winter piece in disguise. It solves almost everything at once: the transition from day to night and the desire to look good without really trying. Worn with flat sandals, jewelry of your choice and a straw bag, it’s one of the easiest summer outfits imaginable. And somehow one of the chicest.

Something worth trying:

• The easiest way to make black feel summery is through texture and styling rather than color. Linen, bare skin, flat sandals, slightly messy hair, silver/gold jewelry – suddenly black feels light instead of heavy.

Flip flops, but not for the beach

If ballet flats belong to Scandinavian spring, flip flops belong to Scandinavian summer. But not in a tropical vacation way – in a very specific, very Scandinavian way that takes a moment to understand if you’re not used to it.

They appear the second the weather allows it, worn with pieces that on paper should probably be paired with a loafer or sandal instead. Tailored trousers. Oversized shirts. Long skirts. Even a blazer in the evening. There’s something very particular about taking a relatively structured outfit and slightly undoing it with the easiest possible shoe — it removes a layer of effort in a way that feels intentional rather than lazy.

And while many obviously prefer a leather flip flop, Havianas are also king here.

Something worth trying:

• Try flip flops with something you’d normally wear a loafer with. Tailored trousers, a blazer, wide-leg linen. The contrast is the point.

• The more minimal the flip flop, the better.

Shirts

There’s a very specific way shirts are worn during Scandinavian summer, as if they, too, are taking a break from the otherwise strict uniform of the year.

They are rarely buttoned properly. Instead they’re usually oversized, slightly creased from living at the bottom of a tote bag since morning and thrown over a tank, worn open over a swimsuit, layered over a ribbed tank with the sleeves rolled. The shirt stops being a shirt and becomes a layer – something light and slightly undone that still looks like you thought about it.

Something worth trying:

• The blue shirt is a winner for repetition. Wear it open over swimwear one day, buttoned with trousers the next, tied around your waist by evening.

Sneakers

Scandinavians wear sneakers all summer. They’re simply embedded in the summer wardrobe.

When I asked my husband what he thinks about when he thinks about Swedish summer dressing he said girls in white sneakers. For years, the Swedish summer uniform was essentially white Converse or Stan Smiths, denim and a leather jacket, and in many ways, it still is.

They’re worn with dresses, skirts, linen trousers, shorts. They make things practical and they remove any sense of trying too hard.

There’s a Swedish concept that runs through so much of how people dress here: lagom. Not too much, not too little, just enough. You basically don’t want to stick out. The sneakers are almost the physical embodiment of that idea. They’re not nothing, they’re still cool and clearly deliberate, but they don’t shout.

Denim, still

Even in summer, denim doesn’t disappear here. The weather allows it most of the time, and Scandinavians are deeply attached to their jeans.

I still remember buying super low-rise Miss Sixty jeans in Småland as a teenager and wearing them all summer long, feeling like I’d found the best thing in the world. A few years later, I went back to the same tiny denim shop and bought my first pair of Acne jeans. The attachment to good denim starts early here and doesn’t really let go.

Summer denim is a tad different. Lighter washes, looser fits, more tanks and open shirts on top. Denim jackets, denim shirts. Jorts. Bare shoulders balancing the bottoms. The jeans you’ve been wearing all spring don’t get retired, they just get styled differently, with a little more ease and a little less thought. And because the really hot weeks are relatively few and you spend a lot of time near the water in Scandinavia, denim remains surprisingly practical for most of the season.

The accessories

Scandinavian summer outfits are usually simple at their core, which means the accessories end up doing a lot of the extra work. They’re what make the same white tank and denim feel different in July than it does in March. With that said, Scandinavian details or accessories are rather simple in their own right.

The market or raffia bag

Often acquired on holiday, brought back from Mallorca or a market somewhere in southern Europe, and then used every single day for the rest of the summer. The holiday bag becomes the everyday summer bag, which feels completely natural. It adds a little warmth and informality to even the simplest outfit and carries everything without trying.

Scandinavian brands Liffner, Toteme and Lié Studio do the raffia bags exceptionally well. I have Lié Studio’s large Charlotte Bag in Navy, and it is the perfect classic summer bag, but I imagine I’ll be wearing it into early fall as well. On the high street side, ARKET and COS have plenty of options this year. Below are some of my favorites.

Something worth trying:

• Let the accessories do the summer work. Simple base, then silver jewelry, good sunglasses, a scarf in the hair or around the bag. The outfit stays simple, but the details make it feel personal.

The trend piece

Scandinavians absolutely follow trends – I want to be clear about that. Everything I’ve written about conscious consumption and the same-white-skirt-every-summer is true, but it doesn’t mean people here are walking around in a self-imposed trend-free bubble. We love a trend as much as anyone. We just tend to be a bit careful with them, wear them repeatedly, and let them become part of the wardrobe rather than replacing it.

Last summer it was the silk and lace top. And the scarf tied low around the hips over jeans or a dress – that one spread through Scandinavian Instagram like wildfire and then immediately appeared on actual streets, which is always the sign that a trend has genuinely landed rather than just being aspirational content.

Something worth trying:

• Add one trend piece – a silk scarf, a special top – to an otherwise completely simple outfit. One thing is enough.

A few combinations

A few combinations that show up again and again, and that are worth trying if you haven’t already:

• Navy knit + white skirt or dress + flip flops

• Oversized blue shirt open over a tank, sleeves rolled + denim

• Black maxi dress + flat leather sandals + straw bag + silver/gold hoops.

• White linen wide-legs + a fitted ribbed tank + slides.

• Denim shorts + a slightly more interesting top, (broderie anglaise, a lace trim, something with a bit of texture) + flip flops or white sneakers.

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A final note

There’s a kind of relief that arrives with Swedish summer that’s hard to explain if you haven’t earned it through a Scandinavian winter. There’s a saying in Swedish that is thrown around this time of year in relation to the weather – allt är förlåtet – everything is forgiven. And when summer finally arrives, you understand it completely.

Months of darkness, grey skies, layers upon layers, complaining about the cold in group chats and the kitchen at work – all of it dissolves. Sweden feels impossible not to love. The light does something to people. Parks fill within minutes of the sun appearing, as if everyone received the same silent notification.

And every summer, without fail, you’ll see photos on Instagram with the overlay text kommer försöka komma ihåg det här i november – will try to remember this in November. It sounds melancholy until you understand that it isn’t. It’s gratitude. The understanding that this specific light, this warmth, this feeling of everything briefly falling into place matters so much because it doesn’t last. And Swedes, more than most, know how to hold onto that feeling while it’s still there.

It’s a good instinct to carry into the wardrobe too. Not grasping for something new, not overhauling everything just because the season changed or because you’ve been influenced by the latest bubbling trend or a flicker of FOMO.

The summer wardrobe is probably already there – a shirt you forgot about, a knit you always end up bringing anyway, a pair of jeans that works year-round without really trying, a black dress you wear every single summer without thinking about it.

Scandinavian summer dressing isn’t really about changing your closet. It’s about wearing the same things in a slightly different way. A little lighter, a little looser, a little less precious.

Which, come to think of it, is a pretty good approach to the season itself. Doing the things that become the memories you'll be trying to remember come November, one day at a time.

And as always, I leave you with some words.

Wishing you a lovely weekend. xA

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A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and my approach hasn’t changed — I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

If you’d like to see everything in one place, you can find it on my ShopMy.

If you enjoyed this piece, perhaps you’ll enjoy these too:

We did manage a last-minute trip to Skåne over Valborg — a decision made late when we looked at each other and decided we had just enough energy to make it happen. The drive is over seven hours, and my husband drove through the night after a long work day, which means he deserves a medal. It was absolutely worth it though. We had the most beautiful Valborg weather I can remember. The kind of weather you’ll talk about the same weekend next year. The weekend was spent almost entirely outside: working in the garden, playing soccer, biking up and down our hill. I feel that sometimes a getaway doesn’t need a plan. Just a change of place is enough.

We’re heading back down this Wednesday for Kristi Himmelsfärd, another long weekend, this time with an extra day added on. By then all the fields surrounding the house will be yellow with rapeseed flowers. I’ll share photos when we’re back.

A few scenes from the past week

My husband packing the car with our LL Bean boat totes that have become our main mode of packing, one for each person in the family.

This is what the evenings in Skåne looked like. You can see how the rapeseed fields are starting to turn yellow.

Proof of our weekend outdoors.

I wore this shirt two days straight – it’s such a soft, thin cotton poplin. Perfect for spring, and I love how long the cuff is.

Back in Stockholm, and as you can see below, my energy to get dressed this week has been low. I bought these pants on sale from Arket, and while I would normally not go for a color like this (light yellow), I do appreciate the track pant style, and they’ll go great with navy and grey. It's a bit more structured than most pull-on pants in satin/silk that I've tried. For reference, I'm 1.78 so they're quite long too.

I also spent my week in knits + jeans as it was surprisingly chilly after our nice warm long weekend. Excuse my feet, I also really need a pedicure. I haven’t had painted toenails for months, and I feel so naked without polish.

As we all know, I’m a navy lover, and this outfit below felt like a comforting blanket this week. Ignore the dusty mirror.

Navy, on navy, on navy. An old knit, a pair of super comfortable COS trousers (these ones but in navy) that are more like kick flares on me than they would be on most people, my navy Toteme bag, and Nike Moonshoes. The sunglasses are Ace & Tate and the earrings are from Etsy.

This is your PSA to oil your chopping boards. We like this Boos Blocks “mystery oil” best.

This week, my daughter went to her very first real classmate birthday party. It was on a Wednesday, and at first I worried she’d be completely exhausted after a full day at school. But watching her run straight into the celebration with her classmates after pickup made it feel like the perfect plan. And of course, she insisted on wearing a dress (mine from when I was little) and her sparkly Elsa shoes.

This is pretty much what my cargo bike looks like most days, filled with boxes, food (we started buying these huge 3kg bags of Rummo pasta since my kids go through food like no other) and usually a kid or two minus the flowers. My husband still has no idea I’ve already bought even more flowers (they’re on the balcony) to bring to Skåne this week. I just can’t resist a good deal at the local grocery store, and since I didn’t start any seeds indoors this year, I’ve decided to fully embrace buying actual plants instead.

Is the below image giving bug eyes? One night, after seeing a photo of Sarah Pidgeon wearing the Jimmy Fairly Aela, I made a rash decision and ordered them. This is VERY unlike me. I’m not really a full-on trend (I dabble) person, but they reminded me of a pair of Gucci sunglasses I had in college, a similar shape I absolutely loved.

Do I regret the purchase? Too early to tell.

Part of me feels they might be a little too trendy for this 40-year-old, but I also have a big face, so maybe they don’t look quite as dramatic on me. The real issue is that I can’t return them because I got prescription lenses. And honestly, the lenses aren’t as good as Ace & Tate or Warby Parker. Still, the overall quality feels surprisingly nice for the price.

The only thing I don’t really love about the glasses is that I feel they need more styling to work. I don’t think they will work with every outfit, which is usually my style. I’m not usually someone who factors sunglasses into getting dressed.

On my radar

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

Jorts summer

By this point, I think we all see that comfort-first dressing era is fully upon us. Pull-up pants are owning spring, and silk and taffeta shorts are gearing up to take over summer. I’ve talked about my boxer short obsession before, and that they continue to stalk me on Pinterest. Another item that deserves its spotlight in the comfy era is the jean short.

Jorts, specifically, have had a quiet glow-up. The sk8tr boi energy has faded, and there’s something genuinely nice about styling them with a ballerina flat, a mary jane, or even a small heel. They still work just as well with Birkenstocks or flip flops, obviously, but the point is, they’ve earned a spot beyond the purely casual.

That said, not every cut works on every body, and I think that matters far more than whatever silhouette is trending. For me personally, finding the right length has been a challenge. My longer legs (the grass isn’t always greener) mean shorts tend to hit at an awkward spot on the thigh, and my muscular thighs change the shape and fit of certain styles entirely. Which honestly just reinforces the point: the “right” jort is the one that works for your body, not someone else’s Pinterest board.

The cut I keep coming back to this year is House of Dagmar’s take: a low-slung, baggy short that plays off their signature baggy denim. There’s something about that oversized, relaxed shape paired with something feminine on top that just clicks. On the other end of the spectrum, Agolde’s high-waisted, more structured version reads almost dressed-up. The kind of piece that could genuinely work for an evening out.

Find your cut. Wear them everywhere.

FYI – Everything I’ve mentioned in this week’s On My Radar is shoppable in my ShopMy — find it all in one place here.

Ombre plaid

I’ve had several ombré plaid shirts (if that’s even what we call them?) saved in my inspiration folder for months, but then I saw in her “Chiltern Shirt” and it completely sealed the deal for me. It feels like the perfect summer piece: thrown over a bikini like Alex styled it, worn open over a tee, or tied around the waist with a tank and jeans.

And don’t get me started on regular plaid for summer too. I’ll fall deeeep into a rabbit hole. Will just drop these two images of WNU The Oversized shirt in Blue and Green Check here.

Also, ’s summer capsule collection for With Nothing Underneath is SO good. I want every piece. But don’t you just love how the Sennen Jumper is styled with the shirt around the waist - anddd…JORTS!

Notes from the Scandinavian Bubble

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

Toteme has released more items from their PF26, and the bags are especially good. They’ve finally introduced a smaller version of their belted tote bag in a small and medium size, including a raffia version. These are the kind of bags that will stay in your closets for years. The ballerinas now come in a butter yellow too, although I am more a fan of the cashew color. Another standout for me, from the PF collection is these trousers below that have a drawcord hem for that balloon fit.

Lié Studio and LESSE have introduced The Balm Case Pendant, a limited-edition collaboration merging beauty and accessory design. The piece is crafted from repurposed Italian leather and paired with LESSE’s Soothing Lip Balm. Such a thoughtful collab that seems to be already sold out!

If you missed it, Arket recently dropped a very similar shoe to the Khaite Marlowe or the Phoebe Phlio wedge. Jude has an option too, but in brown.

Heritage porcelain brand Rörstrand marks its 300th anniversary with the return of the iconic Blå Eld collection and a new blue edition of the Swedish Grace glassware range. Together, the launches celebrate timeless Scandinavian design in classic cobalt blue and white.

House of Dagmar had press showings for their fall collection this week, and I see color!

Danish Vieille’s tote from Kassl Editions is back in stock. Run, don’t walk. And I just love the super thin strapped tank top they have from Hanro.

Linn Hägglund posted this image on Instagram, and the contrast of the ripped jeans with the ballerinas is perfection.

It’s clear that I’m not the only one thinking about rhubarb as spring approaches. L:A Bruket has just released a new limited-edition Rhubarb/Geranium body scent inspired by the season’s sharp, green freshness.

I’ll always be proud of everything they do. Truly one of my favorite clients I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.

A few things I’ve saved

1. Like everyone else on Substack, I have the Valesque tote on my wishlist – but in the “sage green” color.

2. I think everyone received Dorsey’s summer collection email this week. There is something so chic and easypeasy about the pieces they have dropped. The enamel pieces layered on top of each other and the floating stones.

3. Dagmar’s field cotton jacket – perfect for this chilly spring, but also fall?

4. COS’s wrinkled dress – it comes in a light pink too. Perfect for that summer event or wedding you plan to attend. Now I just need to find a reason to have it in my wardrobe.

5. Only Scandinavians drool over wool sweaters in May. &Daughter’s pink Rosha sweater is one of those wishlist pieces.

6. The Scandinavian pointelle wave continues. Lisa Yang’s version

7. Celadon Green Earthenware Bowl & Plates, Nittsjö, Sweden, 1960s

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day in the US and other countries (Sweden celebrates later in May), and I want to take a moment to say how proud I am of the mothers on this platform. Being a mother is such a hard and profound thing. The invisible labor, the constant balancing act, the way you pour yourself into others while still trying to hold onto yourself. The women here who are raising kids, running households, leading teams at work, and still carving out time to think about what they’re wearing, what they’re reading, what they’re feeling. And also taking time to be cheerleaders for the rest of us. It’s really inspiring.

And for those who find this day complicated, whether you’ve lost your mother, are missing someone, or this day simply holds a different kind of weight, I see you too. Wishing everyone a gentle, lovely day tomorrow.

Some mothers focused posts below for you to read. And PLEASE – if you have a mother’s day piece you want to share – share it in the comments below!

La Petite Colombiana

Happy Mother's Day

A gentle heads up: this post touches on grief, loss, and Alzheimer's disease. If that's too much for you right now, read with care, or save it for when you're ready…

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a month ago · 36 likes · 41 comments · Natalia Herrera

just a splash

Mom Hacks

This post is in celebration of Mother’s Day, which I know can be a complicated day for a multitude of reasons. If that’s the case for you, skip this one & please take care. 🌼…

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a month ago · 134 likes · 78 comments · Ariane Anusbigian

Stylé - The Paris Edit

15 Parisian things that inspired me this week + a Mother's Day note

(please feel free to skip this section if it feels too heavy…

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a month ago · 80 likes · 28 comments · Frosso

Stylé - The Paris Edit

Paris Street Report 08: What Parisian moms are wearing for spring

This whole past month, my inbox has been completely overwhelmed with glossy shopping guides claiming to have found “actually thoughtful” gifts for Mother’s Day. No shade here—I get it. Everyone’s running around like crazy with overbooked calendars (so much to do, so little time), and the easiest way to make your mom happy in 2026 is unfortunately still through consumption…

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a month ago · 82 likes · 17 comments · Frosso

Mad For

The OG Influencer: My Mom

Trigger warning: I know Mother’s Day can be complicated or downright painful for many for countless different reasons. This piece comes from a place of deep gratitude for my own mom, while holding space for those grieving, longing, navigating difficult relationships, or simply trying to make it through the weekend. Thinking of you. Xx…

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a month ago · 15 likes · 7 comments · Madeline Rose Nachbar

i think it's brave:

letters to my daughter

It is April 28th and I receive a Paperless Post. You’re Invited! My friend’s son is turning 1. My friend, whose baby was also 8 weeks early and spent time in the NICU, is planning a first birthday party. I marvel at the invitation, as he is only a little older… I must also be close to planning a first birthday party. A milestone we couldn’t begin to fat…

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a month ago · 37 likes · 7 comments · Meighan Grady

And as always, I leave you with some words.

XA

A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in the post above are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and my approach hasn’t changed — I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

If you’d like to see everything in one place, you can find it on my ShopMy.

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If you enjoyed this piece, perhaps you’ll enjoy these too:

So instead of another uber long and detailed piece, I thought I’d bring you inside the tabs currently open on my computer and the screenshots sitting in my camera roll. Basically, the things I keep clicking on, saving, reopening, thinking about, and occasionally trying very hard not to buy.

A mix of brands, styling ideas, random internet rabbit holes, and pieces I genuinely love. Let’s go.

(The below includes affiliate links, though many of the brands and pieces mentioned aren’t affiliate-linked at all. More on that at the bottom.)

Let’s start with this cute baby in a bonnet and Zara Home’s latest beach campaign for kids. I love their kid’s stuff.

And if you’re sleeping on Zara Home, you’re missing out. There are Dôen-esque pieces, Row-ish slippers, and honestly some genuinely great home things in general.

1. Leather slides

2. A flowered pyjama top that would be perfect as a summer top with jeans

3. Garden spade

4. A really great navy tank

5. And a thinned strap grey one

6. Also, if you didn’t know, Zara Home sells lots of great coffee table books like this one, that are perfect as gifts or just for inspiration.

7. This drop-waist dress looks perfect.

8. I love an eyemask

These flipflop sandals remind me so much of the Phoebe Philo version. The brand is called Jude, completely new to me and apparently newly stocked on MyTheresa also. I am also very into the white wedges (also similar to PP.)

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I do use it with purpose sometimes. Interior ideas when something at home needs rethinking, outfit references for those mornings where deciding what to wear feels genuinely impossible, recipe inspiration when I want to feel like a person who has their life together before a grocery run. But the times I love most are the ones with no agenda at all. Just browsing, saving, falling headfirst down a rabbit hole about, I don’t know, vintage clogs or the perfect bookcase styling, emerging forty-five minutes later a bit lost yet incredibly inspired.

My husband tells me daily to “close some tabs”. He says it when he can see me mid-sentence, already three thoughts ahead, having mentally jumped from what we were talking about to something I spotted on my phone or realized I need to start thinking about a kid’s birthday present I need to buy in 2 weeks time. That’s exactly how Pinterest works for me. I see something, and I’m immediately over in another app (usually Vinted or Vestiaire) chasing it down. It doesn’t always end in a purchase. Sometimes it just ends in a saved folder.

And the algorithm. I do love the algorithm. On a good day it feels almost ridiculously accurate – like it caught an idea my mind had just lightly touched on and went ahead and illustrated it for me. Some days there’s a clear common thread running through everything it surfaces. Other days it’s more like: here’s a signet ring, here’s a Fendi baguette bag, here’s a very appealing pile of linen. And honestly? That works too.

So here’s what it’s been showing me lately.

(The below includes affiliate links, though many of the brands and pieces mentioned aren’t affiliate-linked at all. More on that at the bottom.)

Starting off strong with completely random inspiration! The first image is just a wall full of straw bags. I’ve had this idea for our summer home for a while now – I just need the actual bags to go with it. A minor detail.

What I really love about Pinterest is discovering small brands from markets I may not be as familiar with. Baby Blue is an Australian brand with beautiful pieces. The “Arctic Ocean” necklace pulled me in immediately, and then I spent a good while looking at everything in pearls, citrine + lapis, and jade. The feed knows.

The silky obsession lives on, this time in a longer cut. These from another brand I was not familiar with: No.6. And in navy, naturally.

I live for my LL Bean totes, but I'm always open to being convinced otherwise. I love this tall tote, perfect for standing at an entrance or in a mudroom, holding yoga mats, umbrellas, the general chaos of coming and going. And then I went down a small rabbit hole: Steele is a family-owned company from Massachusetts that has been making canvas hampers and baskets for over a hundred years. Of course I loved it. They still make hampers today.

I am one of those people that prefers to get undressed the moment I get home. Basically in the hallway. And boxer shorts or a similar cut are some of my most used items during summer. It doesn’t get better than Comme Si boxers. And Pinterest seems to know how to tempt me with their set of three.

And then, literally five images later: Donni’s boxer shorts. The algorithm is not subtle.

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I’ve loved the blue shirt for as long as I can remember, and I suspect it has something to do with where I grew up. The East Coast will do that to you. The Oxford button-down was practically a uniform. It got into my system early and never really left. Even when I was riding, my go-to for horse shows was always a light blue shirt.

What interests me more now is how many ways there are to wear a shirt that have nothing to do with looking preppy. The same shirt that feels classic and buttoned-up in one context becomes something else entirely when worn oversized over a swimsuit, open over a turtleneck, or half-tucked into wide linen trousers with black sandals. It’s still the same shirt, but it doesn’t feel the same at all. That range is what I love most about it, and why it’s such a staple in my wardrobe.

I’ve also always had strong opinions about shirts – probably stronger than most people would consider reasonable. Buttons that disappear into the fabric bother me. If I’m wearing a shirt, I want to see them. Give me contrast. I’m quite particular about the color too. On me, anything too blue or too patterned rarely works. And collars matter more than people realize. A slightly off shape can throw everything – too wide, too stiff, too seventies.

The fabric is important. Cotton poplin for that crisp feel, the kind that holds its shape and looks sharp whether it’s tucked in or half-undone. Oxford cloth when you want something more worn-in and easy. Less sharp, more relaxed. It’s never really about choosing one over the other. It depends on the day, the outfit, my mood.

And more than any other version, it’s always the light blue one I reach for. Not white, not grey, not bold stripe, though I love all of those. Light blue specifically. I’d argue it suits almost everyone, it works with almost everything, and it has a particular quality I find hard to put into words: it looks effortless in a way that white can’t always manage.

And while I appreciate what designers do to liven up the shirt right now – deconstructed collars, embroidery, unexpected proportions – I am firmly, unapologetically team old school. Give me the classic. A proper collar, a clean placket, a cuff that holds its shape. The new versions are fun, but the classic is the one I actually end up wearing time and time again.

Why it works the way it does

A light blue shirt is, in its own way, as much of a team player as navy. It works with white, denim, navy, brown, even black. It works under knits, over tanks, tied at the waist, worn open over a bikini. It adapts to almost any situation.

What I find most useful is how well it layers. A light blue shirt under a navy knit feels warmer, more personal.

As mentioned in my navy piece, we think of light blue + navy in a certain context – the men’s club blazer, the crisp dress shirt underneath as something very masculine – but on a woman it doesn’t get more chic.

Nerd alert: Before the dress shirt claimed blue, it was the color of work. Indigo-dyed cotton was used for workwear across Europe and America throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. The chambray shirt was workwear long before it was fashion. And then women got hold of it. Coco Chanel was borrowing from her lovers’ wardrobes in the 1920s and reframing men’s pieces as something modern and liberating. By the 1970s the oversized men’s shirt with wide trousers had become the uniform of a certain kind of stylish, independent woman.

How to wear it

With white. A light blue shirt against white always feels like peak summer. White jeans, wide-leg trousers, a skirt.

With denim. With darker denim it reads more serious, slightly more classic than white. With lighter denim it feels more casual.

With navy. I wrote about this in the navy piece and I’ll say it again briefly because it deserves repeating: a light blue shirt under a navy knit or blazer = chefs kiss. Or with a pair of navy trousers. It adds warmth without adding contrast.

With brown. Camel trousers or a tan belt. Very Scandinavian spring.

Layered open over a tank or tee. The most-worn version in my wardrobe. Barely buttoned, sometimes not buttoned at all. The shirt as a layer rather than a top. Over a white tank with jeans. Over a grey or navy tee with wide-leg trousers. The navy tee with light blue is my new fav.

Under a knit, collar out or collar slightly tucked. A more structured version of the above. The shirt underneath adds just enough — a visible collar, a cuff, a bit of the placket — without competing with whatever’s on top.

With a turtleneck underneath. This is something my friend Sara does, and she always looks so chic doing it that I’ve never quite gotten over it. A fine-gauge black, navy or cream turtleneck, the blue shirt worn open on top, sleeves pushed up.

With gold jewelry. Light blue and gold is one of those combinations that always feels right, especially in summer. A slightly open collar, a bit of skin, a simple gold chain or small hoops.

With silver jewelry. A slightly different feeling — cooler, more modern. The Moosgaard twins do this best, with their Lie Studio pieces.

With black accessories. This one surprises people. Black accessories with a light blue shirt is not an obvious combination, and for a long time I would have steered away from it. But these days I find it's one of the best things you can do with a blue shirt. A black bag, black sandals, black sunglasses. Something about the contrast feels perfect.

A few observations

• For me, the blue shirt is a travel essential. The same piece, worn two days in a row, can feel entirely new with a shift in styling. One day, it’s paired with denim and sandals. The next, layered under a navy knit with tailored trousers.

• How I wear the sleeves depends. If the shirt is tucked in, I like the sleeves left long and slightly oversized, extending past the cuff of a knit or blazer. It feels relaxed, a little undone.

• If I leave the shirt untucked, I’ll usually roll the sleeves up to the elbow. It adds structure and keeps the look from feeling too loose.

• And then there’s the beach version, an oversized shirt thrown over a one-piece, styled with wide-leg bottoms. It creates the illusion of a bodysuit.

• A shirt is also a great addition to an evening look. Case in point from Chanel below.

  

  

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On fit: tucked vs untucked

The untucked shirt, draped loosely over jeans or wide-leg trousers, a few buttons undone and sleeves pushed up, doesn’t come naturally to us millennials, but we give it a go. There’s a fine line between untucked and unkempt, and the goal is to land on something relaxed that still feels deliberate.

A tucked shirt does something the untucked one can’t. Fully tucked into high-waisted trousers or vintage jeans, it becomes a completely different outfit. More structured and slightly more dressed up without actually being dressed up.

The half-tuck is the third option. It sounds (and kind of looks) like an accident but is the version that gives the shirt the most shape without committing to being polished. It works particularly well with straight or wide-leg denim, where the slight asymmetry breaks up an otherwise very clean silhouette.

Obviously, all three work, and the same shirt can be all three things depending on the day. That versatility is part of what makes the blue shirt so endlessly useful.

On fit: slim vs oversized

I feel that a fitted shirt has its place – tucked into high-waisted wide trousers for example.

While I think we’ve all done our time in slim shirts, nowadays I find myself more comfortable in a slightly oversized fit. And I don’t want it dramatically oversized. Just enough room for the shirt to hang rather than cling. Slightly dropped shoulders, a length that hits around the hip, sleeves long enough to roll.

And it’s exactly why men’s shirts work so well on a woman. The collar sits a little wider, the shoulders drop a little lower, and the whole thing has a relaxed feel that’s hard to replicate in a women’s cut.

The fitted shirt says I dressed this way intentionally. The oversized one says I threw this on, and it happened to be perfect. I just find the second one a bit more interesting almost every time.

On buying men’s shirts

So let’s get to the good stuff. I started buying men’s shirts preloved, vintage, and even new a few years ago, partly out of curiosity and partly because women’s shirts were frustrating me – too fitted in the wrong places, too short (I’m tall), collars that didn’t sit right. Men’s shirts are, in my experience, better made, often better quality and more straightforwardly cut. Simpler seams, stronger collars, cuffs that actually hold their shape. My husband points this out any time he irons my shirts – how difficult women’s shirts are with all of the strange cuts and how much easier a men’s shirt is to handle.

The sizing takes some figuring out, but once you know your numbers it becomes easy.

• Neck size is the measurement that matters most for how the collar sits and how the shirt hangs overall. To find yours, measure the circumference of your neck and add about half an inch. Most men’s shirts list neck size in inches – a 14.5 or 15 is a good starting point for most women, but if you want the shirt more oversized, go up to a 15.5 or 16.

• Sleeve length is the other number on the label. Standard men’s dress shirts come in short (32/33), regular (34/35), and long (36/37). For an oversized look with sleeves you’ll roll up anyway, the exact length matters less – but if you want the cuffs to hit properly when worn down, aim for a sleeve length that’s about an inch shorter than your actual arm length.

• Chest and body fit: I usually go up one to two sizes from what I’d wear in women’s. Not too oversized – just enough room for the shirt to fall properly rather than pull. It should hang, not cling.

• Where to find them: Vinted, Vestiaire, Ebay and Sellpy are my starting points. In the US, I am guessing it would be The Real Real? Search for the brand first, then filter by neck size and colour. Brands worth searching: Ralph Lauren (the Oxford cloth button-down is a classic for a reason), GANT (their Oxford shirts are particularly good), Brooks Brothers, Drake’s, Stenströms or Rose and Born (if you’re in Sweden) and any vintage dress shirts in poplin or oxford cloth. Use the material filters – make sure it’s made from high quality fabrics!

• Hot tip: There are currently 98 Charvet shirts for sale when I search Ebay. The below are pink, but there are several blue as well.

Two small tips:

• If you find a shirt you love but the collar is slightly too large for your neck, a tailor can take it in for almost nothing.

• I love a strong cuff. And cufflinks on a woman are always a yes.

• Hot tip - personalize: And if you want to make a men’s shirt feel truly yours, a set of initials embroidered at the cuff or chest pocket by a local embroidery shop (I did my college years in Texas and they love a good monogram!) is one of those small things that elevates. The brand Sessei offers embroidery as well.

The places worth knowing

There’s another version of shirt shopping – the one that happens when you’re traveling and you find a proper shirt shop, run or staffed by someone who has either been there for decades or knows their stuff like no other.

• Knize, Vienna — one of the oldest and most storied men’s tailors in the world, opened in 1858. The shop itself, designed by Adolf Loos, is worth visiting for the interior alone. My son’s have been lucky enough to receive hand-me-down Knize ties from my brothers that still live on 30-40 (!) years later.

• Charvet, Paris — Charvet’s popularity exploded when Matheiu Blazy put their shirts on Chanel’s SS runway, but the Parisian shirt maker has been on Place Vendôme since 1838. The fabric selection alone is worth the visit even if you’re not buying. This is where the French idea of the perfectly made shirt lives.

• Marie Marot, Paris — designing for women while drawing on the codes of classic men’s shirts; known for crisp tailoring, subtle masculinity, and understated confidence, she has also collaborated three times with J.Crew.

• Rubirosas, Paris  – The baby of the gang, the Parisian shop known for its refined tailoring and effortless style, is having a major moment right now.

• Bourrienne, Paris — It sits on the pricier side, but the designs and details are really special. They even sell beautiful cuff links.

• Emma Willis, London — on Jermyn Street, and one of the few women making bespoke men’s shirts. Worth knowing for that reason alone.

I’m surely forgetting several. Any more tips from my readers?

The pieces

A small note on affiliate links: some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. I’ve been doing this for a couple of years now, and my approach hasn’t changed — I only ever share things I genuinely like and would use or wear myself. The smaller Scandinavian brands or retailers I highlight often don’t work with affiliate platforms at all, and I share them regardless.

The oxford shirt

Nerd alert #1: The Oxford cloth button-down has such a great menswear origin story. John Brooks of Brooks Brothers reportedly noticed polo players in England fastening their collars down with buttons to stop them flapping during a match, and brought the idea back to America in the early 1900s.

An Oxford cloth shirt is my version of a comfort blanket. I have a few in rotation (10+ years old!), white, light blue, soft pink with stripes. They’re a bit heavier, with an easy softness that poplin never quite has. Less crisp, more lived-in from the start. If poplin is the shirt you press on a Sunday evening, Oxford is the one you pull on without thinking and still look put together.

I own both the more high end and the high street versions. For something more price friendly, I have this one from H&M. And I live for Uniqlo’s versions – especially this one and this one in stripes. That said, Boden might be my favorite after scouring the internet for new ones. I’ve never purchased anything for myself from the brand (I love their kids stuff), but this relaxed oxford looks amazing.

The poplin shirt

Cotton poplin is my current favorite. It has that slightly crisp, almost papery feel that I love — the kind that holds its shape through the day, presses beautifully, and looks sharp whether you’re wearing it tucked into trousers or half-undone over a tank. It’s the most formal of the three, but not in a stuffy way. Just in a considered way. A poplin shirt ironed properly is one of the most satisfying things to put on in the morning.

If I were to pick a cotton poplin shirt today, it would be one of the following:

• TWP’s Boyfriend Shirt in the baby blue

• Comme Si’s La Shirt Classica

• With Nothing Underneath’s Boyfriend shirt in the light poplin (or even better – WNU’s Boyfriend Shirt with the exaggerated cuff)

For a blue shirt with a contrast collar, I’d pick Alex Eagle’s Classic Shirt in the Blue Stripe or for a stripe Sessei’s Kaia in Sky Blue Stripe.

In practice

(The below includes affiliate links)

Below for paid subscribers, I’ve pulled together a blue shirt shopping edit — the shirts I’d actually buy today, across the categories: price friendly, regular fit, slightly oversized, and some fun pieces etc.

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I mentioned in my last Stockholm Notes how grateful I am for these small breaks as a family around this time of year. Everything feels quite intense right now, both at work and at home, and those extra days off arrive at exactly the right moment.

But Valborg is more than just a bank holiday and half-day at work. It’s the unofficial kickoff of Swedish spring.

And over the past few weeks I’ve noticed the mood in Stockholm starting to thaw.

I was chatting with one of the international moms outside my daughter’s preschool recently, and she mentioned how she can actually see the change in Swedes as spring arrives. How people soften a little, relax. Even she notices it in herself: lighter, more open, more inclined to connect. “I’m becoming like the Swedes,” she said, half-joking.

We’re not a particularly moody population, despite what it might seem like in February. We’re just tired. The darker months take their toll. The constant lack of light, the unpredictable weather, the long stretch of days that feel the same.

So when the sun finally shows up, we exhale.

Valborg celebrates that shift into spring. Officially known as Walpurgis Night, it has roots in old European spring traditions, with bonfires lit to welcome the lighter season and gather communities after a long winter.

Today, it’s still about that same movement, from indoors to outdoors, from winter to something lighter. And in Stockholm, you feel it almost instantly. People linger a little longer, smile on the bus, chat with neighbors in the garden, stay out a bit later – and for the first time in a while, everything feels just a little easier again.

A few scenes from the past week

With spring comes a carpet of these wood anemones or “vitsippor” covering the forest floors around Stockholm. Spring may arrive a little later here than in many other cities, but I find myself appreciating every small change, every hint of green, after a long winter.

Sofia at sent over their amazing claw clips, and they are perfect. Made in Italy in a small factory, individually molded and hand-polished. Really lovely.

It was also time for me to switch hairdressers (I’m such a people pleaser and just couldn’t bring myself to do it earlier,) and I’m happy to be back at You:time. They carry a great mix of beauty and wellness brands – Abel, Kinfill, Susanne Kaufmann, Stora Skuggan, Goop, etc. They even stock Manasi 7, a former client to me and an organic makeup brand by makeup artist Susanne Manasi.

If you missed it, I wrote a love letter to navy, and then, without really thinking about it, started the week in navy with a white collar on a work-from-home day.

It’s gradually getting warmer outside, which means my leather jackets are finally getting some air time. This is my everyday – carrying a helmet, bike battery and things for my daughter to nap on at preschool. She’s also currently very into her eyelet summer hat, full leaning into tablecloth core, early.

But most days, I survive in a leather jacket mostly thanks to the tag-along-sweater over my shoulders.

The other evening, I went to the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2 (loved it!) as ’s +1. The dress code was “runway gala,” which of course meant I showed up in something completely off-brief – jeans + a leather jacket.

It’s usually a good sign when you don’t take a single photo all night. Carolina and I met at Sturehof for a glass of wine, and when I arrived, she had already ordered fries for the table. A girl after my own heart.

And yesterday, I popped into my favorite coffee place, Baggio, on the way to work. It felt like a much-needed treat. You can find my full list of Stockholm cafés in my guide here.

Kicking off the long weekend with a small win, I finally picked up an order of shoes from KA-YO. They recently had a great sale, and with how fast my son is growing (already a size 38, and eyeing my sneaker collection next), new shoes were definitely due.

Can you spot my cargo bike in the reflection? It’s my go-to way of getting around Stockholm, perfect for hauling both kids and boxes.

On my radar

(The below includes affiliate links, more on that at the bottom.)

Polka dots.

Do they lean Yves Saint Laurent or Minnie Mouse for you?

For a long time, I couldn’t quite get on board. I always felt a bit like Pippi Longstocking’s horse in them and stayed firmly in the stripes camp. But recently, I’ve found myself gravitating towards the dots.

It’s the kind of print that works just as well on a warm summer evening as it does dressed up.

They’ve been everywhere on the runways for the past few seasons. Jacquemus, Carolina Herrera and Acne featured them in SS25, and the trend continued into SS26 with Miu Miu, Altuzarra and Dries Van Noten, where they dominated much of the collection.

And in Scandinavia, they’ve already made their way into Spring/Summer collections at By Malene Birger, House of Dagmar, Rotate and Samsøe Samsøe.

Silky pants & shorts

If you haven’t seen it on every Substack or gotten the memo by now, silk and satin are everywhere this spring. In the form of tops, simple dresses, pants and shorts. Vogue calls the trend “lady of leisure.”

As the “easy pant” keeps rising in popularity, it’s clear we’re all looking for pieces that require little thought but are a touch more elevated, something you can throw on and still feel put-together. For pull-on pant knowledge deluxe, head over to and who recently did two uber helpful pieces on the topic.

The Scandinavian brands doing this best right now are Almada Label, Soft Goat, Lisa Yang and By Malene Birger. On the high street, Arket has its version of satin pants, and COS has theirs. Outside of Scandinavia, the Róhe ones are my favorite, mostly because they look long, and are navy.

The silk short has very much entered the chat for summer. wore a pair on holiday with a chilled-out jersey jumper and looked incredible. also wrote a brilliant shorts piece, and talks a lot about tension, something polished meeting something more undone and wrote about the slip.