Dressing for the In-Between Season
How Scandinavians dress when spring is still a distant dream
It’s that strange in-between season here in Sweden, as much of Europe.
The calendar says we’re moving toward spring (and if you read my post here, you know the longing is already very much bubbling), but you wouldn’t necessarily know it from the temperature outside.
The coats are still very much needed and the wind still bites. (Holy moly, my skin is really struggling right now. All recommendations welcome.)
To be clear, there is no clean break between seasons here. Winter doesn’t end; it lets go little by little. The weather will see-saw for weeks (sometimes months) and occasionally skip straight from winter to what we call “Swedish summer” (which many of you would still describe as cold).
We are absolutely still in winter mode (it’s still hovering around freezing at night, and the days are slushy). Wool isn’t going anywhere. Boots remain by the door. Loafers will only appear the second the gravel (used instead of salt during the winter months) is gone from the streets.
And yet, while we were away on our sports break, the snow melted in Stockholm. Sidewalks reappeared and the city looked almost…hopeful. I’ve lived here long enough to know we’re probably being tricked. Still, something is changing.
It’s the light that changes first.
You notice it in the morning and late afternoon. That moment when it’s no longer pitch black at school drop-off or at 3:30pm. The sun sits slightly higher in the sky (on the days it shows up at all).
And when the light changes, everything does.
If you’ve spent time here, you know how much daylight affects people. When the sun shows up, even briefly, the entire city exhales. Sunglasses appear optimistically early and people hang outside longer than they meant to. You’ll see Swedes standing along a wall in a narrow strip of sunlight, faces tilted upward, eyes closed, pretending it’s warmer than it is. And for a few minutes, it almost feels true.
Nothing dramatic happens overnight. There’s no collective moment where we wake up and declare it spring. There’s no wardrobe swap like I remember clearly in the US. Here, the winter clothes stay, but they’re simply handled differently.
It’s all about the small adjustments that get us through.
Below are four Scandinavian shifts I notice every year around this time.
They’re not about buying new things. They’re about wearing what you already own slightly differently.
Four Small Shifts Happening
The Colors Get Lighter
As mentioned above, spring arrives in Scandinavia through light before it arrives through temperature. So the first change is often visual:
denim looks a little more washed or even white again
black becomes navy
charcoal becomes grey
light colors start appearing near the face
Same silhouette or uniform, same warmth, just softer colors.
It’s a hint toward spring because it signals: I know what season is coming, even if your body is still dressing for wind and slush.
Lighter Tones from Scandinavian Brands
In short: winter outfit, but a brighter base.
The Layers Feel Less Heavy
This shift isn’t about color. It’s more about weight.
We stop dressing like we’re wearing armor (even though we’re definitely still wearing wool layers underneath).
chunky knits become finer ones
scarves get lighter
outerwear starts to feel less dense
It’s still cold, but the layers feel lighter.
Lighter layers from Scandinavian Brands
In short: same mood, less bulky layers.
The Shape Gets More Defined Again
After months of being swallowed by puffers and oversized coats, the next thing that happens is that people want shape back.
Not spring clothes— just a bit more structure.
This is where Scandinavians start to pull out the more defined looks again:
a crisp shirt under the coat
a blazer instead of a chunky sweater
wool trousers with a lighter top
structured suede or leather jackets
And I keep noticing small, neat, ladylike jackets everywhere online right now.
I read Alina Brane’s piece about the return of the “little jacket,” and once she pointed it out, I couldn’t unsee it. But what’s interesting is how it’s showing up here: less Paris, more Nordic.
Brands like Skall Studio, By Malene Birger, Stylein, Toteme are doing these cropped, proper little jackets that look so good worn in the most Scandinavian way possible — with denim, boots, and a simple knit.
Structure from Scandinavian brands
In short: same warmth, more shape.
Hopeful Spring Details Appear
And then there are the spring details that can change that winter outfit into something a bit more optimistic.
A polo collar under a blazer like Alina Brane does in the image below.
Terry sweatshirts replacing heavy knits. Arket has so many options this season.
Sneakers multiplying on the streets. Not ready to wear our most precious thin soled ones yet, but other ones start popping up.
Thinner gloves, perhaps leather ones, appear.
Small, structured, ladylike bags worn with long coats. That contrast between practical outerwear and something more polished will take spring by storm.
And honestly, some of the best style inspiration isn’t even from brands or newsletters, it’s from real life.
There’s a mother at my son’s hockey practice who always looks effortlessly cool—an oversized men’s puffer in a bright color, nylon trousers (almost certainly with Heattech underneath), and bright sneakers that scream spring, as if she’s immune to winter. It makes me happy every time I see it. Oh, and she always has a baby on her hip while getting her 8yo decked out in gear.
That’s Scandinavian dressing at its best: practical, a little unexpected, and very confident.
Hints of Spring from Scandinavian Brands/Retailers
In short: winter outfit + spring details.
The Small Shifts That Make a Big Difference
• Black → brown / Black → navy
Swapping black boots or a black belt for brown instantly softens an outfit without making it feel springy. Same thing with black to navy.
• Heavier knits → finer knits
Still wool (remember, it’s your friend, even in summer!), still warm, just less bulky. The silhouette gets lighter even if the temperature doesn’t.
• Add light or sparkle near the face
A pale blue shirt, a butter cardigan, a cream tee, a lighter scarf or what about an art-deco brooch like Ida Mietle below?
• Socks become visible on purpose
Grey or off-white socks with loafers or sneakers on dry days. Practical, but also a quiet styling detail. The Danes are even doing socks with heels, like Sidsel Alling in the collage above.
• Accessories do the seasonal work
A brooch on a coat (remember: check Vinted or Ebay for great finds!). A lighter cashmere sweater draped over the shoulders. A colorful belt over a dark base. These pieces change the mood without changing the outfit.
What the experts are saying
I recently watched a styling session Allison Bornstein did with Anna Newton, and it really reinforced something I already see constantly in Scandinavian dressing—that small shifts and tiny details can completely change the feeling of an outfit built from very classic pieces.
Allison was explaining in their session how subtle details like jewelry, sock choice, repeating a color in different parts of an outfit can completely change the feeling of something as simple as jeans and a knit.
It’s the same principle at work here in Scandinavia during these in-between months. The base pieces aren’t changing much. But the mood starts to shift through small adjustments.
For example, Allison talked about the idea of visually linking elements in an outfit through color. You see that constantly here: black loafers with black sunglasses and a black belt, or cream socks picking up the tone of a lighter knit under a dark coat. It makes an outfit feel considered, even when it’s built from very classic, practical and maybe even sometimes “boring” pieces.
She also emphasized how much impact jewelry can have on a simple base. That feels especially relevant this time of year, when we’re still very much in coats and knits. Sculptural earrings à la Lie Studio, necklaces from Pura Utz or Limkilde, a By Malene Birger “Henna” brooch pinned to a coat, or a chunky silver ring from MH925 can do some of the work that brighter colors and lighter fabrics will take over later in spring.
Even her note about socks being tonal with either the shoe or the trouser feels made for this season—partly for balance, partly because, realistically, bare ankles are still a gamble here.
If you’re reading from somewhere with a clear-cut spring or summer year round, the above and this phase might feel light years away. But here, this in-between can last for months. We dress for the weather we have, while mentally dressing for the season we want.
It’s less about “transitioning your wardrobe” (a phrase I’ve never loved) and more about loosening winter’s grip one small decision at a time. Basically, the outfits fill us with some kind of hope for lighter, warmer, days.
And honestly, by March, that tiny bit of visual lightness can feel just as uplifting as the first truly warm day.
And as always, I leave you with some more words.
XA
You write soooo beautifully, everything you captured about the in-between season in Stockholm feels relevant for NYC (although we probably get through it faster). And man do I want to be that hockey mom!!!!
This is such a brain nourishing read! Every collage is so thoughtfully and beautifully curated, every word interesting, and it truly gives us an eye into the culture through the window of fashion. I love your work ♥️