02. The Style Shift - Trendspotting: What the It-Girls of Copenhagen are Wearing this Winter
What 48 Hours in Denmark Can Teach Us About Style and Sustainability.
In a desperate search for some much needed R&R amidst the January assessment period, I found myself in Copenhagen at the start of this year with my (now ex) boyfriend to celebrate our upcoming anniversary (which we did not reach but conveniently falls on the same day as the publication of this article, every cloud, eh?).
Whilst I don’t remember my trip to the World’s Happiest City being quite as relaxing as I hoped, one thing I did enjoy was surveying the street-style trends. My previous visit to Copenhagen in the summer left me somewhat disappointed by the scandi-style, which was far more minimalist, or, dare I say basic, than what I had expected. What I found this time, however, was that whilst many of the city’s inhabitants seemed to have been hibernating for the winter, those that chose to brave the cold did so dressed to impress.
To avoid accusations of click-bait, it's important to stress that I am by no means claiming that Copenhagen’s winter trends are more vivacious or experimental than what we see in London. Instead, the beauty of scandi style lies in its uniformity and simplicity. In keeping with the sustainability of the city itself, rather than indulging in micro-trends, it is clear that the Danes invest in staple pieces which can be recycled year upon year.
A major lesson I learnt from my trip was the importance of investing in high quality denim. As all good lessons are learnt, this one came from an embarrassing mistake: the only pair of trousers I brought with me were the comfiest pair of never-washed, rarely-ironed, wide-legged jeans I own. Spotting the tailored ankle-grazers and matching denim 'shackets' sported by the locals, I was thoroughly embarrassed to be seen in my slightly-too-big pair of jeans, muddied from being dragged under my feet (a rarity at 5’9”, kudos to Weekday’s men’s section). What’s more, the wash of choice in Copenhagen is very much dark-wash, with contrast white-stitching. Whilst I won’t be throwing away my trusty light-wash heel-draggers anytime soon, I will be investing in a higher quality dark-wash pair with my next pay cheque.
As a wired earphone girl through and through, I was disarmed by the sheer amount of Marshall over-ear headphones I saw on the Metro. Whilst wireless headphones themselves are generally favoured here in the 'Big Smoke', there is also a particular penchant for Airpods Max. Both far cheaper and less garish, Marshalls are favoured in Copenhagen in line with the vintage yet contemporary aesthetic of the city. For those looking to indulge in a more luxury item, the Milton-Keynes born, Scandinavia-bred company even collaborated with Miu Miu on a version of the iconic headphones, paired with a matching leather case.
What has stuck with me the longest from my trip was how comfortable the city’s residents are with dressing for the weather. As I mentioned earlier, I was mildly disappointed by the amount of strappy tops and linen trousers I saw during my visit in the summer, but I now understand this to be a warm embrace of the season. Winter fashion in Copenhagen, whilst slightly more interesting in colour and texture, is still very uniform, and inspired by the weather. At home in London, it is an all-too-familiar sight to see students shivering their way down the Strand, choosing skinny scarves and knee high boots as winter armour over a good old fashioned parka and a pair of Doc Martens. This couldn’t be further from the truth in Copenhagen, where it is refreshing to see a sea of puffer coats. Whilst a pop of colour is the Danish signature, when it comes to coats they are most commonly sported in black or off-white.
A colour trend that has not yet made its way to the Danish capital is coloured tights, a faux pas I realised I had made when all eyes (those belonging to humans and to statues) in the Glyptoteket museum were on my bright-red legs. I made a mental note to change before dinner, and pondered why in London we are so insistent on freezing in the name of fashion. Clearly Copenhagen is as practical as ever with their hosiery, it is their knitwear where colour statements and exploration take place. A hugely popular choice is cerulean jumpers, à la Andy in that scene from The Devil Wears Prada, as well as my all-time favourite colour combination: pink and green. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a high volume of people mixing prints. Mixing gingham trousers and striped jumpers of similar colours, and floral long-sleeves under striped knitted vests were some of my favourite combinations I saw.
Copenhagen is truly a heaven for sustainable fashion lovers, home to some of the best vintage shops I’ve ever visited, rivalling even those which line my favourite street for second-hand shopping in my hometown - Division Street in Sheffield, for those wondering. Whilst I didn’t pick up any of the items listed above, I did pick up a beautiful suede penny lane jacket and Italian black maxi dress for a whopping 20 quid (total!) from Hello Good Buy, and regretfully left a pair of snakeskin Roberto Cavalli kitten heels, waiting, in my absence, to be picked up by a kindred spirit with great taste in shoes.
Written by Lucy Wragg, Celebrity and Trends Correspondent
Edited by Daisy Packwood, Fashion Editor
