I don’t know about you, but Scandi style is all I can think about right now. The stylish women in Europe’s northern capitals like Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen seem to possess a certain effortlessly cool polish that the internet (and this editor) can’t get enough of. Thanks to the popularity of influencers like Matilda Djerf and Pernille Teisbaek, their particular brand of elevated minimal is inspiring droves of outfit recreations by us Americans.
As someone who studies Scandi style like it’s my job (well, it sort of is), I thought it would be fun to put myself in their shoes for the day and imagine the types of things that would fill their carts on a shopping trip to an American standby, Nordstrom. Although the beloved retailer that’s the topic of much of our conversations here doesn’t have any doors in Europe at the moment, plenty of popular Scandi staples are casually sitting on their site as we speak.
Behold, the ultimate guide to shopping our favorite retailer like a true Scandi fashion girl—from the items she’d be buying to what she’d politely skip.
Pop into a coffee shop in Copenhagen on a given Sunday morning and look down. I bet anything that you’d be peering at a sea of cool performance sneakers by the likes of Asics, Salomon, and Nike. They’re a key part of the off-duty uniform and with Nordstrom’s massive sneaker section, I bet Scandi women would beeline for these pairs.
Nobody does chic winter ensembles quite like this bunch. Since they live in a cold climate, their coat game is unmatched and the common denominator tends to be classic wool coats in long duster lengths. Nordstrom has a diverse outerwear offering but I think Scandi girls would overlook bright statement puffers for these timeless toppers.
The SPACE section of Nordstrom’s site is dedicated to the coolest emerging designers of the moment and includes Scandinavian-based names like Saks Potts and Cecilie Bahnsen that these shoppers would naturally be all over since they’re already big fans of them.
Part of the reason why Scandi style feels so effortless is because it tends to include oversized staples and relaxed fits, especially a 2023 favorite, puddle pants. Nordstrom has plenty of jeans and trousers with extra-long hems to nail this look, and Scandi girls would be all over them.
I’ve noticed that this group likes to go for a bold clothing item rather than a bold accessory. If they’re wearing a statement piece, it’s almost always anchored by a classic bag that they can wear with plenty of other outfits. Versatility is a priority when shopping for handbags, so I think they’d rank everyday bags higher than statement styles.
Their minimalistic bent is the perfect match for the maxi skirt trend that’s taking over the fashion world right now. They’d fill up a Nordstrom cart with floor-grazing skirts in silk, denim, and leather and skip shorter mini-length styles.
One trend Scandi women have been big fans of from day one is quirky jewelry. Offbeat beaded necklaces, baroque pearls, and bright colors are all featured prominently in Scandi street style and while Nordstrom carries classic jewelry staples, I think they’d skip those for any of the below.
For more European style inspiration, see the 2023 trends cool French girls are wearing now.
