The Unexpected Foreign Fashion Trend: Swedish Streetwear
Fresh blowouts, flowy tops, low-waist skinny jeans, and Isabel Marant sneaker heels. Despite being incredibly minimal, the “Swedish girl aesthetic” and Swedish street style are captivating TikTok globally. But why has this particular aesthetic gone viral, and what does its popularity say about the evolving nature of fashion and social media?
Swedish street style is composed of simplicity and practicality. The style resembles the minimalism of typical European fashion trends, meshing together neutral-toned clothes and sleek silhouettes. Given the country’s cold climate, Swedish streetwear often incorporates accessories to withstand these conditions such as chunky scarves, sweaters, and oversized tailored coats. Swedish streetwear also showcases the country’s wealth, extensive development, and sophistication. Luxury items and accessories are consistently displayed on Swedish streetwear TikTok videos. Designer items such as the Balenciaga city bag and Isabel Marant sneaker heels are trendy in Swedish streetwear and social media posts. Most notable about these expensive items is that they still follow the minimalism featured in Swedish streetwear, further highlighting that wealth is prominent in the country but displayed in a more sophisticated and toned-down way.
Nonetheless, this style isn’t necessarily revolutionary, so why has it become so heavily consumed by American TikTok viewers? Social media, more specifically TikTok, has further initiated cultural globalization. This globalization has allowed styles and cultures from all over the world to expand its reach. But strangely enough, what I think makes this style so appealing to American viewers is its similarity to current American culture and beauty standards. Swedish streetwear is incredibly simple and very palatable to an American audience. However, the style still embodies a foreign feel by possessing a sort of Nordic flair, allowing the style to be exotic and stand out to an American audience. The blend of similarity and novelty are key factors for Swedish streetwear becoming a TikTok sensation.
But with this craze on social media, it is interesting to wonder whether this style will be a fad or further evolve into new fashion trends. While fashion is always changing, Swedish streetwear is incredibly minimal, giving it a potential timelessness. However, as seen with the rise of Swedish streetwear, social media can put a spotlight on a variety of styles from different countries and cultures. With this, Swedish street style can potentially be phased out. In the coming years, it will be interesting to observe what other global trends and styles American viewers give attention to.
Ultimately, Swedish streetwear’s rise on TikTok has revealed a lot about what American audiences are captivated by. With a historically large cultural influence, this is one of the first periods in American history where global styles and art forms greatly influence American pop culture. Music is a great metric of global influence in The States. Various genres including K-pop, Latin, and Afrobeats have become huge, even outperforming traditional American pop artists. Swedish street style is a continuation of this cultural globalization and foreign consumption. However, the rise in this style also highlights that American viewers still appreciate similarities to their own culture when consuming foreign trends and styles. All in all, with this rise in globalization and social media, it is fascinating to see what new style trends may be popular in the future. But for now the minimal, yet chic, “Swedish girl aesthetic” reigns supreme on American “For You Pages”.
Strike out,
Strike St. Louis
Written by: Ben Stull