Swedish Architect fashion!

[BillBaileysBum]

Someone used this phrase on a S&B thread the other day and it made me laugh, but it’s exactly what I’ve been looking for.

I’ve lost two stone so far in lockdown and I’m hoping to lose one more before returning to the office. I’ll need to buy some new work outfits so I want to start thinking about that now to inspire me through the final stone.

My work style is “aspiring Swedish architect”! - what I mean by that is fairly classic/smart shapes with an “edge” somehow- an asymmetry or something else. I generally wear blacks/greys/navys to work but now I’m lighter I’m willing to embrace other colours. It’s a corporate workplace- no jeans, trainers or hoodies etc.

Anyone got any ideas of brands I can start watching?

[Squiz81]

Thanks @Zinnia I will check them out

[Etinox]

@BillBaileysBum thanks, I was worried I’d overstepped the line. In my defence I was going to cite modern Christian music...
@botemp yy to Swedish v Danish architecture. But the clothes! As you drive over the Malmö bridge the change in ‘sartorial tension’ is palpable.

[Johnny1963]

Here are my people. I'm definitely a podgy aspiring Scandi Architect/ Soviet bloc dental nurse hybrid. Live in Uniqlo/ COS/Arket and Kin.

[YoureBreakingMyHeartCecilia]

‘‘Twas me who coined the Swedish architect phrase so I’m thrilled it has found a home!

I think Cos is the epitome of this look as others have said.

Some H&M too if you look carefully.

Occasional Jigsaw pieces if you avoid their ditsy prints.

Some Whistles.

I never quite find anything I like in &Other Stories but I feel like this should be another place for it?!

It’s a fabulous look for anyone tall and angular; I long to be able to wear pretty summer frocks but they make me look very unfeminine... I have broad shoulders and no waist! Very structured and loose shapes seem to accentuate my figure better paradoxically and they’re so comfortable and (to my mind) stylish.

Good luck in your search OP!

[YoureBreakingMyHeartCecilia]

Oooh yes I forgot Toast (can’t afford it but love some pieces) and Margaret Howell (can’t afford it AT ALL but it’s great for inspiration) and Kin is fabulous, much more affordable. I have a fab cocoon coat from
Kin that works perfectly for this look.

[botemp]

@Etinox, I known/have known various Swedish and Danish architects and the latter are always the more interesting dressers. I suspect this idea of 'Swedish architect' as it lives on here is more that of the sharply dressed Stockholmers who can be all sorts of occupations but fantasy seems to have settled on architect. We're rarely dressed that formally though, usually only when presenting or pitching, it's quite casual usually.

Enjoy the fantasy shopping @Zinnia I'm also a big fan of Rokh and Ami Paris but they're quite niche among architects although Ami is getting quite popular with the men. I also tend to shop a lot in the men's section and that seems to be quite common too, mostly because there were too many identical looks from Cos at some point so some just decided to nose there instead. I often prefer the men's stuff from there anyhow, especially the cotton shirts.

[Beatrixpotterspencil]

I used to love this look but gave up after a few years realising it simply doesn’t suit me unless the shapes are very, very simple. Which many are not.
Im 5’4 so not super short but not tall either. Also very slim.
Toast overwhelms me to the point where almost everything I ever ordered had to go back. Perhaps I have narrow shoulders or something.

I can get away with cos tops, tees, but that’s it. Every dress, bottom layer or coat buried me. Toast even worse. Even a size 6 coat in toast almost touches my toes and has room for another pair of shoulders in it.

It’s sad as the models always look really great.

My body tends to suit a more fitted-slouchy if that makes sense, like lululemon ballerina in lockdown 😁

So yeh, good luck to those of you who suit it, I am envious.

[Beatrixpotterspencil]

And sadly Margaret Howell made me look like a dishevelled child trying to dress like her father.

[Terralee]

My friend is actually a Swedish decorator!!

She wears a paint splattered jumpsuit when working.

Off duty she just wears jeans & tshirts like everyone else. She wears a lot of H&M as she used to work there.

[nanbread]

I used to like Kin stuff but feel like it's gone a bit to shit this season.

Just me?

[nanbread]

@YoureBreakingMyHeartCecilia Other Stories has some ok basics but a lot of their stuff is way too frilly and feminine and tight to be SwedeArchi.

[KaliforniaDreamz]

My Swedish friend is not an architect but a glamorous PA and she uses all the listed shops but also H&M. She is very hour glass and wears a lot of crisp cotton shirt dresses with a belted waist and flared skirt. SHe manages to make a £29.99 dress look 100x the price. She usually wears with shite tennis shoes or flat trainers.

[KaliforniaDreamz]

Also Zara but i personally feel like i am having disordered thinking issues when i attempt to navigate their awful website and dead eyed models.

[Zinnia]

I have sworn off Zara, too ubiquitous and too much polyester. Agree with PPs with H&M yielding some gems if you look hard enough, though they sell out of the good stuff so quickly.

I really want to like & Other Stories but @nanbread hit the nail on the head. Their dresses which everyone on Instagram bangs on about ad nauseum look horrendous on me (5'9, size 12-14, broad-shouldered pear shape).

I have a theory that a lot of it is down to frame size, Scandi brands (&OS aside) seem to cater more for taller, broader shapes.

[Johnny1963]

I agree about Zara. The cut is often not great. I've had some great finds from Other Stories and Monki but find them both very hit and miss. The dresses often have either OTT prints or they are totally shapeless.

Arket is pricey but everything I have from them hangs beautifully. I bought a wine coloured wool coat from them in the sale last year which I love as it goes with everything and looks effortlessly cool (unlike me in general).

[Thinkle]

Not sure if anyone has asked yet... what about shoes and other accessories?

[Terralee]

My Swedish decorator friend is not trendy btw as she's from a small town in the deep countryside in the north of Sweden.
She wears any old trainers / boots on her feet & like I said lives in jeans.

But she's so pretty with blue eyes, a button nose, long light blonde hair & about 6' tall.
She could be a model but is too shy to realise.

[Terralee]

My Swedish decorator friend is not trendy btw as she's from a small town in the deep countryside in the north of Sweden.
She wears any old trainers / boots on her feet & like I said lives in jeans.

But she's so pretty with blue eyes, a button nose, long light blonde hair & about 6' tall.
She could be a model but is too shy to realise.

[nanbread]

Shoes: I wear trainers or Teva sandals or flat chunky boots.

Accessories: don't really "do" accessories except for the odd super statement earring or necklace.

Currently eyeing this up
www.trouva.com/products/one-we-made-earlier-josef-necklace-with-yellow-ball-and-grey-and-white-speckled-resin?currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1347324179&utm_content=58115346201&utm_term=&targeting=pla-438932286377&device=m&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PD3BRDPARIsAN8pHuHXeebpXVPqNHBCTT-x1ZqcjDwxdOJt11POTBySbcq0urTxnSMAy7kaAkKwEALw_wcB

[BillBaileysBum]

I was looking on H&M tonight and saw a few bits that I thought might fit the bill cheaply... while I’d love to splurge on a whole new designer wardrobe it might have to be a bit mix and match at first.

I am also very happy to embrace #swedishdecorator, #danisharchitect or even #finnishlibrarian style ideas

[nanbread]

@BillBaileysBum oh please share H&M bits, I find it so hard to trawl through!

[MikeUniformMike]

I used to have a Danish colleague. She dressed nicely. Not an architect. Another colleague, Taiwanese, dressed nicely too, but quite different to the Danish colleague. They both had a certain look, and probably had a capsule wardrobe.
I've also had an older colleague (retirement age) who could look terrific in Per Una.

The main thing is to dress to suit you.

I could quite do with a style overhaul update.

[user1484260927]

[quote nanbread]Shoes: I wear trainers or Teva sandals or flat chunky boots.

Accessories: don't really "do" accessories except for the odd super statement earring or necklace.

Currently eyeing this up
www.trouva.com/products/one-we-made-earlier-josef-necklace-with-yellow-ball-and-grey-and-white-speckled-resin?currency=GBP&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1347324179&utm_content=58115346201&utm_term=&targeting=pla-438932286377&device=m&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PD3BRDPARIsAN8pHuHXeebpXVPqNHBCTT-x1ZqcjDwxdOJt11POTBySbcq0urTxnSMAy7kaAkKwEALw_wcB[/quote]
Prue Leith has ruined all of this type of lovely jewellery for me.

[Alsohuman]

That’s a shame. If I like something it makes no odds to me who wears it.

[nanbread]

@user1484260927 haha I know what you mean, I have had a few Prue Leith references in my various statement necklaces! I quite like her so I don't mind too much...