DIScover Copenhagen Style

When in Norway

littlepinkumbrella — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:49:00 -0400

Although my spring break consisted more of hiking than it did shopping while exploring the marvelous Norway Fjords, I couldn’t help but be drawn in by this store in Bergen that I can only describe as whimsical. Moods of Norway brightly captures the ideal polished look of a rural-raised Norwegian.

Their goal, as stated by their website is ‘…to make happy clothes for happy people around the world,’ and boy do they do a great job spreading happiness! It’s difficult not to smile upon walking into this large room of pastel colors, sheep-in-a-pasture wallpaper, and sales associates dressed up in their best Easter outfits (aka fancy men in baby blue blazers and pink bow ties).

Although on the pricey side, Moods of Norway’s uniqueness and dedication to representing the country in the most positive light makes owning an item from their store a souvenir to treasure and show off for years to come. For those of us not willing to splurge, however, a simple visit into this springtime paradise is a treasurable experience in itself.

Credit for these lovely photos goes to fellow DIS student and Norway Fjords traveler Alissa Rakauskas.

Visit the store online at http://store.moodsofnorway.com/

Current Style Mission: 'Organic' Haircut!

littlepinkumbrella — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:29:00 -0400

While this week has been packed with the stress of midterms and planning our quickly approaching travel break, I can’t help but be extremely distracted by the current disastrous state of my hair! Winter seems almost long gone, but the proof of its existence remains on my normally full and healthy brunette locks (the dryness of winter tends to lead to dullness and breakage).

Just one glance at the consistently fabulous-looking Danes and you can tell that they are dedicated to maintaining an appearance of pure perfection through their clothes and style. Their hair is no different, as one might quickly be able to notice by the insanely high number of hair salons that can be found throughout the city of Copenhagen. Unfortunately, as a foreigner trying to stay on a budget, and whose #1 hair stylist back home is mom, issues of price and trust have kept me from settling on a particular place to recover my hair back to its regular, healthy state. The only recommendation I have gotten thus far have been to go to the local cosmetology school and offer to be a ‘hair model,’ but I personally am too protective over my precious hair to let someone with little experience start messing with it.

So after doing some research, I think I have finally settled on this place:

http://marietherese.dk/

As someone who is environmentally conscious, I have been drawn in by anything with the word ‘økologisk’ (Danish for ‘organic’) since arriving in Denmark. This salon, Marie Therese Grøn Salon og Økologisk Frisør caught my eye because it is a ‘Certified Green Salon,’ one of only 10 in Copenhagen. It ensures clients that the products used on them contain the least amount of chemicals possible, and are completely free of hormone-disrupting, allergenic and carcinogenic substances. The salon itself has also been made ‘green’ through the use of energy saving light bulbs, environmentally friendly cleaners and detergents, and green paint that has been approved safe my the Asthma and Allergy Association. While still quite pricey, I am desperate to save my hair, and it should be a good experience to go to a salon in Copenhagen. I’ll be calling them tomorrow morning to learn more and possibly put in an appointment!

Staying 'thrifty' in Copenhagen: København K

littlepinkumbrella — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:11:00 -0400

It’s far too easy to pass this place by since it is hidden beyond a brick archway, but if you are ever walking down Studiestræde, you should take a look inside. København K is filled with a great range of unique clothes, although I had a hard time finding much for myself since it seemed mostly geared towards men (for all the guys looking for a pair of worn out jeans or sleek jacket, this is the perfect spot for you). But they have some fun furs, shoes, and bags for the ladies out there. Another unique feature is the selection of books and home goods to use to brighten up your room or apartment.

København K, Studiestræde 32 b, 1455 Copenhagen K (right across from Wasteland!)

The Search for Vintage...Urban Outfitters?

littlepinkumbrella — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:35:28 -0400

Yes, I was just as shocked myself. While at first I was hesitant about visiting a store that is so popular back in the states, I thought I might as well give it a fair chance and take a look around for any slight differences the Urban Outfitters in Copenhagen might have compared to those I’ve been to at home. I was more than pleased to find an entire section of the second floor dedicated to vintage finds and ‘Urban Renewal’ pieces (original up-cycled clothes put together by Urban).

Their selection or vintage items includes, but is not limited to, ankle and high boots, leather handbags and jackets, denim jackets, sweaters, dresses, wool coats, fur coats, high-waisted shorts, t-shirts, mini-backpacks, and rompers. One of the great things about this selection is that everything is great quality and in excellent condition, not to mention it is very well organized. As much as I love vintage stores, quite often I am digging through a mess of old junk in order to find those rare treasures, but not here. It is a nice change to have a layout that is easy to look through. Prices can be a bit high, especially for some of the highest quality items such as leather jackets, but they also put out discounts fairly frequently.

I fell in love with this floral Urban Renewal romper with an open back. Sadly, it cost about 500kr (around $80) which is way over what I can afford at the moment. I’ll be very jealous of the person who is actually able to snag this! I was, however, able to splurge a little bit less on a very nice Levi’s denim jacket on sale at 300kr.

Visit the Urban on Strøget for some stress-free vintage shopping!

designsondenmark: The Danes aren’t big on Vintage fashion. But,...

littlepinkumbrella — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:47:38 -0500

designsondenmark:

The Danes aren’t big on Vintage fashion. But, there’s a gradually growing number of Copenhagen converts thanks in part to Copenhagen Treasure - a little boutique on Frederiksborggade that sells luxury second hand women’s clothes by top Danish designers including Malene Birger and Stine Goya as well as international names such as Alexander Wang and Isabel Marant. A treasure trove indeed.

Photo

littlepinkumbrella — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 12:25:00 -0500

Photo

littlepinkumbrella — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:30:00 -0500

Photo

littlepinkumbrella — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:18:00 -0500

My vintage leather bag from Episode. It’s love.

littlepinkumbrella — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:58:00 -0500

My vintage leather bag from Episode. It’s love.

The Search for Vintage

littlepinkumbrella — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:38:00 -0500

My search for all the great vintage shops in Copenhagen has officially begun just around the corner from DIS at a store called ‘Episode’. Although it is not especially unique to Copenhagen, as there are several other locations in Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Paris, it’s still a pretty great place to check out. Especially since they sell absolutely EVERYTHING here, from capes and winter coats to fur hats, leather bags and denim jackets and, of course, arguably everyone’s favorite feature of vintage and thrift stores; crazy but ridiculously awesome sweaters! Prices are decent and depend on the material/quality, with most jackets being around 600 kr, hats about 40-70 kr, and sweaters around 200 kr. But even at a higher cost, you are guaranteed to leave with something especially unique…and that, my friends, is priceless.

Sadly, when I found this place earlier today I had left my camera on my desk at home (go figure) but I managed to take a couple of pictures of the two-floor shop on my ipod (thank you Apple).

I walked away with a nice little black and chocolate brown leather backpack for only 250 kr! Now if I can just manage to bring less stuff with me on the way to DIS so I can use this for class…

Episode Copenhagen

Larsbjornsstraede 8

1454 Copenhagen

DIS students are just as fashionable as the Danes themselves!...

littlepinkumbrella — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:29:37 -0500

DIS students are just as fashionable as the Danes themselves! Here is Yana at the art gallery in Cafe Paludan.

Layers are fun! And necessary in the bitter cold of winter in...

littlepinkumbrella — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:25:16 -0500

Layers are fun! And necessary in the bitter cold of winter in Denmark. Photo via thelocals.dk

A person’s style is their number one self-defining characteristic, and I don’t care who...

littlepinkumbrella — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:11:16 -0500

A person’s style is their number one self-defining characteristic, and I don’t care who says otherwise. Whether you dedicate yourself to a Gossip Girl-esque lifestyle full of designer labels, roll out of bed in the morning in your Pjs and own little more than white t-shirts and jeans, or, like me, spend hours browsing the dusty racks of the thrift and vintage shops for unique pieces at bargain prices, you constantly respresent who you are by the clothes that you wear. Style and fashion changes, of course, from person to person, but also from city to city, country to country, and culture to culture.

With that said, there is little I appreciate more than a truely original sense of style and a well put together outfit. I am in constant awe of those that grace the pages of lookbook.nu, and my years of experience in retail has given me at least some sort of qualified authority to judge the fashion sense of others (at least least that’s what I’ve been told, and I’m not about to argue with that opinion). But most of all, I am fascinated and inspired by the ability for people to embrace a style that’s all their own. So you can imagine how rapidly my heart fluttered when I first walked the streets of Copenhagen; the land of the happiest people on Earth and, apparently, some of the most fashionable. The place where 4 inch wedges are considered appropriate footwear for riding a bicycle across town, where scarves large enough to wrap an entire person’s body in are an everyday staple piece, and where the men are never to be caught dead in public in a pair of sweatpants (sorry America, but you definitly have something to learn from this one!).

My love for fashion has only grown stronger since living in Copenhagen, and I’m enthusiastic about being able to further explore the chic, classy, and wild trends of the Danes. This blog is meant to be a documentation of these experiences, from visiting different shops to photographing the unique styles of the locals. But just as importantly, it is meant simply to be my form of appreciation for these lovely people, designers, and shops of the beautiful city of Copenhagen. I hope that it can used as inspiration for those with a similar passion for culturally diverse styles.