Stockholm Fashion Report: Attack of the Scarves!

I had a good laugh a couple weeks ago when Times fuddyduddy Bill Cunningham belatedly reported on the ridiculous scarf trend that's been plaguing New York and--I've come to find out--Stockholm, this summer. Yup, Bill, you're absolutely right: droves of fashion victims are wearing scarves, and they look cool, but they're actually sweltering, because it's 100 degrees out.

The scarf thing has been going on for at least two years now, starting with the kaffiyeh trend--those Palistinian check scarves that seem to say "I'm a Fatah sympathizer," but usually just mean "I'm a hipster douchebag." But it hit a fever pitch in 2008. The anthropologist in me wonders whether this is an unconscious adoption of Middle Eastern culture, what with so many images of the Arab world hitting Western media for the past half-decade. In Stockholm, the trend at least makes sense, since it's rarely above 70 degrees here, and the best looking scarves are sort of a gossamer cotton material. I'm personally really torn about this style now that there's a bona fide bandwagon, because I enjoy the cozy feeling of a scarf wrapped around my neck and I love how the ends of it can cover pretty much my whole body on days when I feel like hiding. Although I don't usually feel like hiding as much as this chick, featured prominently in an ad for Indiska, a cool Scandinavian chain store that sells responsibly-made Indian stuff. What the hell was this stylist thinking?
Exhibit A:


Tomorrow I'm going to count how many scarves I see on the walk to work and report back. I guarantee you'll be shocked.

Next, let's talk about how it's 1989 in Stockholm today. Here's what the coolest kids on the street are wearing: baggy jeans that taper at the ankle, folded in at the seams and rolled up (Hello, sixth grade!), with gigantic, plaid button-up shirts over wife beaters (Hello, seventh grade!) and... wait for it... scarves. I wouldn't put this whole ensemble together myself (um, anymore), but the right pair of loose, tapered jeans could look quite grown up with a tank top, a handful of long necklaces and a pair of delicate heels.

For better or worse, leggings and long sweaters are also in full effect here, marking another eighties style that saw a resurgence in 2006, but is going nuts right now. Last winter, the New York version consisted of wool or cashmere dresses worn with chunky boots... but in Stockholm we're talking hideous colorblock sweaters (like the one below, from the "must have" collection at BikBok) that look like they got filched from the set of The Cosby Show.

Exhibit B:


I predict that Z. Cavaricci is going to come back with a vengeance soon. Maybe Fall 09? Wait, make that vintage Z. Cavaricci. (Click on the previous link to see why I make the distinction.)

Exhibit C:



What do you think, is it Hammer time?