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Sweden is located in the very northern part of Europe between Norway and Finland, with edges touching the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Northern Sweden has a cold climate with year-round snow, while the more southern parts have a more temperate climate. The country has an abundance of forests and mountains. It holds the largest population, as well as the largest area within the Scandinavian countries. Due to this, it has a strong influence over the rest of Norden. Sweden, in turn, serves as the fashion capital of Scandinavia. Sweden's capital, Stockholm, is the host of the country's biannual fashion week. As is the attitude surrounding most consumer products throughout Northern Europe, Swedish fashion embraces usefulness. Clothing is made to be practical and purposeful. This is largely due to the country's long history of harsh climatic conditions and its strong Lutheran background. Simplicity is also a common theme among the lines of Swedish fashion designers, meaning clothes tend to be more neutral toned with less intricate details. Clothes are not necessarily designed for the individual to stand out. There is a strong cultural influence that plays a role in this. == Swedish Style == Sweden is a fashion icon unique from the rest of the world. Its use of neutral color pallets, straight lines, and moveable designs differ from the other fashion capitals of the world that often showcase impractical luxury items made to stand out. Sweden embraces a region-wide mindset of owning and creating products that are just as functional as they are aesthetically pleasing, and clothing is not exempt from that criteria. Practical apparel is important to the Swedish culture for a couple of reasons. One, Northern Europe faces climates and landscapes much harsher than those of most people-dwelling regions. These tough weather conditions and hard-to-navigate lands have been restrictive in the past and at one time made daily life hard, a struggle to survive. Ideals of not being wasteful have stuck throughout generations, instilling the need for purchased items to serve a purpose. The versatile aspect of fashion also shows its ability to navigate the diverse terrain consisting of mountains, lakes, and forests. High quality clothing that is built to last is also important to the people of Scandinavia because of this. Second, Scandinavia has a strong Lutheran influence that began in the 16th century, and although not followed closely by many anymore, the religion continues to guide the Swedish way of life. Lutherans believe that God made people with a purpose, and that they all have a duty to contribute to society. Functional clothing helps the Swedes accomplish this by being moveable and adaptable to the work that needs to be done by each person. Simplicity is another key aspect to the fashion in Sweden. Most people dress in bland colors, usually grey, black, or beige tones, that often lack busy or intricate patterns. Many key pieces in the high-fashion lines are rudimentary items lacking a flashy aspect. Consequently, the majority of the population blends in with each other in a sea of modest, neutral outfits. In the Scandinavian countries, conformity is what the people aim for, with equality being of utmost importance. This has been the Scandinavian behavior for a long time, and can be overstated by the Law of Jante. The Law of Jante, or Janteloven, is a Scandinavian attitude that represses the individual from standing out from the crowd. This "law" was created by Aksel Sandemose, children's author, and consists of ten rules telling the individual that they are not to draw unnecessary attention to themselves. Though the Law of Jante is not officially genuine, it does describe (maybe to extremes) the humble way of life seen throughout the Scandinavian countries. Swedish fashion is seen as coinciding with this cultural phenomenon due to the lack of individualism in apparel. A sense of modesty is also present in Swedish women's fashion—high neck lines, longer hem lines, and covered midriffs. This is in strong contrast to the fashion culture seen in Northern America that seeks sexual attention. While Swedish apparel is functional and simple, is also possesses an aesthetic quality. Straight lines make pieces look balanced and clean. These traits create a put-together, fine appearance. Clothes lean towards a modernness that can be traced to the timelessness many designers instill in their collections. The neutrality of color pallets contributes to this timeless quality because blacks and greys, whites, and beiges tend to never go out of style. These are the colors most often seen in the Swedish culture, and other used colors are often dull, as opposed to neon or bright. When patterns are used in the fabrics they opt to be geometric and symmetrical ones, which hint at a sleek mannerism. The boldness that is apparent in many styles can be seen in the cut of the fabric, whether that be the hemline, the collar, or the sleeves; sharp and angled edges are where designers incorporate this. Staple pieces like leather jackets, chunky pumps, and statement jewelry also add an edginess to a typical Swedish wardrobe. All in all, functional pieces, simple designs, and aesthetic, trendy styles are the epitome of Swedish fashion. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Swedish fashion」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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