The quintessential Scandi girl, Norweigan blogger and movie/magazine stylist Tine Andrea has thick blonde hair, lithe limbs and a golden tan. Except her style couldn’t be less quintissential Scandi if it tried. Eschewing the Acne-fied avant garde minimalism of her peers, Tine spends hours trawling thrift stores for the perfect pair of green tartan pantaloons, or styling and riffing on the classic shirt, in a myriad of subtle ways.
Originally one of Norway’s Top 10 bloggers (she started* The Fashion Eaters* aged just 17), 24-year-old Tine woke up one day and just stopped her blog. ‘I’ve no idea why!’ she laughs, when The Debrief catches up with her for this week’s instalment of Debrief Dissects.
Now she’s back and trying to update as much as she can, while looking forward to wearing ‘denim dresses, big shirts, high-waisted jeans, Superga trainers and comfy sandals this summer.’
Which means even more glorious looks for us to ape. Here’s what you can learn.
Don’t feel bad about following trends....
Just don’t be a slave to them. ‘I can’t say I don’t follow trends because almost everything is a trend these days. Yes, I have a pair of Birkenstocks. Yes, I have a pair of Adidas Superstars. But I bought them before they took off as a trend!
‘I just try and do my own things with trends – I look at the design not the label. One season I can love Givenchy; the next it doesn’t interest me at all. I spend my money on good basics.’
And look for small details that will make you stand out
‘Fashion really is a rare sight in Norway. Our big brother Sweden is way ahead of us! It’s all about minimalism, so I can wear a plain T-shirt and some jeans and still be “trendy” in Norway. I try and stick out with detailing: a pair of colourful shoes or some crazy pants.
‘For example, I love white shirts right now – but I like those with unique detailing, like this white Mango one with a ruffled collar. I tend to wear jeans a lot, so pairing them with classical shirts which have a little touch of playfulness, gives the denim more of an edge.’
In these fast fashion times, look more to vintage one-offs
‘If I had to choose between vintage and the latest fashion, vintage would win,’ Tine affirms. ‘I am a little obsessed with finding something hard to find at The Red Cross outlet or Salvation Army. I am also a serious eBay and Etsy geek – I will spend hours scrolling through them.
‘I’ll also look at more expensive vintage stores where you can find old Chanel and YSL (my most treasured finds are a vintage Kenzo jacket and a D&G dress). But I’m more into finding fun random stuff – like my green tartan pants! I call them my happy pants.’
And embrace the quick and easy styling tips
‘Right now my favourite look is to tie a blue or white shirt around my waist, more like a belt. I also really like the look where you wrap a long coat around your waist, using the grey, black and beige colour palette.
‘I’m really into pocket squares right now, too. I wrap silk pocket squares around my wrists, or my neck, in different shades of colour. It makes a cool and interesting look.’
Afraid of print and colour? Muted clashing can be the answer
‘I don’t wear prints often, so when I do, I like to clash them: pairing stripes with stripes, or polka dots with polka dots. Set your own limits, but trying stuff out is fun. With stripes, I like that they can be classical, artistic, edgy and sporty. Stripes can be anything and everything – so they’re a win-win!’
Break up the black with some bright sneaks
‘I wear black a lot. But I try and work with some other colours for the summertime. My Vans are so comfy and I am a huge fan of trainers. I think it makes everything look more a little more careless – and interesting! I don’t wear high high heels, I’m really into kitten heels. They’re classy but comfortable. I‘m actually looking for the perfect flats for the summer, right now. Some Chloé ones are sneaking under my skin...’
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Pictures: Courtesy of The Fashioneaters
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.