From Stockholm to Melbourne: A Swedish Take on Aussie Fashion

🇬🇧 ENGLISH TRANSLATION AVAILABLE at the end of description!

Are we becoming "Melbourne Black" snobs or just practical expats? This week, we dive deep into the fashion culture shock of moving from Sweden to Australia. We discuss the struggle of finding quality basics, our love-hate relationship with the local "activewear bubble," and why everyone in Melbourne is obsessed with the same black puffer jacket. We also share the results from our Melbourne Fashion Survey!

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Håller vi på att bli "Melbourne Black"-snobbar eller är vi bara praktiska expats? Den här veckan djupdyker vi i mode-kulturkrocken efter flytten från Sverige till Australien. Vi snackar om kampen för att hitta bra basplagg, vår hatkärlek till den lokala "träningsbubblan" och varför alla i Melbourne är besatta av exakt samma svarta dunjacka. Vi delar också med oss av resultaten från vår mode-enkät!

TRANSCRIPT IN ENGLISH:

Is it recording? No, it isn't, hahaha. (Music)

Yes, it’s time. It’s time. Again, finally. We have really been looking forward to this. This episode feels a bit special, something we are both passionate about. And I think we’ve been talking about doing this episode for a year now. Mm, we definitely have. Ever since we first met, really. And it's another one of those "passion episodes," I’d say, where there has also been a lot of frustration. Yes, there really has. You haven't thought about it as much as you have this past year, actually. So, if we tell our listeners—what are we talking about today? Today we are talking about fashion, FASHION!! And we’re going to talk about fashion in Australia, whether we’ve found our brands, how we perceive the fashion generally since we arrived, and how we’ve had to adapt—or not adapt. And what we miss about fashion back home in Sweden. A lot of Melbourne, of course, because that’s where we live. And there’s a real risk we’ll come across as the ultimate Scandinavian/European snobs who know everything. Which we don’t; we have no clue. But something like that. A little bit of this and that… (Music)

Welcome to Swedish Souls, Aussie Shores, the podcast where two Swedish housewives in Australia share life on the other side of the world. Here we talk about everything from moving abroad with children, culture shocks, and family life, to what it’s like to work, live, and thrive in Melbourne and Australia! So if you’ve ever thought about moving abroad, are curious about life down here, or just want to hear our thoughts on everyday life in Australia, join us—here we go! A warm welcome to Swedish Souls, Aussie Shores. (Music)

Yes, and ahead of this episode, we did a little survey. It could be fun to look at and talk about. We reached out to our network—not so small anymore—of women, both Aussie women, Swedes, and other expats here in Melbourne. We basically just asked a few questions about their fashion and shopping habits, favorite brands, and a few other things. We’ve done a survey like this before and got about 9 responses or so. But I can tell you: oh, the interest was huge this time. Yes, god, people answered so fast. Within a couple of hours the evening we sent it out, we had 40 responses. Now we’re up to 52 responses. So it’s really fun. Thanks, everyone! You can tell this is really a topic that engages people. We’ll try to share some of these answers today during the episode. And we’ve also been to the Melbourne Fashion Festival in previous years, which we mentioned last episode. We’ll bring it up again and share. Above all, there were many fun photos of fantastic creations people wore during the Melbourne Fashion Festival. And it was so lovely to be somewhere and get... fashion, exactly what I was going to say. Got lots of inspiration. It was fun to people-watch. And to get dressed up yourself. To get out into the crowd. (Music)

Okay, so we have to start from the beginning here and just talk about why we even want to do

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Is it recording? No, it isn't, hahaha. (Music) Yes, it’s time. It’s time. Again, finally. We have really been looking forward to this. This episode feels a bit special, something we are both passionate about. And I think we’ve been talking about doing this episode for a year now. Mm, we definitely have. Ever since we first met, really. And it's another one of those "passion episodes," I’d say, where there has also been a lot of frustration. Yes, there really has. You haven't thought about it as much as you have this past year, actually. So, if we tell our listeners—what are we talking about today? Today we are talking about fashion, FASHION!! And we’re going to talk about fashion in Australia, whether we’ve found our brands, how we perceive the fashion generally since we arrived, and how we’ve had to adapt—or not adapt. And what we miss about fashion back home in Sweden. A lot of Melbourne, of course, because that’s where we live. And there’s a real risk we’ll come across as the ultimate Scandinavian/European snobs who know everything. Which we don’t; we have no clue. But something like that. A little bit of this and that… (Music) Welcome to Swedish Souls, Aussie Shores, the podcast where two Swedish housewives in Australia share life on the other side of the world. Here we talk about everything from moving abroad with children, culture shocks, and family life, to what it’s like to work, live, and thrive in Melbourne and Australia! So if you’ve ever thought about moving abroad, are curious about life down here, or just want to hear our thoughts on everyday life in Australia, join us—here we go! A warm welcome to Swedish Souls, Aussie Shores. (Music) Yes, and ahead of this episode, we did a little survey. It could be fun to look at and talk about. We reached out to our network—not so small anymore—of women, both Aussie women, Swedes, and other expats here in Melbourne. We basically just asked a few questions about their fashion and shopping habits, favorite brands, and a few other things. We’ve done a survey like this before and got about 9 responses or so. But I can tell you: oh, the interest was huge this time. Yes, god, people answered so fast. Within a couple of hours the evening we sent it out, we had 40 responses. Now we’re up to 52 responses. So it’s really fun. Thanks, everyone! You can tell this is really a topic that engages people. We’ll try to share some of these answers today during the episode. And we’ve also been to the Melbourne Fashion Festival in previous years, which we mentioned last episode. We’ll bring it up again and share. Above all, there were many fun photos of fantastic creations people wore during the Melbourne Fashion Festival. And it was so lovely to be somewhere and get... fashion, exactly what I was going to say. Got lots of inspiration. It was fun to people-watch. And to get dressed up yourself. To get out into the crowd. (Music) Okay, so we have to start from the beginning here and just talk about why we even want to do an episode about fashion and shopping in Australia. Isn't it exactly the same as back home, people might wonder. They might wonder, and those who know me might think, "What does she know about fashion?" Hahaha. That too. I mean, not you, but... Not a "fashion girl" in that way even though I love fashion, but you might not think so when you see me. But that was just a small parenthesis... absolutely not. Here we are again. Why we want to bring it up. When you come to a new country, first of all, it’s very difficult to find your style; it’s a lot about finding your identity—for me it is. And also, how do you fit in stylistically, and what is available? Where do you shop? We’ve talked a lot about that too. The shopping here is significantly worse than in Sweden. And we’ll go into that a bit. But it’s exactly that—finding your style and shopping. And yes, really. For example, it’s been hard, as you say, to find your brands; fit is also one of those things that’s difficult. In Sweden, you know what works. Yes, and you’ve had time to build up what you like back home. You’ve tried brands, qualities, fits. So you know where to go. And then you come to a new country and have to start that work all over again. It takes time. For example, both you and I have basically stocked up in Sweden. Or like I think I’ve mentioned in some episode, I went crazy at Twilfit and spent many thousands. I don’t dare say the number, but their checkout system crashed because I shopped so much. Just because I was in a panic—I don’t think I can find good quality underwear here at all. And when I mentioned that, you said, "I agree." Which made me feel it wasn't just me. Underwear is probably the worst here, actually. I haven't bought anything at all here. I think the quality is worse. It’s more expensive. There isn't the same selection. But even for my children and my husband... they agree and still only buy Björn Borg underwear. Hint hint to one of my best friends who works there. It’s actually super easy to order too. One of the few brands that is very easy to order. I didn't know that because my boys also use Björn Borg. And what’s available here isn't good quality. It’s completely worthless, actually. I’ve tried. I thought it was unnecessary to ship. I don’t think Björn Borg has a warehouse here; they are sent from Sweden, I think. But I might be wrong. We might have to look into that. I’ve tested their local brand, Bonds. The sad thing is that Bonds is everywhere. Many people shop there. But I can say that everything from the style of the underwear to the quality—it doesn't hold up. Sorry to say. Sorry to say, but it’s really, really clear. (Music) I feel that since I’ve lived abroad in different countries at different times, every country I’ve lived in has its own fashion, and I’ve literally had to adapt my wardrobe. Fashion is influenced by everything from the weather in that country, geography, culture, and lifestyle. For example, when I lived in Jakarta, it was extremely feminine. Coming from Sweden, which is much more gender-neutral—not entirely, but much more so—and then you get to Jakarta and it’s incredibly feminine, very dressed up, always beautiful dresses, high heels. Yes, really. And like this: high heels because many people had drivers. I had a driver myself who took me to all the venues. It’s not practical at all to walk around in ten-centimeter heels in Sweden because you walk so much and so often. But if you have a driver, of course, it becomes much easier. Hair and makeup and everything is done, you just jump in the car and you’re there. It’s a different way. But then there's the culture—women are more feminine, it's more dressed up. And then I went to Hong Kong. And there too—granted, Asian culture, still feminine—but suddenly in Hong Kong, if you are on Hong Kong Island, it’s very steep. So you couldn’t walk around in those 10-centimeter heels; instead, it was stylish sandals many times. They are very good at streetwear, like sneakers. There are so many cool sneakers in Hong Kong. So then there was another change. I couldn’t wear those high heels in Hong Kong. It’s a new wardrobe wherever you move. Yes, and then you come to Sweden and I thought everyone wore sneakers. And then you become a mom and walk around with a stroller and that was just it. A completely different style. You get influenced by that. And it’s the same here in Australia. It’s a different lifestyle, climate, culture. Yes, that's how it is. (Music) So, first impressions when arriving in Australia: it was that people have no style at all. It’s like old corporate style. Frumpy, if you ask me—how many people dress when they go to work. I think you notice a big difference there. Now, we haven’t been in a workplace in that way, but you see it at school and where you go. It’s been a big difference; you notice it when you come here and see how people are. I can only agree. That was a good description. I also think that people... partly we’ve said this before, that in this bubble and the suburban area where we live, there is a lot of activewear, many housewives. You don’t need to dress up on your way to anything. But those who are dressed up are, exactly as you say, not very trendy. No, I don’t think so. It’s "dressed up." The sporty style that many wear... it’s very common for people to be up very early and train, and where we live, go down and swim at the beach. So it’s a completely different lifestyle. I think people take that home with them too. Now after Covid, many people work from home several days a week. And people sit in their gym clothes all day, I think. Exactly. Was it you who said it, or I read somewhere: do they shower and put on other gym clothes? Sometimes you wonder if people even shower after a workout because they stay in gym clothes all day. But I also think it’s a convenience thing. We’ve experienced it ourselves—it’s so nice to just walk around in leggings or lounge clothes instead of uncomfortable jeans or suit trousers. So of course you can easily slip into that. I think many people, I assume, sit in their gym clothes even when working from home, and maybe for their Teams meetings... I don’t know how much they dress up then. I see my husband; he’s still typically "Covid-dressed" when he’s in meetings at home. He has his sports shorts and a nice shirt and his flip-flops. And I think it’s still like that. You don’t need anything uncomfortable on the bottom because no one sees it. That's probably how it is. But I can say this: I’ve been into the city for some networking and offices and met headhunters and such. And there I think I’ve seen a bit more style. Nicer handbags, a slightly nicer, more casual corporate/office style. So it’s better in the city, but it’s still not Swedish style. We are better at fashion in Sweden, and we are definitely much more dressed up and groomed, I think, than people are here. Yes, absolutely. (Music) Then we also have to talk about people other than women our age—teenagers, how they are dressed. Here I’ve also been shocked, but I also feel like I don’t really have a grasp on how teenagers dress back home in Sweden anymore. Here you can see people at the malls, and they come in sweatpants and a crop top. Yes, that’s how it is; they look terrible. I thought about it. It’s been a while since we walked around in Sweden, and having teenagers yourself makes you think about it more, I think. But you wonder: is it like that in Sweden too? They walk around with these very oversized sweatpants, the grey ones. And usually a white top that sits tight. All the girls aged 14, 15, 16 go around like that. And often in Ugg boots, you see those too. Which come from here. Yes, exactly. I didn't know that. You didn't? Wow. I had no idea. And it’s like that in Sweden, but you know it’s a lot of baggy oversized jeans. There are certain brands that are extra popular here; I don’t actually have a grasp on that. My kids aren't very trendy in that way. And then we have the classic mullet. But even that is very popular; I see it among my kids' friends. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the Australian brands, like Ripcurl, Quicksilver—those surfing brands—are very popular for t-shirts. People wear nice oversized t-shirts. But it varies. Just like it probably does in Sweden. Yes, probably. I thought it was fun that you mentioned the mullet, but I don’t know if we’ve just talked about it. I talk about it all the time. So I think we’ve probably talked about it in some episode. But the boys' hairstyles here—the so-called mullet, which is like a "hockey frilla" as we say, but very Aussie style. It means that... I usually say there are no good-looking guys in this country. No, I shouldn't say that, someone will take offense. They are probably good-looking under the mullet. If they cut off that mullet... and then with the mullet, they also have this really ugly mustache. Yes, but you know, it’s so gruesome. But you know what I think it is? And it’s the same with kids. I have to chime in here. I don’t know how much you watch footy. Yes, I watch footy. We don’t watch rugby, but as I’ve said—have you seen how they look? And that’s what the boys, especially, imitate. Those are the ones they look up to. It’s the same in Sweden too. The big athletes they look up to here have a mullet and a mustache. I don’t think it’s stylish. It’s like something taken from the 70s or 80s. And in Sweden, it’s the—what’s it called—the "alpaca" hairstyle that was popular? I don’t know that one. Where you get lots of hair... right, that one. That doesn't look wise either, really. No, it’s a bit more okay. Or maybe we just do it better in Sweden. I think so. And with the mullet, there are stylish mullets and there are "bogan" ones. Yes, there are all variants, but I think every mullet is just a big "no." (Music) So we’ve given our first impressions of the fashion when we arrived. But we also asked ChatGPT—let’s see if ChatGPT says the same as us. A typical Australian style according to ChatGPT: the keywords are relaxed, simple, practical, and lifestyle-based. So comfort first. Comfort is most important, which we actually said. Lots of activewear and gym clothes, like leggings, sneakers, and oversized t-shirts—exactly what we just said. Beach-inspired linen, airy dresses, sandals, natural materials. Check on that. And then the "just throw something on" look. Which is exactly what we talked about for everyday life. Absolutely not overstyled. And then lots of neutral colors, often lighter sun-bleached tones. That doesn't quite fit Melbourne, but we’ll talk about that too. And then: hair and makeup, natural and simple. And we can only agree. It’s just tick, tick, tick on the Australian style. And then if we go into the Swedish style, we agree with this too. The keywords are minimalist, thoughtful, stylish, and dressed up. It’s a well-dressed feeling even when it’s simple. Absolutely. Clean lines and more tailored garments. Absolutely. Looking at all the Swedish designers, all the Swedish brands... I would die for them—now you just long for them. You just know, oh, oh, oh. It’s a lot of neutral colors: black, white, beige, grey. Swedes love that. And then there's a lot of focus on fit and quality. And that is, of course, natural with distinct seasons in the wardrobe. And you can see a difference there between Australia and Sweden. Can't you? There are seasons here too, but not at all in the same way. And this—I don't know if it was you who said it or someone else—that it's almost like the clothes are in one big pile here. It never really becomes... because the weather goes up and down so much, I don’t think there is a clear summer wardrobe and winter wardrobe. Instead, you might almost need to take out a dress on a warm autumn day here. Absolutely. It’s autumn here now and it’s 25 degrees. Yes, exactly. That says quite a lot. But just as easily, it can get very cold suddenly. It could be 10 degrees too. But that’s why you need everything, in a way. But the Swedish style is simple but very thoughtful. And that’s how Swedes are. So stylish. And that’s what you miss a lot. In the shopping, you could say. Exactly. (Music) So we can conclude that we’ve also let ourselves go a bit. A bit? Hahaha. Yes, I want to be a little... but you’re right. You’ve let yourself go quite a lot since coming here. It’s much easier here. And then, we don’t work in offices, so you don't have to make the same effort. It’s natural. Yes, exactly. And there are actually very funny Instagram clips and videos showing what happens when you move to Australia: the first month, then three months in, six months in, and then one or two years in. They are so spot on. We have to share a couple of those clips on our Instagram account. They’re so good; they summarize a bit how you... Yes, and it’s not just people from Sweden, but people from all over the world making these funny clips showing how it is when you come here. So it’s not just us experiencing it. And that’s what’s so funny, I think. The relatability is so high that I just burst out laughing when I see them. Now they’ll be rolling on my social media after we’ve talked about it. Yes, they are great, and we’ll share them. But in all of this, when we started planning this episode and did this survey, we discovered that there are actually a lot of nice brands. It’s just that we haven't quite found them. And it’s also—or for my part—because I am very rarely in the city walking in shops looking for myself. It’s the most commercial chains you see, so you think that’s all there is. But as you say, preparing for this episode... and as recently as yesterday, we talked with a mutual friend about different brands. Exactly. We can get into that soon. I get a feeling that compared to Sweden, there are more smaller brands that are better, or just good. And nice and trendy and cool designs. Whereas in Sweden, I feel it’s more centered around a few larger, or well-known brands that most people go to. We’ll also show in our survey that for the question "What is your favorite brand?", the answers were very broad. It wasn't just one or three clear brands that came up. It was super broad. It was fun to see; I hadn't expected that. Even from the survey, so many new brands—I’ve never heard of these. So they exist. Yes, they do. The ones that are good are really good. Exactly. But we haven't discovered them. But let’s talk about these typical big chains. Because we have a lot of opinions about them. Yes, we do, and time and time again I think: can it really be this bad? I don’t know if we should mention names... Now the snobbery is coming out. Yes, but it’s true too. Yes, it’s true and it actually irritates me. Do we want to mention which ones they are? Yes, I think so. But we can just talk generally. The big brands that are typical Aussie brands: number one is Cotton On, which is very similar to H&M, I think. And it’s for a slightly younger target group than we are. They are very Aussie—typically surf-inspired, Aussie lifestyle brand. Very affordable. Then you have Country Road, which is supposed to be a bit more of a premium lifestyle brand. A bit for older people, I feel—or? Yes, both yes and no, I’d say. I mean our target group, hahaha, like 40+. But then you have...? Yes, then you also have Seed, which is in the same price range as Country Road, you could say. And then you have Zimmermann, which is a luxury brand. Yes, I’ve never bought anything there, but you can buy it in Sweden too. But they actually have very nice things. And they are well-known abroad too, yes. And then a new one actually, that I discovered quite recently and that I like a lot. Now I don’t know if I’m pronouncing this right: A-J or A-J-E? Aje? Yes, A-J-E. Yes. I have no idea how to say the name. Doesn't matter, someone will probably point it out. But they... they are nice, I agree. They can be a bit over the top sometimes with their logo, I feel. Not very cheap, though. They are expensive. Very expensive. That should be said. And then they have a very cool streetwear brand called Ksubi. I haven't heard of them. But we were at their store! Was it that one? Yes, look, I see it in front of me now. Yes, the one you were thinking of buying a jacket from. Yes, which cost several thousand but with a very nice quality and so stylish. We can post a picture of that too later. And then you have some others, also brands like Bec & Bridge. I don't know them. But they have a lot of partywear. Rip Curl comes from here, people—you have to know that. The surf brand that is big abroad too. And which, as I mentioned before, is very popular, at least in my kids' circles. And among most people, I’d say. But there are so many—we could basically sit here and rattle off many more brands; there's an endless amount, really, and there are big online platforms here. But if we go back... I don't have many comments on Cotton On. It’s like H&M; I’d almost say possibly worse quality. I think it’s like H&M, but I don’t think it’s good. It’s not at all. But if you have younger children, I think it’s okay to buy, but... I think it was quite pricy anyway. But the qualities aren't... And then Country Road. There I can say my first impressions, like the first time I was in Country Road. It was really the first year, the first Aussie brand I discovered or was introduced to. I walk in here and think this would be nice. I thought the style was very boring. The quality wasn't good and it was so enormously overpriced. Because when I walked in, I thought, "God, this is a cheap store," then I looked at the prices and thought, "Wait a minute..." I think of it as a chain like H&M where you can buy a little start for your wardrobe. But I agree with you; the few things I’ve bought from there haven't held the quality. And as you say, paid quite a lot for it. Quite boring. And when the quality is so bad that it shows on the garment... it irritates me when they still charge those prices. Yes, exactly. So that wasn't it either. Same with Seed, really? Yes, exactly. Similar in that way. And I’ve thought about why it’s so expensive and why the quality is so poor, considering they are as close to China—or just as close—as we are. Most things are bought from there anyway. But maybe it’s about competition, I thought; maybe they don’t have the same competition. I don’t know, but if anyone knows, please tell us. Let us know. (Music) Ahead of this episode, we both did a little research. And in some of the information I found, I was actually surprised because it turns out that Australia is the second-largest country in the world when it comes to the consumption of textiles, clothing, and new clothes. That’s insane. It’s completely insane. A country of 25 million, and this is second only to which other country? Who is first in the world, do you think? The USA, of course. Yes, the USA. Which is a bit shocking too, if I’m honest. I didn't think that about Australia. And that says quite a lot. And the two of us are very passionate—well, I know I am, but I think you are too—about the climate and about using second-hand or upcycling clothes. I think it’s very interesting how you can take what is "preloved" or old textiles and create something completely new. There are so many different ways you could reuse clothes. It’s taking off back home in Sweden; we have many—Sellpy, everything from selling your own clothes on various platforms. Or Arkivet, a store I don’t know if you’ve been to. I’ve actually never shopped there. But I’ve shopped a lot on Sellpy. And Sellpy is expanding a lot too. Here, there are things like that too, even though they are such large consumers of new products. There are quite a few. Which we found out recently when we interviewed people for this episode too. We’ve learned a lot about how it works here. Yes, exactly. Or what exists here. For example, the first thing you notice is that there are a lot of Op-shops. I didn't know what Op-shops were; it stands for "Opportunity." Yes, Opportunity shops. It’s like the Red Cross and a lot of second-hand. They are second-hand stores that sell... people leave clothes and they sell them and donate to charity. It’s a clear concept. And there are many different types of them too. Yes, and they are everywhere, really. But beyond that, we’ve found out that there are quite a few other similar concepts where you can shop second-hand, among others. The ones known here—we can just mention a few names. Relove. There’s a platform that sells... like, I like the subject too, or the name "prelove." It’s clothes that you like that you sell on. I’ve never heard of it. No, neither have I. Then there’s Closet which is quite... it’s the largest online fashion thrift store. Thrift store—so, second-hand shopping. And they sell everything from clothes and shoes to accessories. And then The Re Club. Okay, this was interesting. It’s a membership-based platform. Yes, okay. Also pre-loved clothes; clothes you’ve liked and sell on. Then there's something called Circular Clothing Company. That’s also a marketplace, so quite a few platforms. Do you have Depop too, or? Yes, Depop. And I didn't know about that until we started talking about it yesterday. And it’s a bit like Sellpy. Yes. I’ve never sold anything on Sellpy. You can buy... I don’t know if you bid there. I haven’t really learned exactly how it works yet. I’ve neither bought nor sold anything. But a family member recommended it. But I haven't really grasped exactly how it works. But it’s similar to Sellpy. And then we found out yesterday that there’s something called Racket Club. Yes, exactly! I got totally excited, hahaha. It sounded completely fantastic. Racket Club—like you rent a... what’s it called in Swedish? Rack. A clothing rack. It’s a rack. It’s called a "rack" in Swedish too. Where you can... Clothing rack. Yes, let’s say that. We’ll make it up. Where you get to hang things up. You rent for two weeks. You pay a fixed sum to hang your clothes up and sell them there for those two weeks. And then... yes, hahaha, hangers. And then you give a certain portion of the profit to the store owners. But then you can also go in and look. With Sellpy and some of these platforms, you don’t really know the fit—if it will be good or not. So it’s nice for us who want to try things on and feel them to be able to go in. So there are endless concepts. There are many. It feels like many are conscious. I don't know—I’ve gotten the impression that many are conscious and know they exist, but maybe not as many care about it as in Sweden. I don't know, I could be wrong. And then there might also be a lot of unconsciousness about it. What causes it? Or if in Sweden—what do I know—it has to do with all the EU rules and everything. I think it’s much more accessible in Sweden. It’s much more at the forefront than it is here. Yes, we have a lot of sustainability thinking here—I mean in Sweden. One thing that is clear, I think, and it goes for the whole world, is that the younger generation—they shop... it’s both trendy and they are much more conscious of the climate issue. They definitely shop much more, and they are, what, 20 years younger than we are. Exactly. And there I know that on Insta I’ve followed a group of girls, young girls, who have this place... we talked about it. Hunter Markets. Yes, Hunter Markets, exactly. And there are so many stylish, trendy things that they shop for and they are incredibly active. So it’s very, very fun to see. And I’ve driven past it—I think I said this yesterday—on the weekends, there’s a long queue, like all the way down the street before they even open. It’s very popular in that age category. And there’s nothing wrong with the fashion just because it’s old either; on the contrary, there are so many stylish, fashionable things. Yes, and fashion today is... you can vary fashion so much today. It’s not just one fashion trend. Instead, everyone can have their own little trend, I think. Fashion is so much today. And the fashion that is "in" now—it’s from when we were... it’s our fashion from when we were in the 90s, like. It’s coming back. It’s very much this turtleneck on jackets now. I had a jacket like that which I loved. I donated it long, long ago—imagine if I had kept it until now. It’s always like that. You just have to wait 20-30 years, but you don't. No. So I think that’s been fun to discover. (Music) We’ve done a survey. We’re coming to the end of the episode. And we have to mention our fine little survey. Exactly, with great enthusiasm. It’s called the Melbourne Fashion Habit Survey. And we actually have a mix among those who answered—of our 50 respondents, about 40% are almost Aussies, 40% are Swedes, and then there are some other Europeans and other expats, so quite even. And then in the age group, I would say almost a large majority are over 40. Over 40? Yes, over 40. Yes. From 35 and up is the biggest. Then there’s the occasional... there’s someone young; that was really fun. Must be someone's daughter, I’d say. Yes, but it’s fun. And it’s fun that there is a spread. And then we ask: what's your everyday uniform? and a clear 50 percent said it’s "casual and comfy." Surprise, surprise. Which just confirms what we’ve talked about throughout the whole episode. And then about 23% who say "smart casual grown-up." Every option. Yes, and what is that? Simple work clothes, slightly more dressed up. Yes, exactly. Only 12-13 percent said "trendy and put together." That says something about Melbourne/our network. Or our network too, I should say. Where you live affects it, of course. "What dominates your wardrobe?" we asked. What do they say there? Yes, the biggest part was evenly distributed between "chaotic mix" and "denim and casual." And that fits very well. Yes, those two were 60 percent. And that fits well. Then we have a few small ones on gym/activewear, workwear, dresses, events. Exactly. And then we had a fun question—and we should explain this a bit—but we said: be honest. How much black do you have in your wardrobe? And there we actually got a large majority who said about half of my wardrobe is black. But why do we have...? And then there’s an option you could click called "full Melbourne widow chic." But apparently, this is a thing—that in Australia they joke about wearing a lot of black specifically in Melbourne. I experienced it once—actually, it was you who said it just now—that I didn't understand why I got that comment then. I bought a black jacket and someone said, "Oh, you're going for Melbourne black." I thought then, "What, Melbourne black?" I thought it was common in Sweden for it to be black. Yes, but I guess there’s something to it? In this country, they say people in Melbourne wear a lot of black compared to people up in Queensland or the Sunshine Coast where it’s much more vibrant and colorful and surfy and boho chic, in places like Byron Bay and those parts. Which I think—if you look geographically, Australia vs. Europe, it’s the exact same thing. We wear a lot of black up north, and grey and black and such. And then you go down to Italy, Greece, Spain and suddenly it’s much more vibrant, lots of nice colors and flowers and feminine and beautiful. Because they have the sun, for god's sake! And they have the weather. So it’s completely logical. Surely it is. Yes, 100 percent. So the weather and the culture too, of course. But of course you can... you feel like when you're on the beach, the sun is shining, it's warm and lovely, so you put on something that reflects the sun’s colors. Yes, exactly. But here in Melbourne where it is actually colder—all is relative—but back home in Sweden we actually have even more black and grey because it’s much colder. But also... 100 percent. But I’m so sure it’s like that. Which makes me laugh a bit when people say we have so much black here. What do you mean? Because we have significantly more black in Sweden. That's what I mean. I didn't feel it—that's why I was so surprised by that comment. I wear a lot of black myself, but it’s more that I feel most comfortable in it. I wear black here. You are much more colorful than I am, by comparison. But back home in Sweden I had much more black. So there’s been a change too. Moving on. Moving on. Then we had some shopping habits. And then we had the question of where people shop the most. That was interesting. There wasn't one major share. Online is what dominates most. No surprise there. Shopping centers, and then also op-shops and second-hand. Which also came up. So it's fun to see. Do you know if it was the Swedes or the Aussie ladies who answered what? Yes, we’ll have to do a slightly deeper analysis and look at demographics too—who does what in which age group—but we have a fairly even group, so it won't say that much. But when we asked: where do you shop? Where did you make your most recent purchase? We actually got some insight into what big brands people buy from. And there a large majority said Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo. Exactly. But also op-shop and vintage came up for 35% of those who answered. And this must also be mentioned—for people back in Sweden—there was an option to click for K-mart, Target, and Big W. What kind of stores or shops are those? It’s an interesting discussion we had. Yes, and how should one explain? They have everything from... it’s a cross between—to explain the whole K-mart concept—it’s like IKEA meets, I don’t know, some outdoor store. They have camping gear, toys, and clothes. And cosmetics and sportswear. It’s a bit of everything, and even decorations. So every season I buy... if you want something for Christmas or Christmas decorations. All the holidays, they have a lot of stuff. Yes, bedding. But they have a clear clothing section for men, women, and children. Those clothes, in quality and style, I’d say are a cross between H&M and ICA Maxi (Swedish supermarket). Yes, really, I think so. I think so. I can't find a better comparison. In our survey, 33 percent said their most recent purchase was from one of these stores. I know someone—I don’t remember who said it—who was on parental leave and was going back to work and needed completely new outfits. So she went to K-mart and shopped about 4 outfits for maybe a fraction of what she would have had to pay at Country Road and the ones we mentioned before. And maybe the quality wasn't that much worse. No, really not, I’d say. And they still have... even if I hardly ever shop at K-mart and those. You can find nice clothes there. It’s just as I was going to say—they aren't completely... no, absolutely not. But yes, everyone probably knows—most people know Primark in London, and Primark probably exists in other countries too? K-mart is very similar to Primark, I would actually say. Then we had another question which was an open question: "Which is your favorite brand?" And it was a real mix. Yes, it was. About 10%... and that was what stood out most, those who answered the same, and that was Uniqlo. But otherwise, there’s a huge breadth in terms of brands. I know... like, Aje and Cos were there... but these... what is this? Robin Black, Frances P.? Never heard of them. No. Basike, I’ve seen something. Forever New is an Aussie brand. No, I haven't seen it. I want to read... yes, that’s it. It’s... how do you pronounce it—Decjuba? And Temu. You aren't allowed to shop there! I shop there in secret. My husband is very much against it. And I love op-shops. I’ve found super nice and unique garments, like a long black leather coat, ala the Matrix movies. Yes, wonderful! Do we know who that is? No, we don’t. No. It’s anonymous so we don’t actually know who said what. Fun, really fun. Yes, Zimmermann, always and forever. Yes. That’s someone with money. Look here, someone typically Aussie: Lululemon, Marks, Country Road. Yes, really. That's my list. But a really fun question. You mustn't forget: "Which item screams Melbourne style?" You get a bit of a laugh when you make these questions. One option was "Melbourne black." The Kathmandu or Macpac Black Puffer. That is so... both the brand and the black Puffer Jacket. Truly everyone has it. And there aren't as many brands as in Sweden. Of course they have some—Stadium and Intersport—those brands don't exist here in the same way. So Kathmandu and Macpac are significantly more expensive than the boring ones at Stadium if you’re buying a black puffer jacket. Exactly. Yes, that. And then we also had "activewear set." Yes, 40% answered that too. I just want to mention a funny option here: "Coffee Cup Accessory." Yes. That was about 18 percent. Who answered that typical Melbourne style is walking with a coffee cup. And that is... I mean, Melbourne is known for takeaway coffee. And then there’s also an option saying a "Frank Green bottle" would be Melbourne style. A water bottle. Or maybe just a water bottle, really. And that’s also very Melbourne. Because everyone walks around with one—it was actually one of the first things you notice here, that everyone walks around with a water bottle all the time. They are a bit obsessed with their water bottle. Of course, obviously, you should drink water. But you don’t need to walk around with that water bottle everywhere all the time. No, it’s so annoying. You go to the shopping mall and carry a heavy water bottle. Who does that? There’s also free water available. But I can say that my husband does it now. He carries one. And there’s an American brand that has nice, expensive water bottles that I have here: YETI. They work well as picnic glasses too if you want to drink a cold beverage. Like on the beach and such. They are great. They have a handle as you see here. So you can walk around with them. Frank Green, they have a lovely little rubber string. Yes, exactly. I have to check where Frank Green comes from. No idea. I’ll have to Google it. So we know. But that’s what we got from... and a little more bits and pieces from the survey. But really fun that everyone wanted to answer. We might have to post some more pictures too. Frank Green Water bottles are designed and owned in Australia. Yes. So that’s why they are so popular. Of course, and they are very much for their Aussie brands, much more than foreign ones. Fair enough, absolutely. Yes. Lovely! We are really reaching the end of the episode. Have we really talked through everything now, or is there anything else to say? I feel there is more to talk about—like we said, the brands that exist here in Australia, there are so many that I actually think are very bad. Then there are many that are good, but the gap between them is a bit too big. If you compare to Sweden, for example, we have very good chains with good quality and good prices. And many look at precisely this—sustainability—when they manufacture the clothes. We have Kappahl, Lindex. We have many good brands. MQ is fantastic. Larger chains, but they still have reasonable prices. If you compare maybe with Country Road and Seed, which are in the same price range as, I don't know, MQ maybe? The quality... it’s just, really... I don’t know what it’s due to. No, we actually don't know. Both you and I have avoided shopping here. And really for a reason—we’ve saved up and gone home and shopped. I usually stop over in Dubai and shop because I have family there. The shopping there beats the Swedish, it's "to die for." So I shop a lot there too. There are even more brands and cool things and variation. So that’s why I can't claim I’ve shopped more than the absolute necessities here and saved it for my travels. At some point, you have to start shopping here too. And then it’s about finding the brands you like. But I think that if you just find what is good quality and good prices and your style, of course there is good shopping here too. It’s just in a different way and maybe the quality. So, quite simply—to be continued. But hey, all of you listening, if you have questions—for those of you back home in Sweden who wonder about something we haven't touched on—please get in touch. It’s always fun to answer questions and hear what you think. If you don't agree with something we’ve talked about. Yes, and those of you living here... you can always... really. You living here too, who have been here longer... we have listeners who have been here for many years and know the score. Let us know if you agree with anything. If we have perceived something wrong or something else interesting. Thanks for listening. Thanks. It was really fun. Hey, I just realized we forgot to talk about the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Well, that wasn't... Until next time! Don’t forget to check out our Instagram too; we’ll be posting some fun clips and pictures of things we’ve talked about during this episode. It’s at Swedish Souls Aussie Shores.