how to dress hygge: your guide to bringing the Danish Art of Cozy into your wardrobe
what is hygge?
Essentially, hygge is the Danish word for living a cozy lifestyle. There’s a lot more to it than that, in fact, I’ve written a whole blog post about it (you can read it here). There’s even whole books you can read about this comforting way of life, my favourite being The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking.
Something I have yet to come across, in my years of learning the hygge way, is a hygge dressing guide. As we spend most of our lives wearing clothes (probably), I think it’s only necessary that we all have a little more hygge in our wardrobe.
elements of hygge that can apply to your closet:
contentment
A big part of hygge is being content with what you have. Minimalism in your wardrobe is key. Danish fashion is a good example of this, as the Danish tend to keep things simple, with colours neutral, so that pieces can be mixed and matched. A cohesive closet often translates to needing less clothing.
sustainability
Second-hand is also hyggeligt (the adjective of hygge) in my opinion. The idea that something has been worn and loved before, and is now getting a second life, brings a harmonious & nostalgic feeling. Second-hand shopping is also more sustainable, and being close to nature is another pillar of hygge.
With nature in mind, natural textures and fibres are definitely more hyggeligt than synthetic ones. Think cotton, wool, or linen. These fibres have the added bonus of being more breathable, and can keep you warmer (wool) or cooler (linen) than their synthetic counterparts. Another way you can bring in a touch of nature into your wardrobe is with your colour palette. The colours of nature make for a lovely and cohesive look.
practicality
Staying warm is another ideal of hygge (keeping cozy comes with the territory). As I mentioned, wool in the winter is a great way to achieve this, but so is just dressing practically in general. Whether that’s actually dressing for the cold (layers!!), or just wearing a long linen shirt in the summer to keep the breeze off (and the sun damage too, let’s be real), it’s way more hyggeligt to cover up.
indulgence
While hygge likes to keep practicality in mind, indulgence is just as important. Hygge would tell you to invest in that lush loungewear set, or that delectable cashmere sweater…treat yourself.
togetherness
Togetherness is another important aspect of hygge, but this one was obviously a bit harder for me to place. I guess you could say a put-together-outfit would work (haha). But in all seriousness, I think ethically-sourced fashion is a must, because we should all be caring a whole lot more about the people who make the clothes we wear. Caring for others and viewing the world as a more harmonious place seems like a good place to start to spread the hygge around.
comfortability
And lastly, we have comfort. I feel like this goes without saying, as comfort is almost synonymous to cozy. There’s nothing hygge about an overly fussy, stuffy, itchy, or too tight outfit. So do as the Danish do, wear something a little oversized and a little undone. Retire those high heels, and only wear what makes you feel good.
Dressing hygge is so much more than dressing cosy, or even dressing Danish. It's about being mindful and content with your closet. So if you’re looking to add a little hygge, here are a few of my favourite finds:
shop hygge pieces:
