Scandinavian Chic

Looking for a heritage-inspired gift for your favorite fashionista? If you haven’t noticed, Nordic-inspired knits are bigger than ever.

Travel + Leisure magazine recently featured a lovely assortment of woolly wares in their October issue. Seem strangely familiar? Yep, they are to me too. These are the type of staple items—many of them hand-knits or hand-me-downs—that have gotten me through a lifetime of Minnesota winters.

CNBC’s Consumer Nation website featured a Scandinavian-style sweater among their trendiest holiday gifts for 2010. “Nordic chic—I think this trend is only going to grow bigger,” explains fashion trend consultant Catherine Moellering in the site’s gift guide.

Feeling inspired? You’ll find a traditional Norwegian mitten pattern in the September issue of Viking. If you’re not a knitter, you’re still in luck. Scandinavian retailers like Ingebretsen’s offer a great selection of hats, mittens and sweaters online. Bargain hunters might want to check out eBay or Google Shopping for serious deals on new and vintage knitwear. Even Target is picking up on the trend with Nordic knit slippers.

I’m glad to know that—at least this winter—my collection of well-loved Norwegian sweaters, hats and mittens are in style. But I won’t be packing them up when the trend is over … I’ll just be ready when it comes around again!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user aslakr.