Sweden: Business Dress
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Business Dress
Contexts and Values
In today’s Sweden, the guidelines for business dress are simply guidelines – I am sure you will find people of various ages wearing all colors and styles in all social and business setups. “Be yourself!” is the name of the game today. Let us, however, try to formulate the minimum requirements for business dress.
Being rather informal in character, Swedes prefer “smart casual” as the standard for an ordinary working day in the office. “Smart casual” can be many things – however, it is NOT
jeans and sneakers khakis, T-shirts, shorts or too short skirts bare shoulders and décolletage
“Smart” in this context means “comfortable, practical, natural”. You will seldom see a female colleague wearing high heels – how comfortable is that when you’re working?
“Conservative” would probably be an overstatement. Most Swedish men do not wear a tie at work, unless they must or have a special occasion. Should you come from a “conservative dress-culture” you will find Swedes rather “under-dressed” – e.g. non-matching jacket and trousers instead of a suit, no tie, and half-ugly (in some eyes) indoor-shoes.
For higher-level business appointments, men do wear suits and ties, while women wear suits / pantsuits or dresses. Bank and insurance people tend to wear black and dark grey garments, while it is getting more common for other businesspeople to wear lighter and brighter colors, especially during the warmer months.
On the street, “informal” may mean jeans and sneakers, which should always be neat and clean.
For a social gathering, “informal” more often than not means tastefully coordinated clothes, although not necessarily a jacket and tie for men.
The only time that American-style casual clothes are really appropriate, including shorts and T-shirts, is during the summer out in the countryside.
Most restaurants do not require a tie for men, although the upscale restaurants expect both men and women to dress well.
Generally speaking, Swedes are rather tolerant to ‘deviations’ in dress-codes. “Neat and clean” is a must though. How you are dressed means less than what you have to say. In a way, it is accepted that your dress is a part of your personality and therefore should be treated with integrity.
However, what Swedes are sensitive to is when one tries to appear as someone she is not – with help of clothes. It will rather give you credit if you keep a low profile, and avoid anything showy or status linked in your apparel. Even well paid senior executives do not necessarily dress any more elaborately than average employees do. All Swedes typically dress well, but none that much better than others. This reflects the importance of maintaining a sense of equality in this society.
Another little detail: avoid strong perfumes and deodorants – both in business and social meetings. Rather many Swedes are oversensitive and some allergic to strong odors. Even if your counterparts are not allergic, it might be a distracting factor during the meeting.
When packing for Sweden
Sweden is a long county - stretching over 1572 km from south to north. My first piece of advice – become aware of where in Sweden you’re travelling to; this will give you the key to smart packing.
When visiting Gothenburg (the west coast) or Malmö (south) make sure you have rain clothes with you and a spare pair of shoes in case you’re caught by a heavy rain. This is a valid advice for Stockholm, too, both in spring and autumn. Winters are mild there, you will probably not need your fur coat and hat – in fact, you’d be better to spare them.
However, take them with you if you travel north of Stockholm. The further north you move, the more you appreciate the four distinct seasons. During the height of the summer, the weather can be hot and humid. The long winter, which can last for as much as nine months--requires appropriate winter clothes: heavy coats, warm gloves, hats, and boots. As is the case throughout all the Nordic countries, colder weather allows women, and sometimes men, to wear heavy boots to work, and then to change into more comfortable office shoes.
A good principle to keep to is being prepared to dress in layers.
Pack fashionable, yet sensible clothes that can be accessorized in such a way that what you wear during the day can take you into the evening.
A little detail: coming to Sweden in summer you should probably take your sleeping mask with you. Midnight sun in the north of Sweden can keep you awake all night through!
