Danish Hygge Is So Last Year. Say Hello to Swedish Mys.

[Celerity]

The essence of mys is the feeling of warmth. And the best city to stock up on mys-making supplies is Stockholm.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/25/style/stockholm-shopping-mys-nytorget.html



Denmark introduced the world to hygge, the national pursuit of all things cozy and enjoyable. Something of a survival mechanism for Danes during the winter months, hygge (pronounced HOO-gah) often involves an abundance of candles, crackling fireplaces, comforting foods and the company of close friends. In Sweden, where the winters are even longer, darker and drearier, the concept is called mys (pronounced mees) — or the adjectival mysigt. And although the terms are very similar, Swedish mys refers more pointedly to an ultra-cozy atmosphere.

“Hygge is much broader than mys,” said Malin Lindqvist, a Swedish fabric designer who moved to Denmark seven and a half years ago. The essence of mys is the feeling of warmth, like being wrapped in a woolen blanket amid lighted candles while sipping a steaming mug of tea with a purring cat on your lap. The best city to stock up on mys-making supplies is Stockholm, and the highest density of small, aptly cozy, independent shops and boutiques can be found on the streets near Nytorget, a square on the southern island of Sodermalm, far from the city’s bustling central shopping district.


The front room at Tambur, which is styled like a kitchen and dining area.

A good starting point is Tambur, a boutique filled with things to make every home homier. Inside the two-room shop, the front room is styled like a kitchen and dining area, where woven baskets are strung from the ceiling above a rustic wooden table set with ceramic bowls and platters perfect for serving hearty pasta meals. The back room is filled with piles of fluffy linen pillows, a soft beige couch, subdued lighting and plaid orange-and-gray blankets made with wool from sheep on the Swedish island of Gotland. It has the vibe of a very plush living room. “The feeling I want people to get is that they’re coming home to me,” said the owner, Anders Widegren, while seated in the back room. Among the many covetable items on display, two particularly mysigt picks were a copper oil lamp from the Swedish brand Klong (2,749 Swedish kronor, about $324) and a special cast-iron pan for making plattar, thin Swedish pancakes the size of a coaster often served as a cold-weather dinner in short stacks with butter and jam (529 kronor).

On a corner three blocks away, Esterior is an interior design studio and shop with a more eclectic, playful style. The spacious store is filled with a mix of midcentury vintage furnishings and lighting, fuzzy Moroccan rugs and piles of striped velvet cushions for cozying up a couch. For low-fi entertainment by candlelight on a wintry night, maybe pick up an elegant chess set or a classic backgammon board (450 kronor each). Younger shoppers will find mys in their size at Beton, a serene children’s shop a block and a half away. This is the place to stock up on corduroy bonnets (170 kronor) and knee socks (65 kronor) in neutral earth tones. Instead of bright colors and plastic toys, the shelves are filled with wooden rattles, woolen overalls and soft leggings in muted hues from small, hard-to-find brands. “To be unique in Stockholm is important,” said the owner, Petra Gardefjord, who earned a following selling hand-sewn leather moccasins that she taught herself to make for her own children.


Young shoppers will find mys at Beton, a serene children’s clothing shop.

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related


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-5065929/Is-MYS-new-hygge.html

Mys is all about making time for family and friends. It’s easy to get addicted to the buzz of social media but the Swedes say it’s crucial we make time to relax and socialise. Rather than sitting on Instagram or Facebook on their lunch break, they'll take a stroll or meet a friend for coffee and spend the evening reading a book or attending a fitness class. They swear by the app Forest, which gives users virtual coins for taking a break from their phone, and the coins are then used to plant real trees around the world.

The Swedish approach to food is all about seasonal, local and organic produce. Making meals with seasonal produce benefits health, the environment and your bank balance. 'Eating foods when in season means that you’ll be eating the way nature intended it,' explains Nutritionist, Cassandra Barns. 'Summer fruits and vegetables tend to contain higher amounts of water, which dilutes their nutrient content. Compare this to winter fruits and veggies and you’ll find they’re richer in nutrients such as vitamin C and contain more valuable fibre.'

Part of ‘fredagsmys’ is to indulge in junk food, but the average sugary or carby treat can send your mood plummeting after the initial ‘hit’ has passed. Swedes swear by dark chocolate – especially made with raw cacao – can actually have longer-lasting benefits for your mood. Swedes have a saying that suggests that there is no bad weather, just bad clothing, so make it a priority to wrap up when the colder weather hits. So, when you next use the excuse that it’s too cold to go outside and exercise try to motivate yourself by simply dressing for the weather.

Achieving a good work/life balance is a significant part of the Swedish culture and they even previously trialed a six-hour working day. To avoid feeling overwhelmed try to prioritise what actually needs to be done and then what can wait until tomorrow, everyone needs some time out.

Fredagsmys

[leighbythesea2]

1. I used the Hygge concept

In a trend presentation year and a half ago. Love it.

My sister used this version here in a trend presentation for 2021, that she wrote in January 2020. By march i told her she had the best trend for sheltering in place you could.
We are going to be doing this for a long while after we ease back into some new normal even. It's so appealing.

[TomVilmer]

2. I live in central Hygge...

... so I only recognize it when sometimes it is absent.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Koselig works, too,

but you really should have a fireplace and lots of candles.