There was a movie filmed in 1970 called A Swedish Love Story that became a sort of underground cult hit because of its straight-forward storytelling and honest imagery. It was subsequently copied in a Vice Fashion editorial and written about in essays the world over. The film follows two smokin’ (both literally and figuratively) Swedish teens named Annika and Pär. Rich city girl and poor country boy meet and are both too shy to communicate their feelings for each other. The styling. Oh! The styling. Only naturally with it being 1970 in Sweden, the outfits are miraculous and so raw. Everyone wears heavy knits and smooth leather jackets and cruises around on their mopeds with the wind in their hair. They ride life straight to perfect laughter. Brb, moving to Sweden. In one part of the movie Annika’s family goes to Pär’s family’s house for dinner and everyone gets a cool party hat and lobster bib. Genius. Scroll down.
This is the part of the movie where Pär is obsessed with Annika after first glancing her Swedish bone structure at a gathering of both their families at some elderly home. So he stalks her back to her house and her Bob Dylan doppelgänger friend tells him to go away with his posse of scarf-sporting Swedish friends. Killin’ it with the near unibrow, Bob.
Near the end of the film, Pär and Annika cozy up in heavy knitted sweaters to avoid the biting Swedish misty mist.
Can we just take a minute to appreciate this Coke can? Oh, and his outfit is pretty simply put, awesome. Just going to put that into the bank of possibilities next time I go thrifting.
Red collar poking out remind you of something? Way to hide your sources Miu Miu. Exact. Same. Shape.
Irwin Barbé splices parts of the movie into an awesome music video for Thieves Like Us.
Dear future house, please allow for a desk full of found objects and Wayne’s World-esque gun rack for my guns and the occasional brass instrument.
Subtlety in its sincerest form. Cover up that hoe skirt with a leather jacket. You just went from slut to sexpot. This is the part where after acting like an asshole and ignoring Annika, Pär casually mopeds away leaving her in the dust with her chasing after him begging for his member. He comes back a minute later to have a hot makeout session in the baseball diamond.
Hold me, like the River Jordan.
This is beautiful. Not that I like seeing girls cry or nothin’.
Those burgundy faded jeans and brown leather coat that I imagine would be made out of cow hide. You know, like the same material they make assless chaps with? Why does nobody use that stuff anymore.
The only advice worth taking into account and the best advice you’ll EVER receive.
This is the party where they all get lobster bibs. And Annika’s dad shows up late and wonders why Pär’s family doesn’t have a working fridge. Their excuse? They have a cold basement and they just catch dinner in the lake nearby. Take that you city mongering shyster. Does this not look like the party of a lifetime? It’s like when we all use to reserve the McDonald’s party room, but with glowing lanterns in the outdoors with the 40+ crowd. Makes me want to go camping.
Pär’s house in the woods, better known as my future country home.
Probably the best part of the movie. Annika’s dad, John (pronounced Yawn — this is Sweden, remember) goes crazy after the mini fridge he brings doesn’t work and goes stomping into the forest on a Where The Wild Things Are inspired rumpus rampage shouting about how he won’t allow Annika to become a country bumpkin and that she will grow up Rich! Rich! Rich!
This is John (Yawn). I thought he had cool glasses. He also beats his wife and plays the piano.
If anything is to be learnt from this movie, it’s that simplicity is beautiful, Sweden is beautiful, youth is beautiful, and that we can accomplish anything. But accomplishing stuff is much easier when you look good while riding your moped. g
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