S2 C1-C2 HYGGE, LAGOM & THE MINDFUL SCANDI GIRL

to fight off feelings of listlessness

to actively resist states of lethargy or lack of energy

on a par with

equal to in quality or importance

street-style hubs

urban centers recognized as fashion focal points

fashion chops (inf)

expertise and skill in fashion

teeny city (inf)

an exceptionally small urban area

epicenter of cool

the central point of cultural and stylistic influence

longstanding

having existed or continued for an extended period

to combat feelings of winter sluggishness

to counteract seasonal lethargy through deliberate action

candy-colored scarves

brightly hued scarves

ebullient prints

lively, exuberant patterns that convey energy

exuberant design

bold, unrestrained creative design

indicative of the Scandinavian ethos

characteristic of Nordic values, philosophy and aesthetics

to strike a chord with sb

to resonate emotionally or intellectually

gimmick

something that is not of real value used to attract people's attention

personal style benchmark

an individual standard for sartorial excellence

to echo in sth

to be reflected or repeated in something else

Scandinavian fashion darlings

celebrated Scandinavian style icons

eye-popping details

strikingly noticeable design elements

staples

fundamental, regularly used wardrobe items

linked to Danish heritage

connected to Denmark's cultural legacy

to push a positive agenda

to actively promote an optimistic viewpoint

infatuated with sth

obsessively fascinated by something (often temporarily)

whitewashed design

design characterized by minimalist, pale color schemes

mandated style of the era

the officially promoted style of a certain period

Scandophile

someone with a strong admiration for Scandinavian culture

to top the list

to rank highest among comparable items

in vogue

fashionable (often temporarily)

Nordic life

lifestyle characteristic of Scandinavian countries

to crank sth up (inf)

to increase something

(at) full throttle

moving or progressing as fast as possible

shortcut to contentment

an easy path to satisfaction

nationwide mania

countrywide obsession or craze

plagued by self-betterment

troubled by the need for self-improvement

to blow/explode onto the scene

to appear suddenly with great impact

sanctuary

a safe, peaceful refuge

backlash to sth

strong negative reaction against something

to evaluate sth

to assess or judge something carefully

to catch on

to become popular or understood

to co-opt hygge

to use hygge for profit or personal gain

window dressing

things that are of no real importance and are done to make something attractive

to have a grip on work-life balance

to successfully manage work and personal life

conspicuous spending

obvious display of wealth through purchases

to go down the tubes

to fail completely

to flash your cash (inf) / to flaunt your wealth

to display riches in a showy manner

to go through turmoil

to experience intense difficulty or chaos

to deliver the bitter pill

to present unpleasant but necessary truth

to enrapture sb

to give someone great delight or pleasure

pretentious-sounding buzzword

an ostensibly profound but often meaningless trendy term

disillusioned saps (pejorative, inf)

disappointed, gullible people

plagued by the inertia of life

persistently troubled by life's stagnation

kitschy lifestyle trend

a tacky, overly sentimental cultural phenomenon

to commercialize comfort

to commodify coziness

to embark on/upon sth

to begin a significant undertaking

fictionalized Scandinavian idyll

an idealized portrayal of Nordic life

sufficiency

the state of having or being just enough

per se

inherently or by itself

akin to contentedness

similar to satisfied happiness

to conjure any hygge

to produce or create a feeling of coziness

perennially-chipper (inf) Swedes

constantly cheerful Swedish people

to perpetuate a problematic ideology

to sustain harmful beliefs

to rewire one's brain

to fundamentally change thought patterns

predisposed to be happy

naturally inclined toward happiness

to flit from sth to sth

to move restlessly between trends or interests

a short-term unsustainable happiness hit

brief emotional boost with no lasting value

to abide by hygge

to strictly follow cozy lifestyle principles

pursuit of pleasure

the active seeking of enjoyable experiences

to derive from sth

to originate or stem from something

to put immense pressure on sb

to create heavy expectations for someone

to seek comfort

to pursue physical or emotional ease

resilience

the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties

grit

persistent courage and determination in facing challenges

perseverance

steadfast continuance despite obstacles or discouragement

to overcome hardships

to successfully deal with difficulties

to persevere over sth

to persistently continue despite difficulties

to treat yourself to a moment of joy

to deliberately indulge in a small, pleasurable experience

pastry

sweet baked product

to get hammered (inf)

to become extremely drunk

to break from urban life

to temporarily escape city living

therapeutic benefits

healing qualities

moderation

the quality of doing something within reasonable limits

to make time for leisure

to intentionally prioritize relaxation

to ground yourself in a concept

to base your thinking/actions in a particular philosophy

morbid

having an unhealthy preoccupation with dark subjects

to scale down your things

to intentionally reduce one's possessions

austere minimalism

severely stripped-back, functional aesthetic

to incorporate sth into sth

to include something as part of something else

ornamented

decorated with elaborate details

ostentatious

showy in a vulgar way (excessive display of wealth)

to strive for the middle ground

to pursue balance between extremes

to go cold turkey (inf)

to abruptly stop a habit or addiction

to savor the present moment

to bask in the joy of the present

to get behind sth

to support or endorse an idea or movement

cacophony of life

the overwhelming noise or challenges of modern life

nourishing meals

wholesome, nutritionally balanced food that sustains well-being