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 - sth that is not of real value that is used to attract people's attention temporarily, especially to make them buysth

personal style benchmark - an individual standard for sartorial excellence

to echo in sth - to be reflected or repeated in sth 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 sth (often temporarily)

whitewashed design - design with by minimalist, pale color schemes

mandated style of the era - the officially promoted style of a certain period

Scandophile - sb 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 sth

(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 sth

to evaluate sth - to assess or judge sth 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 said or done in order to make an attractive effect

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 sb 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/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 sth

to put immense pressure on sb - to create heavy

expectations for sb

to seek comfort - to pursue physical/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 sth 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 sth as part of sth larger

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/addiction

to savor the present moment - to bask in the joy of the present

to get behind sth - to support or endorse an idea/movement

cacophony of life - the overwhelming noise/challenges of modern life

nourishing meals - wholesome, nutritionally balanced food that sustains well-being