5 Summer-to-Fall Styling Tips That Perfected My Copenhagen Packing List

I've learned a lot of styling tips covering Copenhagen Fashion Week for the past six seasons. Observing street style at shows from Cecilie Bahnsen to Ganni and Skall Studio, I've figured out how to breathe new life into a vintage designer bag; how to hack a dramatic hair trend with scrunchies and clips; and how to make plain-old flip-flops feel runway appropriate.

I've also seen how to stretch a garment to its styling limits. Copenhagen is dedicated to sustainability, after all, so no one is shamed for re-wearing the same pieces from season to season here. In fact, it's a sign that you cherish what's already in your closet.

Copenhageners are most impressed when you maximize your wardrobe to its pre-existing potential with the occasional styling hack. Ahead of Copenhagen Fashion Week's Spring 2026 season, I packed wanting to put summer-to-fall styling tips I've picked up over the years to the test with clothes I've owned for months (and in some cases, years). The result was a Copenhagen packing list that largely relied on pieces I already own (and love) to tackle tricky between-seasons weather. Ahead, see exactly which outfits I wore this fashion week. Odds are, I'll bring them back to Copenhagen next August.

Commit to Carrying One Bag

I won't deny anyone the joy of sampling each and every fall bag trend to cross their feeds. But with limited real estate in my suitcase, I decided I'd only pack one purse for the entirety of Copenhagen Fashion Week. I went with Coach's Empire Carry-All, a bag I'd spotted on Coach's Fall 2025 runway last season.

Bringing only one bag felt right in-line with Copenhagen Fashion Week's sustainability mission to shop less and wear what I have more. Personally, it created a fun challenge to tie as many outfits together as possibly I could with a single accessory. Luckily, this East-West shape and glossy patent leather is as versatile as they come—so I found it worked just as well with a rugby shirt and Sézane trench coat as it did with a romantic midi dress and printed heels. At home where temperatures were even higher, I've also carried it with Dôen dresses and mesh flats. Suffice it to say: I'm sitting out of the fall bag trend cycle this time around.

Tie a Silk Scarf Around Your Waist...

All summer long, the scarf belt trend has flooded my Instagram feed. More often than not, it's paired to loose linen pants or summer mini skirts. I liked the way a just-right scarf could inject more color into an outfit, but I wanted to test its transitional appeal with more fall-toned pieces. When the invite for Baum und Pferdgarten's equestrian-themed runway show hit my inbox, I saw my chance.

I pulled a Staud dress in the shade of falling leaves from the autumn side of my closet, where it's been stashed for going on four years. Then, when I landed in Copenhagen, I styled it up with a Dior scarf tied around my waist. With cowboy boots and my trusty black bag, it felt like an on-theme, in-between outfit. If it were just a little bit chillier, I could add a light sweater without sacrificing any of the fashion-meets-horse-girl energy.

...or Tie One in Your Hair

Raise your hand if you've ever had a bad hair day while traveling to a picturesque spot. Stashing a square bandana into my carry-on was my personal solve for a Copenhagen day where my hair and the wind just weren't getting along.

The payoffs were so much greater than hiding my bedhead, though. For this early August day, the square on my hair scarf added some interest to my white skirt, black shirt outfit. I felt autumn-ready with my cowboy boots and long skirt, but once fall really gets going, I can spruce up denim-forward looks with the same simple accessory.

Add a Pop of Leopard Print

Presenting the one-step styling tip I'll take from the front row of Cecilie Bahnsen to my morning commute: When in doubt, pick a leopard print shoe. With a dress like this Cecilie original, I wanted to accessorize with something special but not overpowering. My black ballet flats just felt blah against this sporty-sweet midi. A trendy sneaker or a Simone Rocha Croc—which I had considered—would be way too much (and not in a Lena Dunham-sanctioned way).

Leopard print slingbacks were the perfect compromise: They added a dash of visual interest without distracting from my dress. Alas, that piece was a loan, but I still have my shoes to elevate everything from jeans and a plain white shirt to suede mini skirts and sweaters.

Pair Long Statement Shorts to a Knee-High Boot

Long, flowy shorts and cowboy boots are the unexpected pairing I never thought I'd wear. But after several seasons watching other fashion girls wear them around Copenhagen, I figured it was time to saddle up in the look. As I was packing, I decided I loved the contrast between lace-trimmed Free People shorts—which, when I was standing still, resembled a slip skirt—and a pair of hardworking Partlow boots. A Rouje x J.Crew T-shirt with a sweater over my shoulders were all I needed in the mid-60s temperatures. As days get colder at home, I'll swap my ruffled baby tee for a chunky crewneck sweater.