Famous for clean Scandinavian style -- as well as high prices -- Stockholm rarely tops bargain shopping lists. But this sophisticated city boasts a number of discount shops and design rooms that locals head to for bargains. Check out these five Swedish shopping favorites and you'll discover that it's possible to score chic design pieces without getting too spendy.
DesignTorget: A high-design variation of IKEA that features contemporary Swedish pieces by famous and up-and-coming designers, this is the place for cute and affordable housewares. DesignTorget also carries fun souvenir ideas like Swedish cookbooks, funky jewelry, and colorful tote bags.Livstycket: Livstycket, a non-profit design studio that educates immigrant women about Swedish language and culture through design principles, supplies colorful, handmade pieces at great prices. Located in the Stockholm neighborhood of Tensta, the studio has an adjoining shop where you can pick up embroidered bags, napkins, pillow cases, and dresses covered with fanciful patterns.
Skopunkten: This popular store serves up fast fashion for shoes. Scoop up everything from sparkly ballerina flats to polka-dotted high-tops -- all at bargain prices. Skopunkten is also a reliable resource for trendy boots and summer sandals.
Judits Second Hand: Notoriously well-dressed Stockholm residents command attention and make it easy to miss the dozens of vintage and secondhand shops that fill the city. One of the best is Judits Second Hand, which offers a well-curated selection of '50s to '70s vintage, mixed with new modern pieces and a quickly rotating collection of consignment clothing. There's also a popular men's version of the store, Herr Judits.
Cos: Sure, H&M has flooded the U.S., but Stockholm is still the headquarters for the discount store's more worldly sibling, Cos. More refined and slightly pricier than H&M, the shop provides reinvented classics like silk shirt dresses and raw-cut pleated skirts at still-reasonable costs.