Los Angeles

While Norway's long had a history of carnage, ranging from Viking pillaging to the pig beheading of black-metal, it's also got a more uplifting side, borne out in its rolling mountain vistas and carefree umlauting. For cheerful Norwegian gear, check out Moods Of Norway.

Moods is a wardrobe-encompassing brand from three guys with
names so silly they've gotta be fake, just opening their first US store after conquering Europe under the banner "Happy Clothes for Happy People" -- which is also what Lithium's promo t-shirts said when they stepped it up from pens. The store mirrors their homeland, with one side looking like a traditional cottage (w/ dangling waffle pans and skis), and the other with a mural of country fjords, outhouse-looking changing rooms, and a full-sized, gold-lacquered tractor; on the whole, the clothes're gregariously charming, with slacks and lengthy, cargo-pocketed shorts in shades of plaid from sky blue to golf-dull grey, floral and checker-printed, wide-collared blazers, and a chest-pocketed, yellow-hooded, red-striped hoodie w/ a pair of big rivets below the waist, which give this otherwise playful shirt some balls. Most of the duds rock subtle reminders of their unique heritage: shirt sleeves boast an embroidered "229,265", the number of registered tractors in Norway, suit tags read "Made in Europe by Really, Really Pretty Blonde Girls", and a jacket even has a lining that, when reversed, transforms into a playable blackjack table -- so when you lose your shirt, blame your jacket.

The store's also stocking polos, tees, shoes, and more-traditional suits, and is planning on having a slew of special events, starting with a Sunday party full of free waffles and ice cream to coincide with Norwegian National Day, followed by an open-bar event at the SkyBar that same night -- from which you can see the rolling vistas of Lös Ängëlës.