Meet the LKD

JANUARY IS THE MONTH of moderation. Portion control! Limited screen time! No alcohol, no meat! More exercise, more sleep! That shamelessly sensible spirit also translates to our wardrobes. If December is all about extreme dressing (either out-out-out glamour or in-in-in comfort), then January is all about easing back into reality. Snore? Not necessarily.

There is a piece of clothing that manages to be at once sassy and snuggly, cool and cosy, functional but still fashiony. A piece that speaks to our desire to be hygge, but satisfies the demands of returning to work and routine. An all-rounder that’s not boring. Introducing the LKD ( little knit dress). Take it in any colour, in a chunky or jersey knit, or even fake it with co-ords like Emily Blunt (right) – but long sleeves and a high roll-neck are non-negotiable. Side note: if in doubt, go up a size; tight knits can be unforgiving on lumps, bumps and VPL.

Bella Hadid has been the champion of the LKD, showcasing the surprising versatility of this new sweater dressing. Out and about for coffee in New York, she nailed off-duty cool, wearing a rust-hued version with chunky biker boots; she also proved it can have whiff of ’80s glamour, teaming a white version with a gold chain Chanel belt and knee-high snakeskin boots. And don’t forget, you can raid the menswear department as well. Attending Kim Jones’s Dior menswear show last month, Bella sat on the FROW wearing one of the jumpers from the show as a minidress.

And if the thigh-scraping versions are not to your liking (and post Decemberdecadence, who would blame you?), then opt instead for a different kind of LKD, the long knit dress. Victoria Beckham – a woman not normally known for her commitment to comfort – has been repping this grown-up take on the trend. The VB way to wear it is to choose coordinating accessories and knee-high boots. It’s a look that is at once effortless (a win for January) and elegant. In other words, the perfect way to kick off a new year.