WHAT TO WEAR THIS WEEKEND
FAIR ISLE JUMPER
IN-BETWEEN SEASONS
THIS can be a tricky season to dress for: too early to get festive, but cold and gloomy enough to need a little injection of fun. The solution? Somewhere between a novelty Christmas jumper — not my style — and a practical plain knit, let’s hear it for the timeless Fair Isle sweater.
HAUTE HERITAGE
PLEASE note I’m using the term ‘Fair Isle’ loosely. True Fair Isle is made on just one of the Shetland Islands and uses a limited palette of five colours. It’s an ancient craft passed down through generations and fiercely defended — Chanel ‘borrowed’ a design from a local artist a few years ago and was forced to apologise.
RULING THE RUNWAY
NO DOUBT Balenciaga, Loewe and Molly Goddard have been careful not to make the same mistake, having put similar patterns front and centre of their winter collections. It’s Goddard’s brightly coloured designs that are top of my wish list.
The London-born designer teamed the traditional knits with her trademark tulle party frocks (remember that pink dress in hit BBC series killing Eve?). Brilliantly bonkers, it’s what I would be wearing to the Christmas party if I had the confidence and the budget.
COMBINE YOUR PRINTS
LUCkILy the High Street has a more affordable selection. If you’re not going to be wearing yours over a statement party dress, try it with your favourite floral midi — the clash of prints is very now. Or dress it down with jeans. It’s equally effortless with a practical blue pair or the impractical but fabulous white flares I’m wearing here.