Roll-necks,
Few garments in the midlifer’s arsenal are as versatile as the roll-neck. It’s an alternative to shirt and tie with a suit; it can be cool with a denim sherpa jacket, a Steve McQueen bomber or a wool pea coat; it can boss a formal occasion, and looks great with a velvet dinner jacket.
I didn’t succumb to the allure of the roll-neck until my early 40s, but not because I didn’t like them; all of my style icons knew how to rock a roll-neck, I just felt they were for the more mature man. But now my wardrobe would be in a sorrier state without them. They are practical in winter; doing the job of both a sweater and a scarf, they help to frame the face and are my go-to on those days when you need something that says “effortlessly put together”.
There are three types of roll-neck; a chunkier knit looks great with jeans and a parka, while a slimmer and more beatnik-inspired style, in Sea Island cotton or merino wool, will look refined with a check blazer. Then there are those in between, usually in cashmere, that will keep you warmer than merino and channel Burt Bacharach.
Sunspel makes a fantastic roll-neck; not too high on the collar and in a chic range of colours, as does Hackett, Massimo Dutti and M&S. French brand AMI’s spiced orange turtleneck will inject a pop of colour into your festive wardrobe, while both Joseph and H&M have bold bands or blocks of contrast colour. I’ll be wearing a camel merino roll-neck this party season, with tweed trousers, a camel velvet blazer and a pair of Michael Caine-style reading glasses, or one in navy with a great (John Lewis) pea coat.