Ten reasons to wear a roll neck this winter

The roll neck, polo neck, turtle neck jumper sometimes gets a bad press. Don't let that put you off. As can be seen from this surprisingly contemporary-looking image of Michael Caine, it's a classic that has never really gone away. Here are ten images to inspire you to wear one this winter. For suppliers see the end of the post.

Michael Caine - a shot that could have been taken in 2015

How a roll neck can look good

From soft, fine cashmere to thick, chunky knit, the roll neck can be worn with everything from formal evening wear, through blazers, tweed jackets, bombers and suits to waxed jackets and anoraks for windblown walks across the moor. Best of all, they save ironing shirts, as a luxurious cashmere or merino roll neck can be worn with or without a simple base layer in place of a shirt in colder weather.

Grey Fox wears an N. Peal cashmere roll neck, as worn in the Bond film, Spectre. Image Nick Maroudias

You get what you pay for in terms of quality and durability with knitwear. Here are a few suppliers of roll neck jumpers of varying styles and materials and at various price points (if the link doesn't take you direct to a polo neck, search the site for what you want):

Johnstons of Elgin
N Peal
John Smedley [Thanks to a reader for prompting me to include this great maker of knitwear]

Shackleton Menswear
Realm & Empire

Jigsaw Menswear 
Esk Cashmere

Topman Menswear
M&S
Uniqlo

Ten reasons to wear a roll neck this winter

The roll neck, polo neck, turtle neck jumper sometimes gets a bad press. Don't let that put you off. As can be seen from this surprisingly contemporary-looking image of Michael Caine, it's a classic that has never really gone away. Here are ten images to inspire you to wear one this winter. For suppliers see the end of the post.

Michael Caine - a shot that could have been taken in 2015

How a roll neck can look good

From soft, fine cashmere to thick, chunky knit, the roll neck can be worn with everything from formal evening wear, through blazers, tweed jackets, bombers and suits to waxed jackets and anoraks for windblown walks across the moor. Best of all, they save ironing shirts, as a luxurious cashmere or merino roll neck can be worn with or without a simple base layer in place of a shirt in colder weather.

Grey Fox wears an N. Peal cashmere roll neck, as worn in the Bond film, Spectre. Image Nick Maroudias

You get what you pay for in terms of quality and durability with knitwear. Here are a few suppliers of roll neck jumpers of varying styles and materials and at various price points (if the link doesn't take you direct to a polo neck, search the site for what you want):

Johnstons of Elgin
N.Peal mens collection
John Smedley [Thanks to a reader for prompting me to include this great maker of knitwear]

Shackleton Menswear
Realm & Empire

Jigsaw Menswear 
Esk Cashmere

Topman Menswear
M&S
Uniqlo

Knitwear from huntergather

Huntergather was founded by stylist David Bradshaw (ex-GQ Style, Prada and Jil Sander) and Chris Bailey, who worked with Jigsaw Menswear in the nineties; so this is a newish brand with a pedigree. I'll return to Huntergather at a future date, but wanted to mention their Aran and Shetland knitwear, which I came across recently. 

huntergather Aran crew neck jumper, available in grey and biscuit

I've become very keen traditional knitwear; its simplicity of shape, material and design makes the humble jumper a classic that will endure. 

Trying on a blue Shetland crew neck jumper from Huntergather, also available in grey, pink and yellow

David Bradshaw, Partner & Creative Director, sees things this way too, commenting to me that:

'In matters of style men always seem to need some kind of validation. So, if somewhere there's a photo of a style icon, say Steve McQueen, wearing a particular piece of clothing, say an Aran sweater, it will always be used as a tool to persuade us that something we might have considered dowdy is really rather cool...

...and [David Bradshaw continues] there was a time when every self respecting mod, Paul Weller included, considered a Shetland sweater essential to coolness - and lets face it, when it comes to style, and Liam would no doubt agree, Mods know what's what.

At huntergather we will always bow at the temple of cool... hence our Aran and Shetland sweaters.'

The jumpers are priced at £145 and seem to have captured that spirit of classic cool that traditional knitwear imparts.

For more on huntergather, their knitwear and other menswear, visit their website or shop at 68 Wigmore Street or Selfridges, London.

Camel knitwear - the forgotten colour?

I received this camel jumper recently from Lyle & Scott. Like much quality knitwear, it's British-made of course. But it got me thinking about camel as a colour - has it got a bit tired? Is it time for a revival?

I can remember my grandparents wearing camel knitwear. Now seen less often, as menswear becomes brighter, it pairs well with most hues. Originally made from camel hair, the name now usually describes the colour. While camel knitwear is generally made from merino, angora, Shetland, cashmere etc., real camel hair can be found, as you'll see below.

Camel can give a pale, washed out look to those who are fair of skin and hair, but this is easily overcome with a brighter splash in shirt, tie, scarf or trousers. I'd use it with all types of blue - denim, bright, indigo, pale. What would you add?

Cashmere camel jumper from Johnstons of Elgin

Wear camel knitwear casually with jeans, chinos or cords - more formally with a tweed jacket or blazer.

Suppliers -

Lyle & Scott
Albam (Shetland wool sweater in goldcrest).

Drake's

Mr Porter

Johnston's of Elgin

Other places to look -

Marks & Spencer

Alan Paine

John Smedley

Red cashmere for Christmas from M&S Best of British

I'm not doing a feature on Christmas jumpers this year, but thought I'd write about colourful knitwear that will brighten up our lives as the days shorten. We've looked at orange, today it's that seasonal colour, red. 

This cashmere jumper is made in Scotland and is part of the M&S Best of British collection. I have one in bright blue and it's superb quality, soft and thick cashmere. See M&S Best of British for information.

Fair Isle knitwear - perfect for spring menswear

With the weather warming up at last, jumpers can be worn without covering jackets, so it's time to bring out colour and pattern on chilly days. One of my favourite traditional knitwear patterns is Fair Isle. Originally from a small island lying half way between the Shetland and Orkney Isles off the north of Scotland, it became popular in the twenties when adopted it was by the then Prince of Wales, snappy dresser indeed.

The increasing popularity of home-grown traditional knitwear has seen the revival of Arans, Guernseys, fisherman's and seamen's sweaters as well as the highly-decorated and complex Fair Isle.Worn with jeans and brogues, they make an unusual but traditional statement.

As the genuine article comes from the islands, I'm giving you the web address of Fair Isle's website, where you can find details of workers from whom you can commission the real thing. I would try to avoid buying cheap copies made outside the UK. See, for example, the beautiful work from Exclusively Fair Isle.

The Grey Fox Ginormous Christmas Jumper Guide

The Christmas sweater has generally been considered as something to avoid by the discerning man of style. However, the traditionally-patterned jumper is being reassessed by even Scrooge-like sartorialists. It is finding its way back onto the ski slopes and being worn seriously in a way not seen since the sixties.

You can now be festive while retaining some semblance of good taste. Here's a selection of Scandinavian-style and other knitwear to suit most budgets.

If you market a Christmas jumper of quality that's not here, please let me know.

ADDENDUM - Having posted this I see that Save the Children are raising funds through a Christmas Jumper Day on Friday (14th December). To encourage you to donate, Jon Snow appears in his jumper at the end of this post -

Brunello Cucinelli, Harrods

Joe Casely-Hayford for John Lewis

Ami

APC

Drake's

Joe Casely-Hayford for John Lewis

Peregrine

Tommy Hilfiger

Canterbury

Moncler

Boden

D S Dundee

Ralph Lauren

Alan Paine

J Crew

J Crew

Penfield

Gant

Gant

Gant

Polo Ralph Lauren

North Sea Clothing

Gap

Save the Children