Christmas jumpers - sophisticated or kitsch?

The Christmas jumper has a grim reputation, often justified (see the images below). Despite this, as I went to press with this post, I heard that Debenhams sales of 'novelty festive jumpers' are up more than 200% on last year. They claim that more than a third of men (35%) and three in ten women (31%) admitting to owning one. They suggest that, 'Once the uncontested preserve of the uncool dad, Christmas sweaters have become a festive must have'.

Christmas jumpers from the presumably ironically-named Funny Christmas Jumpers

Debenhams jumpers are less kitsch than many (see below), but you may prefer something a little more sophisticated. Help is at hand and I've tracked down some tasteful Christmas knitwear, at varying prices, for the discerning readers of this blog. I was looking for bright colour, Nordic influences, fisherman's knits, Fair Isle, Aran, Argyle or cable/patterned looks. Traditional knitwear is the way to go. The links to buy, or for more information, appear under each image.

Kitsch featuring flashing lights & more traditional, both Red Herring from Debenhams

A favourite of mine, this Inis Meáin Aran jumper is from Private White VC. Other colours and patterns available

Drake's 

Jacamo - Williams & Brown Shetland wool jumper and Southbay Sherpa lined cardigan

Howlin' Neish Crew from End Clothing

Cashmere 8-ply Aran - Johnstons of Elgin

Lyle & Scott

The Cave Embroidery - I love the designs hand-embroidered in London

Marks & Spencer Blue Harbour

APC Pull Yeti Snow from Oi Polloi

Dale of Norway Anniversary sweater

Wayside Flower - traditional British-made menswear

Two unrelated memories. Firstly, when I was studying for my professional law exams one of my flatmates was a girl who was knitting a traditional Guernsey jumper. Secondly, until the seventies I wore a traditional cotton over-the head cagoule when mountaineering.

These memories were recently revived when I came across Wayside Flower's collection of hand-knitted ganseys, with their complex, varied and intricate patterns, and their traditional cagoule/anoraks, as worn by mountaineers before the seventies. All made in Britain. Links below.

Cagoule made from British Millerain waxed cotton (colours - black and mustard)

See the outstanding limited-run products including jackets, knitwear, shirts and accessories at East Yorkshire-based Wayside Flower here.

Panama canvas from a Lancashire mill (colours - sage and navy)

Traditional gansey available in different patterns - looking good with tartan neckerchief

Alan Paine - 'English Explorer' Collection

Alan Paine's 'English Explorer' Collection was inspired by a connection with the eminent British mountaineer, George Mallory who famously died on Mount Everest in 1924 when he and his partner, Sandy Irvine, were last seen climbing towards the summit. Mallory's frozen body was discovered years after his disappearance with knitwear that bore the label WF Paine, High Street Godalming; the shop owned by Alan Paine’s father, William Paine, and the place where William founded his knitwear business in 1907. 

The 'English Explorer' Collection features updated classic garments reminiscent of those worn by Mallory on his ill-fated final expedition. Apart from this collection, Alan Paine specialise in a wide range of colourful knits of all shades and hues - for more information see the Alan Paine website.

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.

A few exciting brands for men of style - knitwear and jewellery

Over the last few weeks I've been invited to a couple of menswear trades shows - Kollective: Men at Wolf and Badger in Dover Street, London and Jacket Required. I went along to find brands that might be of interest to the man in search of style.

Inevitably there was much focus was on a younger market; contemporary fits, t-shirts, camouflage, street styles and the usual subversive edge. However, there were more classic products, fabrics and colours that would be suitable for the older man looking for something different. Here are a few of my favourites.

Fox Hunt make bespoke and ready-to-wear knitwear that is hand-made (some of these designs couldn't be made by machine). Their products are based on vintage designs and the colours and quality are superb. I hope to cover this exciting brand in more detail in a future post, but here are a few images. Inevitably, the models are young and I'd like to see some of these wonderful pieces modelled by older and more rugged gentlemen. I'm sure there's a huge market for such original and rare designs.

Smith Grey - Jewellery. I don't wear any jewellery apart from a watch, but I couldn't help being drawn to these products. Objects made in silver, sometimes oxidised or gold-plated, have a real sculptural quality to them. They are hand made in their London studio. Inevitably, the images don't show the superb finish and feel.

Howlin' - The riot of colours and designs of traditional knitwear attracted me to Howlin's stand at Jacket Required. I love Fair Isle and other traditional knitwear and it was here in profusion. There is an online shop and a showroom in Antwerp, but the website could better display the excitement of the collection.

Chunky knitwear for winter - only real men need apply

With winter's grip tightening it's time to buy a warm, chunky, tough explorer/fisherman/sailor type of sweater - traditional in design and which shows that you mean business. No cashmere or bright colours here - the scratchier the better, these sweaters go with chapped hands, an ice-encrusted beard and extreme endeavour, as illustrated by the first image of Captain Oates of Antarctic fame.

Traditional knitwear seems to be taking off; Fair Isle, Norwegian, Guernsey, Faroese (as Sarah Lund), cable-knit, Aran, fisherman's style, and so on. Here's a selection that caught my eye (they're not really scratchy, but at least they look it).

The UK has a long knitwear heritage resulting from its maritime history and strong wool industry. Buy British if you can - but, if you're not from the UK, most countries have their own traditional patterns for you to explore. I'll be looking at more sweaters over the next week or two.

Captain Oates, of Antarctic fame, wearing a jumper as it should be worn

Archie Foal

Peregrine

John Lewis

Nigel Cabourn Lawrence Oates roll neck

D.S. Dundee

J. Crew

Vintage Royal Navy submariner's jumper - Grey Fox Collection