A couple of times this week I’ve started off the day in a lovely sweater. It’s good and chilly in the mornings, but by the time I’ve done the school run and got the bus to the tube, I’m already sweating. So, maybe it might be a touch to early to really be breaking out the knitwear on a daily basis, but forewarned is forearmed right? or forewarned is warm-armed… Terrible, I’m sorry.
There’s a lot of great jumpers around as we move into Autumn. I’m going to focus this week on slogan sweaters and ones with some kind of feature. I do love a feature, makes life, your outfit, and your old jeans, just a little bit more interesting. Talking of jeans, I bought a great pair last week in Uniqlo. Boyfriend style, nice and loose and under £25! They come up quite big if you like them, so go a size down. I might do a post on jeans again soon, let me know if that’s of interest.
Anyway, back to the jumpers. I have a mix of high street and high-end in my wardrobe. I don’t tend to spend big on plain knitwear as I can’t really tell the difference between an Acne navy jumper or one from & Other Stories. If I’ve spent big, I kind of want something to show for it, some kind of details, some embroidery, a slogan, a picture, something to set it apart. By the way, I do think that & Other Stories have some of the best knitwear on the high street, they are generally really well made and fit really well. I like their chunky knits the best and their cashmere is reasonably priced and doesn’t bobble after one wash. For my picks of slogan sweaters I have handily separated the finds into four different categories, so here we go…
HIGH STREET SWEATERS
For a cheap thrill and quick fix look toward the high street. Yes, you may be getting a lot of man-made fibres, but if you want something ‘just for now’ then that’s fine. Beware of naked flames though. I once went to the ‘British Soap Awards’, which was the Best.Fun.Ever as I am a massive Corrie fan, (I was dancing next to Peter Barlow and ‘Little’ Simon at one point) but you could pick out the cast of Hollyoaks a mile away due to their mass of polyester, god forbid anyone lit a match next them. Sorry, that had nothing to do with knitwear, it was the man-made fibre talk that reminded me. This sweater from New Look is less than £8 for goodness sake! how can that be? But surely that means more money to spend on expensive bags and shoes…
1. New Look Dream Jumper
2. Tilly Sveeas Silver Arrow Necklace
3. Whistles Split Front Jeans
4. Stella McCartney Baby Bella Bag
5. Stella McCartney Elyse Flatform Brogues
HIGH END SWEATERS
These are the ones you lust after, and rightly so. They will be quality items, that, if washed carefully, will last you for years to come. Be VERY careful with the wash pile though. I have a separate basket for my fancy items but sometimes they get mixed up. I still mourn a gorgeous merino wool jumper from Zadig and Voltaire that not only went though the cotton wash, but also ended up in the drier. If anyone knows a 3 year old who wants a black jumper with a skull on the back, let me know. This story pales in comparison with the ‘poo in the tumble drier’ story, but I’ll leave that for another day…
1. Orwell and Austen 1984 Cashmere Sweater
2. J Crew Parke Blazer
3. Whistles Kel Leather Pencil Skirt
4. Saint Laurent Kate Leather Bag
5. & Other Stories Suede Front Cut Boots
HIGH STREET SWEATSHIRTS
Whistles and The Outnet are my go-to places for Sweatshirts. I know The Outnet is essentially more high-end than high-street, but it’s discounted so I’m going to add it to this category today. Whistles sweatshirts last for ages, wash well without fear of shrinkage, so worth the money I think. Also the Fmly Store sells the most wonderfully soft sweats like this one below. If you buy, get the supersoft version.
1. Selfish Mother Supersoft Love Sweatshirt
2. Mango Mohair Wool Blend Coat
3. Whistles Check Wide Leg Cropped Trousers
4. M&S Leather Cross Body Bag
5. & Other Stories Suede Strap Trainers
HIGH END SWEATSHIRTS
If you’re feeling more flush then get yourself a designer sweatshirt. Etoile Isabel Marant is my go-to place for lovely sweats. So soft! Also check out the mens department too, as sometimes they are better and have more choice. I prefer them roomy. Who needs a tight sweatshirt? that kind of defeats the object.
1. William Baker Flamboyant Sweatshirt
2. Claire V Circular Leather Bag
3. Weekday Milly Tapered Trousers
4. Anya Hindmarch Smily Wink Trainers
