Sure, summer’s great but autumn? Well, that’s the sartorial sweet spot.
While we look forward to the warmer weather all cold, miserable, brutal British winter long, there’s something that we dread year in and year out: the ensembles. Summer’s floral frocks are cute but we’re happy that the challenge of appearing work-appropriate, dealing with sauna-like commutes and the freezing office aircon is in our rearview mirror, replaced with our favourite fashion piece of all time: the humble knit.
Knitwear makes the struggle of daily dressing a breeze. Perennially chic, traversing trends and a staple in your wardrobe, an arsenal of knit jumpers will eliminate sartorial stress. The throw-on-and-go quality is perfect if mornings are always rushed. Simply layer over a tee, pair with jeans or wide-leg trousers and ballet pumps, trainers, boots or slingbacks, and you’re set. Life is good.
These cosy styles are just the ticket to cocoon through the British winter.
But when choosing a sweater, consider the following. A chunky knit has a 70s chic aesthetic and will take you from apres-ski on the slopes to street style in all four fashion capitals. Cable knits tap into TikTok’s favourite cottagecore, normcore and cabincore revolution.
The roll neck is an easy win when temperatures plummet, keeping not only your body warm but the neck too. With the right fit, it will be less Steve Jobs and more Marilyn Monroe.
Then there are the statement options that will become the focal point of your look and are categorised by interesting designs, logo detailing or slogan intarsia. Stripes will never go awry. Go for bright colours to spark joy, even on the darkest of winter days.
For ultimate comfort, best to buy oversized. If you’re looking to bring the style into the realms of more formal wear, fitted and feminine may be better suited.
We called on Steamery’s CEO Frej Lewenhaupt to share his top tips for ensuring your knit jumper stands the test of time.
How to make your knitwear last as long as possible
The main thing to make your knitwear last longer is to wash them only when necessary. Machine washing, in particular, is a damaging process for knitted garments. Wool is naturally antibacterial and odour-resistant and can be washed very infrequently. Synthetic materials like polyester, polyamide, and elastane are more prone to attract odours and usually require more frequent washing.
A good way to prolong the time between washes is to air your knits outside after use. You can also steam pieces to remove wrinkles, with the bonus that the hot vapour will also kill bacteria and refresh the garment. Finish off with some fabric spray and your favourite knit is ready to wear for another day.
Tips and tricks to maintain the quality of your knitwear
- When you can no longer avoid washing your knits, make sure to always follow the instructions on the care label and to use aâ¯delicate laundry detergentâ¯that is specially developed to care for wool and other delicate fabrics. Wash them by hand or use the wool program on your washing machine.
- Always wash at low temperatures, as the combination of heat and movement causes wool to shrink.
- Spot treat stains with a stain remover or liquid laundry detergent to avoid washing the entire garment. Knitted garments stain easily, so make sure to treat them as soon as they occur.
- Avoid drying knitwear in the tumble dryer since this can cause the garment to shrink and try not to hang dry your delicate knits on a wire hanger since this can cause them to lose their shape. The best way is to dry them on a flat surface.
- To maintain the appearance of your knits, use aâ¯fabric shaverâ¯to trim off lint and pilling and make it look new again. Pilling is a natural process that inevitably happens to even the most luxurious fabrics like cashmere wool and is not necessarily an indicator of poor quality, nor a reason to discard or return a garment.
How to repair knits yourself
A hole, a missing button, or a loose thread does not mean that your knitwear has reached the end of its lifecycle. With the right tools and the right guidance, mending damaged clothes can become an easy and enjoyable routine. However, mending knitwear can sometimes be a bit tricky.
Patch it, cover small stains with embroidery, or use different stitching techniques to fix holes. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, seek the services of a tailor.
How should you store your knitwear for it to last as long as possible?
When storing your knitwear, keep them folded instead of hanging as gravity can cause them to lose their shape. Before putting your clothes away for a new season, we recommend washing them if necessary, folding them properly, and storing in a low-humidity spot in transparent plastic boxes. This makes it easier to view the clothes in the boxes and to keep moths at bay.
You can also spray cedar tree oil or place blocks of cedar wood in the box to prevent moths and fur beetles. When it’s time to bring them out of storage, we recommend a quick steam to ease out wrinkles and a spritz of fabric spray for freshening.
Now onto the best knit jumpers to shop this season
Best unisex winter coats for extreme cold to help you handle the elements
Best winter coats for women for 23/24 that will keep you feeling warm and looking stylish
Best winter coats for men for autumn/winter 23/24: From wool overcoats to puffer jackets
Best winter boots for women 23/24
Best bodysuits for women to style for every occasion
Best online clothing sales to shop right now: Deals you don’t want to miss
Best suits for women that are in style this season
Best trainers for women to wear to the office
Best lightweight down jackets for men and women, from Stone Island to Uniqlo
Best ankle boots for women this autumn: Gucci, Topshop, Moon Boot and more
Best plus size blazers for women
Best clothing brands for tall women to shop in the UK
Best plus size clothing brands and websites UK: cool fashion for curvy women
Best shapewear for women to support the tummy, hips and thighs
House of Sunny Don’t Sleep Knit
Why are winter clothes so often dark and dreary? Just because the weather is miserable, it doesn’t mean that our garments need to be. House of Sunny brings the summer feels no matter the time of year with this Don’t Sleep Knit that will have you warm and cosy inside and out with its vibrant colourway and tropical design.
Buy now £82.00, Flannels
& Other Stories Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater
It doesn’t get much more sumptuous when it comes to winter wares than anything cashmere. The luxury fabric is cosy, has a great skin feel and is endlessly wearable. The only downside? It’s typically pricey. Not here with & Other Stories though where the reasonable knit is elevated with a boxy silhouette and comes in four different colourways, ranging from this neutral black to a playful lilac.
Buy now £165.00, & Other Stories
Sezane Bettany Cardigan Black/ Ecru
So this may not be a knit jumper but we hope you’ll forgive our inclusion of this chic cardigan from French label Sezane. The piece is elevated with an oversized prairie-inspired collar featuring a contrast white ruffle trim. Simple but effective, you need only pair with jeans and ballet pumps for a look straight from the streets of Paris.
Buy now £130.00, Sezane
M&S Cable Knit Crew Neck Jumper
This crew neck jumper is part of Sienna Miller’s edit for M&S and the timeless staple is kept minimal by way of design details, favouring classic cable knit and an ivory colourway. The chunky acrylic blend will keep you warm and cosy throughout the winter and has easy throw-on-and-go appeal.
Buy now £35.00, M&S
Ralph Lauren Pink Pony Flag Cotton Jumper
If you are a 90s baby, you likely had a variation of this jumper. With the revival of all things Nineties fashion, the trend cycle has put it front and centre of the fashion agenda once again. Spotted on every social media platform adorned by stylish content creators, this knit has a white cotton construction embroidered with the American flag and the signature RL logo.
Buy now £189.00, Ralph Lauren
Arket Mock-Neck Jumper
While kept classic with its neutral off-white colourway, this knit from Arket has subtle playful detailing with the scallop edges. But while its elegant silhouette demonstrates the Scandi label’s mastery on the style front, it doesn’t sacrifice on the warming front either. The cosy piece has a cotton-wool blend and a mock neck to trap in that all-important heat.
Buy now £87.00, Arket
Ganni Peach-intarsia wool-blend sweater
Make lemonade with this playful pink sweater from cult Scandi label Ganni. Sure, the brand may say it’s a peach, and yes, when you’re aware that it is supposed to be one, it becomes more obvious but we’re standing by the lemon comment for the summer in the Amalfi Coast connotation that it brings to our winter wardrobe.
The pretty in pink piece is made up of a wool blend derived from recycled yarns and embroidered with the fruit and signature Ganni lettering.
Buy now £219.00, Matches
& Other Stories Rose-Appliqué Knit Jumper
Say goodbye to drab winter clothing by infusing your wardrobe with this pink piece courtesy of & Other Stories. It is punctuated with crocheted, rose appliqués in the same colourway, bringing intrigue to your look.
Buy now £135.00, & Other Stories
Bella Freud Good Times merino-wool sweater
No knitwear round-up is complete without an entry from Bella Freud and the brand’s iconic slogan knits. The playful creations have reached iconic status in the fashion world where the merino and virgin wool styles are embellished with witty phrases or the 1970 date that has no significance according to the designer (it just looked good graphically).
Buy now £245.00, Matches
Staud Hampton half-zip striped cotton-blend sweater
Dubbed the Hampton sweater, you can see the influence of the seaside Long Island hotspot with the nautical blue and white colourway and preppy stripped aesthetic. But it has been given the Staud touch with a more pastel twist, chunky cotton construction and half-zip high neck.
Buy now £275.00, Matches
Glassworks Blue and white intarsia cloud wool blend jumper
This jumper will have you dreaming of colder weather, just so you have an excuse to pull it on. It has a cloud design on a dreamy blue sky backdrop that manifests the cheery scene reflected throughout the winter.
Buy now £90.00, Glassworks
Uniqlo Premium Lambswool Half-Zipped Jumper
Clare Waight Keller, the designer behind Meghan Markle’s wedding dress and former creative director at Givenchy has teamed up with Uniqlo to create an elevated line of basics that includes this half-zipped jumper.
The premium piece is crafted with 19.5-micron wool to ensure that it will stand the test of time year after year. The slouchy silhouette is relaxed but cropped so you can style it as pictured, over an oversized shirt.
Buy now £39.90, Uniqlo
H&M Zip-top rib-knit jumper
Buy this jumper from H&M now and wear it forever. The cream jumper with black stripe detail is a piece that will never go out of style. The Breton transcends the notion of trend while bringing with it Parisian-chic, sailor connotations. It is set on an oversized silhouette with a zipped top.
Buy now £37.99, H&M
Arket Bouclé Cardigan
Two words: bouclé cardigan. We really needn’t say more but to emphasise the sheer cosiness of this piece that, with the woven chiffon detail, will put a chic twist on your typical loungewear. But the beauty of the style is it can be worn as easily to the office as it can for a duvet day.
Buy now £87.00, Arket
Stine Goya Adonis Knitted Jumper
Stine Goya has a celebrity fan base that includes Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber who have worn colourful variations of the brand’s now signature checkboard knit. This vibrant rendition combines neon green with muted beige for an eye-popping piece to brighten dark winter days. Too maximalist for your liking? There are pastel and pared-back combinations aplenty.
Buy now £229.00, END.
Sheep Inc. The Sheepscape Crewneck - Bottle Green
Sheep Inc. is a responsible, climate-positive label that has complete transparency across its production line. Using merino wool, the pieces are created to last, but all without costing the Earth. The independent label has minimal designs in its repertoire but it’s the country scene of rolling mountains that represent the landscape of Omarama Station (the brand’s partner farm) that has caught our eye for its serene feel and transportive effect.
Buy now £320.00, Wolf & Badger
Madeleine Thompson Jacinta Jumper In Grey Cream
This is one of the core Madeleine Thompson styles that steps the effortless, versatile grey jumper up a notch with a collar detail. It is made from a cashmere construction that will put a cosy twist on your workwear.
Buy now £305.00, Trilogy
Gobi Cashmere High-Neck Cashmere Turtleneck
Fill your wardrobe with quiet luxury staples like this turtleneck jumper from Gobi Cashmere that has endless styling potential and sartorial indecision will be a thing of the past. The luxe piece comes in four neutral shades and combines Italian design with Mongolian craftsmanship for a piece that looks as good as it feels.
Buy now £219.00, Gobi Cashmere
