For decades, Fair Isle sweaters have been the sartorial mascot of the ritzy, après ski crowd—the type of people who vacation in Vail wearing Chloé snow boots. They're generally considered a preppy staple and, as such, are generally avoided by those who prefer an alt aesthetic. But Sydney Sweeney, renowned Fair Isle enthusiast, has done the impossible: made the bourgeois, Kate Middleton-esque favorite look edgy-cool.
Armed with an oversized ivory-colored knit—a luxury purchase from Celine—Sweeney layered it with frayed jeans and a slouchy, '80s-era leather jacket. Though Fair Isle knitwear is most commonly associated with barn jackets and cashmere scarves, Sweeney chose black leather add-ons to give her sweater an edge—a popular cool-girl styling trick.
In addition to her outerwear, the Immaculate actor also reached for a black leather Arcadie bag—a boxy Miu Miu design beloved by the likes of Gigi Hadid and Kylie Jenner. Finished with classic wayfarer sunglasses, her outfit looked like something you'd wear on the back of a motorcycle rather than the ski slopes.
It's been a Fair Isle type of week for Sweeney, who wore another version of the Aspen off-duty uniform a mere 24 hours prior. On Dec. 15, the star was photographed on the streets of New York City with fiancé Jonathan Davino. Naturally, she embodied the posh metropolitan vibe NYC is known for.
Utilizing leather details once more, she chose dark chocolate trousers to go with her camel-colored Gucci sweater. Though softer in color, Sweeney's pants had the same effect as her tough-girl leather jacket.
Even before Sweeney's double endorsement, the Fair Isle sweater has accumulated a long list of notable fans. The festive print has been a royal family favorite for more than a century, having been worn by everyone from Princess Diana and Kate Middleton to the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) in 1921.
More recently, Hailey Bieber styled a camel version of her own in 2023 with a pleated mini skirt. And this year, fashion week guests paired theirs with denim and micro shorts. So really, Sweeney is the latest advocate for giving this sweater a thoroughly modern makeover.
