The best knitwear to buy now
Our top halves are getting more screen time than ever. As many offices – including The Rake’s HQ – are still working from home, the time spent on Zoom, FaceTime and Skype directly correlates to the amount of effort we put into dressing from the waist up. Not only that, but days are getting darker, daylight savings is almost over and winter is approaching faster than we’d like – and as our health is our most valued asset right now, keeping warm is more of a priority than ever. The clothes we invest in need to be reliable, comforting, soft and insulating – but that doesn’t mean compromising on style or missing out on the season’s top trends. This is the best knitwear to buy now.
BUTTON UP
Cardigans are back for good, and we’re particularly into those with a preppy, Americana-inspired sports stripe. We’d wear Altea’s with a white open collar shirt in brushed cotton.
RED ALERT
This season, we've found ourselves tempted by top-to-toe red, so pair crimson cashmere, rouge roll necks and candy apple cable knits with Cordone’s pillar-box-bold flannel trousers.
ENDURING ESSENTIALS
Boasting a rich, albeit elusive, history in 19th century Celtic and Gaelic fishing communities, fisherman's sweaters have also been worn by the likes of Steve Mcqueen. There's no brand that has closer ties to its origins than Inis Meain, which is also one of the three Aran islands. The brand's offaly cashmere and Merino wool Trellis turtleneck, is inspired by the styles that were worn as ‘Sunday Best’ formal on the island. But its versaility means that it can act as a shortcut to easy, timeless style. Wear with Kit Blake’s AW20 drawstring Aleksandar trousers and Scarosso’s lazy day sneakers.
TECH DECK
Inspired by functional outerwear, these pieces work harder than your average sweatshirt using functional fibres such as Filoscozia cotton and triple-ply fabrics to wick away moisture but lock in heat.
HOT FUZZ
An alumni of the Ivy League school of dressing, the 'shaggy dog' jumper is a highly-textured, dependable piece of clothing made with hand-brushed Shetland wool. Its soft-focus effect means you can wear it with other textured cloth, such as corduroy or leather, without looking overdone.
BEST OF THE VEST
If the idea of sleeveless knitwear gives you school-uniform-induced nightmares, these grown-up garments will change your mind for good, especially layered beneath an inky bomber jacket by De Petrillo.
