The last few seasons have
reintroduced some of the best 1970s staples back into the menswear
lexicon, with corduroy, tartan and roll necks among those that have
become wearable again (credit where it’s due if you can pull them
all off at the same time). As we dust off our autumn/winter
wardrobes in anticipation of colder days and longer nights, the
roll neck offers a compact, easy and – most importantly – warm way
to do so in style. Be it a fine cashmere layer or chunky cable
knit, we’ve drawn on some of the most rakish roll-neckers to guide
you. After all, if you break down the outfits of Steve McQueen
in Bullitt
or Richard Roundtree in
Shaft, rather than a nostalgic aesthetic that verges
on costume, what you get is a timeless formula that is easily
updated by playing with proportions, paying close attention to
design and introducing classic accessories.
1. Tweed
Everything appears considerably
cooler when Steve McQueen wears it, but his navy roll neck and
herringbone tweed jacket could be worn by virtually anyone,
anywhere. The low-key appeal is due in no small part to the
medium-weight navy knit, which McQueen wears with understated
tweed, a camel coat, Sanders ‘Playboy’ Chukka boots and Persol
shades. The latter two are signature Steve, still available to buy,
and easily adopted by men of all ages - despite the fact that the
film was made five decades ago.
2. Neutrals
Far from boring, camel, stone
and tan offer some light relief from grey and navy and are
effortless colours to incorporate into a daily uniform. Leonard
Cohen’s two-tone combination is elegant and autumnal, with a heavy
knit and a well-worn suede trench-style coat. Here, the singer is
pictured enjoying a concert in the Netherlands in April – despite
being spring, it’s still a chilly time of the year to be outside,
but Cohen looks cosy and confident in his choice of
knitwear.
3. Minimal
Caine’s distinguished
high-buttoning double-breasted jacket is typical of the mod era,
but can easily be translated into a classic DB blazer updated with
strong peaked lapels and a little more structure. His fine knit
allows for layering beneath tailoring, and the shorter collar
maintains a clean silhouette and can work for both day and evening.
The look Caine channels here was adopted by intellectuals and
academics in the 1950s, and with a pair of thick framed spectacles
you, too, can look like you studied art in Paris one
summer.
4. Casual
Both denim and roll necks have
nautical origins, dressing French sailors and naval officers
respectively, but by the middle of the 20th century the polo neck had developed its own
status as the ‘anti-tie’ garment. Less restrictive than a shirt and
tie, it was – and still is – a comfortable way to give your
casualwear a polished edge. Give a well-worn or vintage denim shirt
a renewed sense of purpose by wearing it over a soft cashmere knit
(and perhaps eschew Phoenix's lamb-chop facial hair in favour of a
clean shave or neat stubble).
5. Bold Colour
While the supersized lapels and shiny leather of Roundtree’s
jackets in Shaft might not have survived the seventies, the
pairing of leather and ribbed knitwear still brings an appealing
contrast in texture. Roundtree is also an excellent example of
owning a bold colour – rather than letting it own you. It helps
that he’s matched his knitwear to a nearby sports car, but if
pillarbox red is a little too festive for you, a vibrant pop of
yellow worn with neutral colours like brown, olive or khaki is less
intimidating than you might think. Avoid wearing with other block
colours and use texture and tonal patterns to soften the overall
effect.
