The cosy knitwear styles that are entirely office appropriate
I get the odd style crush here and there, and they inspire me to try something new or reconsider a piece I’d ruled out. My latest was Anna Singh, founder of Chinti and Parker, which is predominantly a knitwear brand. It probably helped that it was snowing outside at the time, but she was wearing a beautiful pair of charcoal wide-leg trousers with a chunky yet elegant striped knit. She looked both completely office appropriate and – most importantly – very warm. I have always worn and recommended slimmer knits and left looser fitting sweaters to the fashionistas, but Anna’s style has made me re-evaluate this for workwear.
It’s a brilliant time of year to invest in great quality knitwear as there are lots of options still in the sales after a (so far) mild winter. John Lewis has a fantastic oversized cable knit in a shade which, while unfortunately named “chinchilla”, is a great neutral. If you’re going oversized you have two styling options: either keep the lower half slimmer fitting or, if you’re blessed with proportionally narrow hips or are over-average height (neither applies to me) you can team your knit with wider leg trousers or skirts for a smart/casual look.
Look for little details that elevate a knit from simple into something a bit more special – the kind of piece that can be worn from desk to dinner. Knitwear specialist Alex Gore Browne excels at these touches, whether it’s a simple scalloped edge or a ruffled collar trimmed with tiny beads. Label/Mix’s collaboration with young British designer Rejina Pyo includes a beautiful weighty polo neck that looks classic from the front but has an open back (just layer over a silk camisole).
Oversized cable knit, £75, John Lewis; Savannah sweater, £435, Alex Gore Browne; Cashmere snood jumper, £174, ME+EM; Navy ribbon wool sweater, £350, Chinti & Parker
A knit is an easy way of introducing colour into a tired end-of-January wardrobe. The softness of cashmere tones down a hot pink or bright blue; ME + EM’s sweater even comes with a removable snood which would be handy to keep your neck warm on the commute. Otherwise, a camel jumper will take you all the way through spring and you can pair it with any colour in your wardrobe, I promise.
