Sweater Weather

The temperatures in New York have been very cold each morning so my sweaters have been in heavy rotation. I’ve been layering them under blazers or light jackets since it usually warms up each afternoon. I’m especially loving fair isle sweaters for fall and have already bought two. I’m still trying to find a new ivory cable knit sweater but one of these below might be an option.

Outfit above: Isabel Marant Fair Isle Wool Sweater, J.Crew Toothpick Jeans, Zespa Snake Print Sneakers, Vintage Hermes Kelly Bag, Vintage Breitling Watch, Molecule 01 Perfume, and Secret History, the perfect book for autumn.

I’ve been eyeing this Frame oversized Fair Isle alpaca-blend turtleneck sweater since I first saw it online. I finally decided to pull the trigger and I could not be happier. It’s light and airy and incredibly soft. It’s the perfect fall weekend sweater for apple picking and leaf peeping or just brunch in the city.

This cable-knit organic cotton-blend sweater is unique with cables only on the sleeves.

I am completely in love with this Altuzarra Fair Isle wool-blend cable-knit sweater but I’m not sure I can justify the price. I hope it doesn’t sell out before it goes on sale. It’s also available in a cardigan. A big trend in knitwear is to wear a matching sweater tied off kilter around your neck and this would be an extremely chic duo.

I wish the scarf wasn’t attached on this cable-knit wool-blend sweater so you had more options for outfits but I still love it.

I really love all over fair isle patterns like this Fair Isle alpaca-blend turtleneck sweater. Wear it with jeans on weekends and with wide leg trousers during the work week.

There’s something very vintage preppy about the leather buttons on this balloon sleeve cable knit cardigan.

This camel Fair Isle sweater is a modern take on the classic style.

This cropped cable-knit wool sweater would look great with wide leg high rise cords and jeans.

I love the colors and button detail on the sleeve of this Fair Isle knitted sweater.

This button-embellished cable-knit merino wool-blend sweater is another great fall weekend sweater.

I think I’m going to buy this Fair Isle wool-blend turtleneck sweater for winter. I would pair it with charcoal grey trousers or jeans. It would be great for a ski trip weekend too.

I love the romantic look to this cable-knit merino wool turtleneck sweater. It’s also available in lavender. Both would look great with flowy skirts and wool trousers.

This Batoner Nordic Turtleneck Sweater is chic unisex Fair Isle option.

This ReCashmere Vintage Crew Neck Sweater comes in eight different colors , four of which have a matching cardigan. I would buy both and wear it as a sweater set or wrap the cardigan around my neck like a scarf.

If money were no object, I would also buy this Stella McCartney Fair Isle-knit wool-blend sweater. I love the patten and all the colors.

This cozy chunky cable-knit oversized cardigan looks perfect for a weekend upstate.

This Fair Isle merino wool turtleneck sweater would be very chic with winter white wool trousers or skinny black pants.

Fun fact: Fair Isle sweaters get their name from Fair Isle, an island between the Orkney and Shetland Islands to the north of Scotland in the UK, at the point where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea.

Whilst it is not set in stone exactly where Fair Isle knitting patterns originated from, there are several ideas. El Gran Grifon, part of the Spanish Armada was shipwrecked on Fair Isle in 1588 – the strong similarities between Fair Isle knitting and Moorish patterns has caused many to believe that this ship could have carried an item of clothing from which the craft originated.

Others speculate that Viking settlers may have been the ones responsible for the brightly coloured patterns, though probably the most widely accepted idea is that patterns originated from the Baltic nations. The island was on a trade route from the Baltics and its likely a piece of knitwear was swapped by a passing ship in exchange for goods. It is likely that the women of the island were already adept knitters, so introducing patterns would have been relatively simple with their already developed skills. Over time the intricacy of the patterns developed, until the 19th century when patterned garments were regularly being traded off the island.

Via Laine Madeunique

from Habitually Chic®