Top 4 Fair Isle Knits

If someone had told me that 80′s retro knitwear was going to be all the rage this winter, I would have had a good laugh at them! The truth is, it is!

Fair Isle is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours, and originates from the island of Fair Isles in Scotland. I’m not surprised that these knits started from Scotland as they definitely need to be used up here to keep warm in the winter (currently writing from Edinburgh and already feeling the cold!).

These fair Isles knits can be found all over the high street for men and women, after they were a huge hit on the catwalks back in February. Look for co-ordinating colours, and the chunkier the knit, the better! Also look out for ‘Christmas’ inspired jumpers. Think Bridget Jones, or Wham’s video for Last Christmas. Anything with a reindeer or snowflake that wouldn’t look out of place in an 80′s ski resort is bang on!

Here are my top 4 fair isle knits:

Superdry Hutch Ski Hood at Cult Clothing

Superdry is a great brand for laid back, good quality casual wear and they haven’t let me down with their range of Hutch Ski Hoods. They are available in three different colour ranges of winter (blue, cream and red), charcoal marl (grey and white), and grey marl (a mixture of green and grey). I have chosen the latter as I love the green fair isle knit on top of the grey. This is a longer, but fitted jumper that would look great with black legging and boots. The hood gives it a relaxed feel and the cable knit is bang on trend. Pick it up for £59.99.

Ivory Reindeer Cardigan at Dorothy Perkins

I can’t talk about bringing back retro knit patterns without including something with a ‘Christmas’ theme! I love this cardigan! It’s definitely one to wear on Christmas day, but is a lot more Cameron Diaz in the Holiday than Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones! I can’t imagine how long it took someone to knit this masterpiece, but at £30 it’s a bargain! I believe this should be dressed up with black skinnies and some stiletto heeled boots! Wear it out for cocktails on Christmas eve and bring in the holidays with a bang!

Love Label Fair Isle Knitted Dress at Additions Direct

For those of you looking for a cute jumper dress this season, why not try this gorgeous fair isle knitted dress by Love Label at Additions Direct?! This jumper dress with short, structured sleeves has a lot of fair isle knit detail, but is very understated. The fair isle knit incorporates snowflakes and Christmas trees and would look lovely with opaque tights in any colour and some statement heels. Try some shoe-boots with some sparkle to make it a winter evening outfit. This jumper dress is only £35 and is definitely one to buy if you want to indulge in some fair isle knits!

Knitted Starsky Cardigan at Topshop

For the ultimate in cosy cardigans, this gorgeous Starsky cardigan from Topshop is definitely hitting the mark. It is the most expensive in my list at £55, but is completely worth it!

Incorporating camel, brown and blue into the fair isle print, this cardigan is the perfect item for lazy cold days. It is the best alternative to a winter coat and would look fab with some fur trimmed boots and comfortable jeans. Wear it with a cable knit beanie or faux fur trapper hat and you will have the winter look all wrapped up!

By Adeline Keirle

Baila Fair Isle Print Jumper Dress