Winter has struck and we have already covered a massive range of heat saving items that are great for our wardrobes like earmuffs, tights and snoods! Inspired by the sustainable fashion theme we have got going this month, I have been on the lookout for how people can employ this eco-friendly take on the the streets - and have not been disappointed.
This week I wanted to write about something I found quite interesting, noticing a massive return of those old knits that people used to push at the back of the closet, in a new trend about keeping warm, old-school style.
Maybe, it's just me, but for the past couple of years I have slowly been losing faith in the high street to deliver quality, affordable knits in materials that for once, are not acrylic and will actually keep me warm. Being a mere 4'11", one of the only things I learnt from Biology class was that I was small, had a bigger surface area to volume ratio and that meant that I was in for many cold winters! Of course, layering is a great way to save heat but it can often be tedious when all you really want to do is chuck on a huge snuggly sweater and leave the house.
We want to feel like this:
But lately, all of the knitwear I have bought has still made me feel more like this:
Which brings me back to my point - Vintage knitwear. It is of increasing frequency, especially this year, that I step outside of my flat in East London and see most of the student-chic fashionistas rocking their dad's old jumpers....or, well, someone's old jumpers at least. Obviously the large number of thrift shops (a few of which have still managed to stay reasonably priced despite the ridiculous tourist-trap most of the East has become) in the area seem to contribute to this recycling but the look is definitely spreading and it is certainly not an isolated trend.
Personally, I think it is great. I love the look and feel of an oversized jumper, and I think the days are gone when people dread that one terrible Christmas present they are bound to recieve, in the form of a woolen mistake. Now I think that old jumper is to be cherished, and have without a doubt found that the older ones tend to be much more wool-heavy than the newer ones. I suppose I could be seen as generalising, but talking from my experiences, I really can't help but find that the only recent high street knits I have faith in to keep me warm have not been the most cost effective on an impoverished student budget :-)
So, basically, what I am trying to say is that I think recycled jumpers are the unsung heroes of the season. Much of the vintage stuff is great quality and truly warm, and would make a great addition to any winter wardrobe! There are very few which are truly unnacceptable, but those ghosts of the past are never really seen haunting the streets, its a really easy thing to pull off! I always think an oversized old jumper is a great look with leggings or drainpipes and adds a dose of 80s nostalgia into the winter season.
A bit of...80's nostalgia...;-)
...and....even the most dubious looking knit can be tranformed!
They can be found anywhere from your own house, in the form of the unwanted property of a relative, to maybe a knit you have seen in a new light and of course, the local charity shops. So give it a go, and pick up your own. It is bound to keep you warm this holiday!
Keep it MODO people ;-)
I support the used oversize knit movement wholeheartedly. Great post!
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