We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.
Christmas demands a certain amount of effort when it comes to getting dressed. It’s the time of year when feathers, sequins and velvet re-emerge. Maybe we revisit heels for the first time in months, or perhaps decide a shimmering clutch bag isn’t an impractical nightmare after all. Practicality rarely comes into it, but this year I would like to make the case for the little red knit, the cheeriest and most comfortable way of giving your outfit a festive sheen. The fashion crowd have been wearing different variations of the LRK for months, whether triangle scarves, knit hoods, cardigans or jumpers. It might be cosy, but a shot of red is also energising, interesting, and a stylish way of aligning yourself with Christmas. Here, we round-up our favourites.
Part of the reason for the rise of the LRK is that British knitwear is HAVING A MOMENT. Herd make HEIRLOOM STYLES using Bluefaced Leicester fleece from the northern uplands of Yorkshire, while Kiltane is a reminder that few do cashmere as well as the Scots. Add fashion favourites & Daughter and Navygrey to the equation and you have a BRITISH KNITWEAR REBOOT. Gather & See brings together a curation of the best independent and ethical brands on offer. A red knit is UPLIFTING AND VERY WEARABLE. Even a rouge accessory will enliven a look – consider one of the SEASON’S MUST-HAVE triangle scarves for a quieter way in.
Wear a red jumper layered over a white T-shirt, with a hint of the latter poking out from the neckline to break up the intensity of the colour. Just add a pair of indigo jeans and black boots and you have a relaxed festive weekend look. Alternatively, consider a red cardigan, undone a few buttons, tucked into wide-leg trousers (it’s a shade that works really well with brown and navy), for a dressier look. A chunky roll-neck, pleated mini with tights and loafers is also a winning (and warm) combination. If you don’t want to over commit, make like the style set and drape your knit over your shoulders.
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Lead image: H&M
Ella Alexander is Citizen Femme’s fashion features editor. She started her career at the Evening Standard, and has since held senior editorial roles at Vogue, The Independent and Harper’s Bazaar, where she remains a contributing editor. She also writes for The Telegraph, Sunday Times Style, Service95 and CNN. She is an author, having co-written Dame Zandra Rhodes’ memoir, Iconic: My Life In Fashion In 50 Objects, published by Transworld in July 2024. Her favourite travel destination is Catania, Sicily’s second city.
