It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in the UK, every year there will come that first day in spring when you head out confident it’s warm enough to just wear a T-shirt. And it is – until the second the sun dips below the horizon and, with it, the mercury.
While many of us can only dream about shivering over a pint in a quickly darkening pub garden right now, the promise of eased restrictions and more time spent outdoors means a lightweight summer knit is about to jump to the top of your wardrobe wish list. It should be classic in shape, thin enough to fold into a backpack and, importantly, versatile enough in colour to match with pretty much every pair of shorts or trousers in your closet. Here are some of our favourites…
The cricket jumper: P. Johnson
Nothing says summer in the UK like the return of local cricket leagues and, while there won’t be much actual sport happening this season, you can at least still look the part. Designed by Australian brand P. Johnson and spun in Northern Italy, this navy take on the cream classic offers a slim, sporty fit, a subtle cable knit design and elegant detailing to the cuffs and collar.
The crew neck jumper: Oliver Spencer
Already have cupboards full of block colour crew necks? Oliver Spencer is the label to turn to when you’re looking for something a little different. Crafted in a mid-weight organic cotton that is both warm and breathable, Spencer’s modern take on the classic sweater features an asymmetric textured panel and contrast trim that speak to your sartorial supremacy.
The cable knit jumper: Luca Faloni
You can’t go wrong with a good cable knit – especially when it comes from Italian knitwear maestro Luca Faloni. Made from a hard-wearing yet luxurious two-ply cashmere, this marine green shade is ideal for pairing with tailored shorts, jeans and chinos making it the ultimate multi-tasker for Casual Fridays in the office that turn seamlessly into weekend jaunts to countryside.
The sweatshirt: Sunspel
When it comes to absolute basics, a good grey sweatshirt is up there with well-fitted jeans and a crisp white shirt as items no man should be without. And, with all deceptively simple wardrobe items, it pays to invest in quality. Sunspel’s take on the style has all the hallmarks of a traditional sweatshirt – ribbed cuffs, V-stitch insert at the neckline, relaxed fit – but is constructed from a premium loopback cotton fabric that is supremely soft and just gets better with age.
The fisherman’s jumper: Ralph Lauren
Ever since Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson turned out a whole series of stylish fisherman’s sweaters in The Lighthouse, this oft overlooked jumper has been creeping firmly back onto our style radars. Practical, functional, cosy and cut to flatter almost any body type, Ralph Lauren’s traditional Aran-knit fisherman’s sweater is so good we’ll take it in cream, navy and grey please.
Johannes Huebl shares his spring style and grooming essentials…
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