I am certainly not the kind of person that would advocate a complete neglect of style, even if you are just lazing around your parents house filling your face with Mince Pies and Bailey’s for a week, but at Christmas, the boundaries of style widen quite considerably to encompass the delightfully camp, unabashedly garish Christmas Jumper.
In the last week of the year, the most stylish amongst us will not be swathed in the perplexing snood, or baring our toes to the elements with a gorgeous pair of peep-toe ankle boots, but will instead be emblazoning our chests with woolen festivity, and if you’re lucky enough, even 3D detail or the odd LED.
When it comes to Christmas jumpers, the more ridiculous the better, knitwear is your oyster, but there are some important rules you should adhere to.
1) Make it Roomy
Let’s face it, you probably eat more on Christmas day that you would in an ordinary week, and you don’t want to be reminded of that fact by a protruding food-baby. A slouchy cardigan like the musical note adorned beauty by Cheap Monday can even be undone if you go too mental with the roast potatoes.
2) Pattern is Key
A tasteful jumper with a subtle festive embellishment is simply not good enough for a Christmas jumper, which should be pattertastic. If you must keep it simple, Topshop's monochrome polka dot sweater is a good compromise.
3) More is More
Colour, embellishment, enhanced shoulders and any 3D detail are all key elements of the perfect Christmas jumper, and if you're daring enough to shy away from the aforementioned monochrome, should be embraced. It's not like you really have to wear it in public. Miss Selfridge's lace and bow covered offering certainly goes to town, but with elegance.
Image via Grazia