November 2023 – The Lady's Maid

As a source of all things timeless and classic you may think I would be disapproving of the Christmas jumper – with its rather garish and style-less reputation but there are a lot of classic and stylish options out there. A jumper should be for life and not just for Christmas so I’ve focused here on the most timeless styles – festive fair isles and knits with just a hint of sparkle or star and snowflake motifs that can be worn in December and beyond. I’ve rounded up my top 40 below – grouped into under £100, £100-£250 and £250+. My top pick for the under £100 and the one I’ll be wearing this festive season is the Sophia purple polo neck from Monsoon – I love the velvet star appliqués bordered with pearls. I’ll be wearing mine with a matching cord midi skirt also from Monsoon. I also like Fat Face’s offerings this year especially their Bobble sheep jumper – part of their collaboration with the charity Shelter who they are giving 10% of all sales to. It’s also a more budget friendly iteration of the iconic Princess Di sheep jumper from Warm & Wonderful.

In the £100-£250 group I would recommend choosing a traditional fair isle from somewhere like Campbell’s of Beauly or Jamieson’s – family run businesses who are keeping the tradition of fair isle alive in the place where it was born – the Shetland Isles – using quality wool from native Shetland sheep. I like the festive colours in Jamieson’s Vee neck vest. The Snowflake crew from Campbell’s of Beauly and the Braemer olive green jumper from Plumo are also on my wish list.

If you’ve got cash to splash in the £250+ group my favourites here are the Holiday Noel Cashmere Knit Sweater from Loro Piana and the Anja sweater by Sea with its subtle depiction of sheep under a starlit sky. My warm & wonderful sheep jumper will be getting lots of wear this winter (I’m wearing it now over my pyjamas as I type this!) I wish they would do a mini me one for pups – that would look so cute on Pugmoiselle, although the Gyles & George “I’m a luxury few can afford” would be more apt for her this year! I hope you find something you like – let me know what your favourites are.