New year, new season, new trends. Same weather. It's the same ol' problem year in, year out. We greet January (well, January 2nd…) fresh faced and hopeful, our new seasons magazines dog-eared from constant long car journey revision sessions. We internalise the key high street items we need to be camping out for and begin to channel the attitude of the chosen seasonal muse (Note - arriving to Boxing Day lunch in flowing Halston, atop a white horse a la Bianca Jagger did NOT go down well with my Nan).
We cleanse, we gym, we clean, we create home filing systems… but what do we not do? We don't wear any of our new garb because it's still too flipping cold. Seventies crochet and broderie anglaise both paint a beautifully breezy and feminine picture, but they both have the same unifying problem. Actual holes in the fabric. Likewise, there is no doubt that floral silks will be sexing up our springtime, but for these early months we are reduced to wearing them only within the confines of our bathrooms after a hot shower.
Never fear, Marketplace mavens, for there is Winter fashion god, and his/her name is layering. Now, before I catch you feeling all smug in your groundbreaking short t-shirt over long sleeve t-shirt combination, I must inform you that this is not about merely layering, oh no, this is about (get ready for the capital letters) The New Layering.
The New Layering, put simply, is about making your under-layers warmer than your outer-layers. So instead of thinking jumper over blouse, instead think jumper under blouse. Simple. There is an easy route straight to succeeding in New Layering, and it's name is fine weave knitwear. Skintight body knits allow you to be the first to flutter about in your Spring/Summer buys, whilst simultaneously keeping you protected from the elements in a subtly embellished way. By keeping your silhouette snug but streamlined, you are left to layer up with whatever floaty little number your heart desires. Below we've selected the best of our New Year knits.
Mesh All-in-One by Faster by Mark Fast
Archer leather knit trousers by Alice Lee
