Style Debate: Fair Isle Sweaters

Lands’ End Canvas Fair Isle Crewneck – $69.50

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The Case For Fair Isle: We’re entering a time of year when many of us will be lucky to see the sun more than twice a week.  It’s grey, it’s dark, and so are most of our cold weather clothes.  The Fair Isle knitting pattern was invented on the most remote inhabited island in the U.K.  So they know something about:  A. Staying warm and B. Remaining cheerful enough not to murder each other during the winter months.  It’s casual for sure, but as long as the fit is right it has a workman like feel that delivers a much needed dose of character around this time of year.

The Case Against Fair Isle:  Hooray for color.  Hooray for unexpected jolts of it via our socks.  But this trend towards bigger and brighter colors and patterns is starting to make some grown men look like kindergarteners.  Most Fair Isle looks either musty or childish.  A stray Fair Isle sweater is to hipster fashion as henna tattoos are to real tattoos.  Don’t go halfway.  At best, Fair Isle is wildly busy.  At worst, it looks like Grandma’s living room rug is halfway through giving birth to you.  Not many women have ever said: “look at that sexy guy in the Fair Isle sweater!”  And when they have, you better believe the colors were dark, the fella looked rough, and he was probably sporting a mustache that could have intimidated the pants off Medusa herself.

Are you on board with Fair Isle?  Or are you sticking with solids, stripes and maybe argyle?  Leave your take below.