A good knit can transform an outfit. Whether you’re throwing a leather bomber over some casual sustainable cashmere for your Sunday errands, or going full chaotic sculptural knitwear mode for a party, the humble knit is both practical and versatile.
But which jumpers and cardis should we be investing in for the year ahead? And how can we up our knitwear game just in time for spring, which in the UK can mean anything from “picnic weather” to “ferocious lashings of snow”? Here are the knitwear trends to invest in for 2025.
Shrunken cardigans (yes, still)
The shrunken cardi isn’t going anywhere just yet. Ever since this twee staple started showing up way back in the autumn/winter 2023 collections, before being bolstered by the likes of Paul Mescal and Bella Hadid last year, we still can’t get enough of the tight little grandma cardigan. It’s easy to see why: the teeny cardi is somehow both sexy and demure (unlike its shleppy oversized counterpart). They’re also good for all weathers, whether you’re throwing an extra layer under your coat or opting for a little cropped number during a heatwave. Long live the cardigan!
The return of the humble V-neck
Once considered kind of cringe – especially if worn by a man with nothing else beneath (how is that comfortable?) – the humble V-neck is making its wildly confident return for 2025. But this is not the V-neck of your parents’ office colleagues. No, think V-necks with preppy Noughties appeal, à la Bottega Veneta and Miu Miu. Best styled with bootcuts and a barely-there scarf, like it’s literally 2006.
Bonnets galore
The little red riding hood is in for 2025. No, I mean it – baby bonnets for adults are having (another) moment. While the knitted hood tends to show up every winter – ever since Miuccia Prada’s autumn/winter 2021 collection – this year we’re seeing the headwear enter newer, more imaginative realms, from loose-fitting cashmere styles to the tomato-red bonnets that we’ve spotted flashing like sirens among the street-style set. The best thing about the bonnet? If you’re a whiz, you could just knit one yourself. Who has the time to do all that, though?
Sustainability makes the world go round
In the past, being “mindful” of what we were wearing basically amounted to “not fur” and “not fast fashion”. But in recent years, people have wised up to knitwear’s impact on the planet, from synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels to the issue of land degradation when it comes to fibres like cashmere. Fortunately, there’s a whole new wave of eco-friendly and ethical knitwear brands that are worth investing in for 2025, from &Daughter to La Granni, Lisa Yang and more.
Golf minus the golf
You don’t have to play golf to wear a golf jumper. In fact, it’s better that you don’t (you want to be giving “fashion” rather than “someone’s granddad”). The golf jumper, and the Argyle pattern more generally, has been slowly edging it’s way into our wardrobes like, well, a gently putted golf ball. As Vogue’s Joy Montgomery wrote at the tail-end of last year: “It has taken a few seasons for it to trickle into the mainstream, but now we can safely say that the Argyle knit is solidly in the shopping spotlight, embraced by the high-street and high-end brands alike – from Bottega Veneta and Prada to Gant and Ganni – in the form of deconstructed cardigans, polos and classic crew-necks.” The best thing about the golf jumper is that it’s a classic style, so you can bet you’ll find at least one in any good charity shop or thrift store.
Knitwear, but make it a dress
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From distressed floor-length knits at Diesel, to the sheer knit minidresses at Saint Laurent, knit dresses were all over the spring/summer 2025 runways. Celebs have wasted no time getting on board (see: Emma Corrin disrupting the naked dress trend at the Nosferatu premiere last year, or else Rihanna opting for a chunky wool knit maxi dress from Acne Studios). Whether you go for the barely-there slip-on knit or the figure-hugging classic knit will depend on the weather, and how much nip you’re willing to flash.
This article was originally published on British Vogue.
