Wool is a textile that hovers over our skin, lofted by the knitted loops gently encircling the body. Wool fibers come from animals as diverse as rabbits and camels, and the variance in origin helps us understand how every fall, knit designers manage to spin and design yarn into fresh combinations of shape and texture, reviving our love of all things warm and cozy. Knits are inventive pieces that foster adoration for winter, so we can start dreaming of cups of tea savored during cozy nights indoors— while easing our grip on that precious daylight.
Outside of the perfect summer dress or worn-to-second-skin leather sandals, hot weather clothing is rarely the most beloved fashion items in our closet. This special place in our heart and wardrobe is reserved for the substantial fall and winter pieces ready to brave the elements. The statement coat that finishes our look, making our outfit professional and cool, is worth searching for. The supple leather boots that ward off rain and keep us in good footing are conditioned each season for good reason.
Weighted or light, cashmere or angora, wool is having its moment this fall. Again, we have bold cable knits as we saw last year, this time with a subtle and elegant shift to unusual earth tones and an exaggerated take on volume. Although forest green is headlining as the option for a 90’s revival, the color palette at Baby & Company has turned to the sophisticated colors of the earth, sparked from geological origins. Steely grays named ore, stone, and slate reflect the bounty under the surface of the earth. Warm tones come in pale ambers and caramel-colored yarns, as if derived from agates. Soft and blurry three-dimensional textures mimic the rolling and dark silhouettes one might see as you sit on the beach watching the sun set over the San Juan Islands. Fading to darkness, we can squint and see the brushlike outline of the evergreen tree-tops.
Comfy luxe is a term coined by Jill Donnelly to describe what she saw at market, and the minimal aspect of this movement cannot be overstated. The surfaces of these knits are expansive, designed with excess volume, as if to offer you the breadth of the earth and to create a silhouette that builds a personal universe around the skin, offering warmth and comfort.
We have a girlfriend who loves wearing sweaters so much that it informed her decision for where to attend college. We aren’t suggesting everyone go to such extremes to enjoy the right to bear wooly arms, but we can certainly appreciate the inclination to take the best of the natural earth with you as you go adventuring. Happy Fall!
