Don’t know about you, but I find that Christmas is a bit like drinking martinis. It is really fun, and then it is a bit too much fun, and by the time I realise I’ve stepped over that line, whoops, it’s too late. I’ve overdone it, and all I want to do is lie down in a dark room.
Christmas is an intense and immersive experience. It is not just the alcohol, not just the food, although there have definitely been way too much of both of those things round my way. It is the whole sensory world. The new perfume your auntie got for Christmas going head-to-head with the cinnamon-scented tea lights. The nostalgia-soaked playlists and soppy romcoms. The kids on laps, the dogs on sofas, the fridge that barely closes. No doubt there was a point back there when I could have said: “You know what, I’ve had an elegant sufficiency of cheer, just a water and a quiet night with my journal tonight thanks,” but I was too busy singing along to Mariah Carey to notice and the moment passed. No matter. Better to err on the side of too much jolliness than too little, after all.
Now that the triptych of Christmas Eve, The Day Itself and Boxing Day are done, we can dial things down. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet. These post-Christmas days are, for many of us, an important moment of rest and relaxation. There is a sleepiness to the world right now. What day of the week is it? Are the trains running/shops open? No other time of year feels quite the same. The Twixmas days have a texture all of their own, a braiding together of hearty walks, long films, bubble and squeak.
The dress code is simple. What you need is a jumper that is cosy and special, but not overtly Christmassy. This, my friends, is the festive knit you really need, the one that will do you proud from the first days of December right to the last. The just-for-fun jumper, not a Fun Jumper.
To be clear, this means a knit with absolutely no reindeer. A hard no to gingerbread men. Zero tolerance of red-breasted robins. A snowflake motif is acceptable, at a push, if it is abstract and elegant. Holly, berries, that sort of thing are passable, but no Christmas trees please. Don’t even get me started on “Ho Ho Ho” jumpers, which will land you straight on the naughty list. Argyle diamonds, Fair Isle patterns: these are perfect. Think Scandi drama, not Santa’s grotto.
These betwixt-and-between Twixmas days can feel lazy in a luxurious way, or they can feel aimless in a discombobulating way. The right outfit can help you land on the right side of that line. The texture of a nice knit is unbeatable for when you want to feel wholesome but sophisticated, as if you are the sort of person who takes contemplative walks on beaches and knows how to cook things with clams. Be wary of the seductive tactile appeal of the super-chunky jumper, though. The most useful all-through-December knit, which is what we are aiming for, is one that keeps your body temperature optimal whether you are indoors doing nothing, or striding out on a brisk walk. A very heavy jumper is liable to leave you red-faced in both of those scenarios.
The right one is the knitwear equivalent of good lighting. It softens the edges, smooths over the late nights and the extra helpings. It is perfect for meeting friends to go for a walk, which is the kind of thing you might have in the diary for the next few days, because it will be comfy and warm but will also look nice in photos if someone gets their phone out. You want a knit that feels joyful, not hectic. A restrained dusting of sparkle, or little pearls, is ideal: it is important that you can pull it on for an early dog walk and then keep it on for lunch, dinner, telly, pub. Even – who knows – for one very small martini.
Model: Imogen May at Milk. Styling assistant: Charlotte Gornall. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using Sam McKnight and Kama Ayurveda. Jumper, £40, Marks & Spencer. Skirt, £180, Essentiel Antwerp. Boots, £169, Dune
