Getting ready for autumn
part 1 of 2: knitwear, scarves, how I cosify my house, the best lightbulbs, pet stain removal, red lips on a bare face, and a couple of bothies
It’s been 13 degrees here today and the parasols have been retired until next year. It’s time to commit fully to autumn.
People always say ‘ooh, lovely great big autumn jumpers, I can’t wait’, but I don’t understand about the lovely jumpers, which are always really chunky. There are such nice ones around, especially at Cos (like here and here), but every year I have the same question, which is: do you not have central heating? Do you not work in a heated office?
If the answers are no and no, then the chunky jumpers, with their triple-ply yarn and their snug necks that come quite high up, are made for you. If your house is freezing or if you work outside all day or are a fisherman, crack on.
But if not, the chunky jumpers are swelteringly, intolerably hot within two seconds of setting foot indoors. I completely understand why people buy them - I do too, for the imagined romance of them, the suggestion of a wholesome, simple life, hands cupped around a mug of hot chocolate, big socks by a roaring fire, oh look, a leaf in your hair, how charming, etc - but I genuinely don’t understand who actually wears them all day long in normal life. With a coat on top to get from A to B! On the tube! In a warm Uber! Like being boiled alive.
Cardigans, on the other hand, I can do business with. They tend to be much thinner, plus if you get too hot you can unbutton them. For me the king of cardigans is the Gaspard from Sezanne, thus:
… because while being undeniably warm and cosy, it is not bulky and you won’t sit there feeling like you’re having a permanent hot flush. Also, flatteringly cut, really soft, nice buttons and won’t give you neck claustrophobia. Comes in various colours.