Statement Jumpers

Almost every morning when I get ready for work it's the same story: I contemplate my (very) crowded wardrobe thinking I really have nothing to wear and I end up choosing my feel good black skinnies. But then, since inspiration is gone, the key question is what can I wear on top to avoid looking incredibly dull. One trick I have increasingly been using over the years when this happens is to make the jumper I wear the actual style statement. Over the past few seasons, Bella Freud, Markus Lupfer, Zoe Karssen and a number of French brands (including Kenzo but also the usual suspects such as Zadig & Voltaire, Maje etc) have grown their offers of edgy jumpers displaying striking logos or messages. 

Now this definitely solves one of my key morning crisis. By slipping on one of those jumpers I get to wear the simplest, most comfortable outfit and still look rather cool. Ergo end of dilemma! So I would definitely recommend investing in those jumpers just to help you through those tough days. Now the issue is that while the high street is usually incredibly fast at replicating the best designer styles (luckily for us!), statement jumpers have not really been their forte to date and I have not found many examples which were both convincing and (kind of) cheap (but maybe somebody has found more? If so do please leave a comment below, I am all ears!). 

But there is still hope as these jumpers are usually on the accessible end of the designer price range. I have listed below the ones that I am coveting the most right now, from cotton sweatshirts to luxurious knits. Hope you find your style.

Coton sweatshirts

1. Kenzo Tiger Sweatshirt, £175 - you cannot go wrong starting the week with a tiger!

2. Claudie Pierlot Tribute Bis Sweatshirt, £135 - absolutely love how they suggest styling this with a preppy shirt

3. Anna sequin-embellished cotton-jersey sweatshirt by Markus Lupfer, £125 (half the price of the famous Lara Lip Sweater on the Outnet) - for those days when you just need a bit of sparkle...

4. Sweatshirt Parisienne by Maison Kitsuné, €150 - an absolute classic for a French chic look! (unfortunately there are very few Maison Kitsuné stockists in the UK so you have to import it from France and pay in euros...)

5. Zoe Karssen No Sweart Velvet Sweatshirt, £85.80 (more than 50% off on the Outnet) - when velvet is the only thing that can cheer you up on a Monday morning

Knitwear jumpers

1. Hush Love jumper (55% merino wool) available from John Lewis, £79 - we have seen this one pretty much everywhere and for a good reason (love in particular how thefashionlift has been styling it)

2. Chinti and Parker Oh Yeah Cashmere Jumper, £325 - the most expensive but very good quality cashmere

3. Intarsia Merino Wool Sweater from Marc by Marc Jacobs, £91.50 (70% off at the Outnet) - simple and warm at a very good price

4. Maje Cashmere Madeleine Sweater, £209 - style and comfort with a dash of oomph

5. Qui Moi Merino Sweater by Ille de Cocos, £135 (available as pre-order, back in stock in the next week) - perfect for a fun and contemporary look

6. 1970 intarsia wool sweater from Bella Freud, £290 - obviously not cheap but also one of the coolest options!