Why A Red Knit Is The Fashion Set’s Secret Styling Trick
Adding an unexpected pop of color, courtesy of a simple red knit – tied nonchalantly around the waist or across the shoulders – is the easiest way to elevate your new-season style, says GILLIAN BRETT
While the runway shows are what guide us on what we’ll be wearing next season, the streets are a source of instant inspiration. There is nothing quite like people-watching – and therefore, trend-spotting – when fashion month is in full swing. This season, a remarkably effortless micro-trend has emerged: a bright red knit tied around the waist or across the shoulders, adding a playful pop of color – whether you’re wearing tailoring or jeans and a tee.
The arrival of colorful crew necks as a styling piece feels like a natural segue from summer’s silk-scarves trend. Aesthetics aside, though, as the mercury drops, having a piece of knitwear on hand is always wise. The look first emerged at Oslo’s fashion week back in August, with tastemaker Tine Andrea Lauvli knotting a scarlet sweater around the waist of her black wide-leg jeans, paired with a polo shirt and leather jacket, giving her gray-and-black palette a little lift. Trust the Scandinavians to conjure the most uncomplicated, impactful and practical micro-trend. “I’m a big fan of neutrals, but I love adding a small pop of color, whether it’s a sweater, a scarf, or even just a tank top in a hue that reflects my personal taste; it might be the easiest styling hack of all time!” says Lauvli. “Red is a color that will never go out of style, which, again, makes me comfortable using it. And, let’s be honest – who doesn’t want to (and is sometimes forced to) experiment with [cold-weather] fabrics and layers in Scandinavia? So why not just add some color as well?”
Fast-forward to New York Fashion Week, where we spotted editorial director Sarah Harris knotting her red sweater asymmetrically over a white T-shirt and wide-leg jeans, and street-style doyenne Grece Ghanem using hers to cinch the waist of a baby-pink Tibi dress. “For me, it’s not about a trend, it’s about an attitude,” says Ghanem. “It’s about the piece giving me self-confidence, joy and making me shine.” Indeed, shades of red have long been associated with strong emotions, from passion to power. There’s the ‘power tie’ phenomenon in which a red tie worn in professional settings is said to telegraph an air of confidence and capability. And, of course, the red carpet is rolled out only for the most feted celebrities.
So, if you’re in need of a mood boost or you feel like your all-neutrals look is missing something, consider draping &Daughter’s ‘Balla’ sweater in lipstick red across your shoulders to elevate your outfit and your outlook. For the office, it will look super-chic with Joseph’s wool shirt in taupe and Loewe’s barrel-leg pants. To nail Lauvli’s look for a weekend brunch, you need Nour Hammour’s leather ‘Drey’ jacket with Tove’s soft gray polo shirt and Rùadh’s red cashmere V-neck tied around Citizens of Humanity’s black barrel-leg jeans. Or take your style cues from Ghanem and make red work for evening with Magda Butrym’s pastel-pink dress and Lisa Yang’s scarlet cashmere cardigan.
“A pop of red is a great way to transition into fall and capture the color – which has been so prominent over the last few seasons – in a subtle yet impactful way,” says NET-A-PORTER buying manager Lydia Zacharis, who is known to artfully drape a red knit around the shoulders of more tonal looks. “While nothing beats a good red dress, I opt for accents instead – and love how multi-purpose a red knit can be. Worn around the shoulders – diagonally, as a scarf or wrapped up around the waist – it adds interest to the simplest of outfits.”
The people featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown