Why A Red Knit Is The Fashion Set’s Secret Styling Trick

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.”