Fashion
A Brief History of
Chirstmas Jumpers
Fashion's Oddest Seasonal Trend
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n the world of fashion, wanting to look tacky and kitschy is this antithesis of style and any true fashion aficionado hopes to avoid it at all cost — unless it is for some high fashion gala. However, every year, come December, we throw these rules away, young or old, conservative or bold, and participate in the yearly winter tradition of garish, and sometimes, downright ugly Christmas jumpers. Every street and department store is filled with adults and children alike adorned in brightly colored wools with audacious stitching, proudly proclaiming their holiday cheer, no matter what is en vogue or not. But where did this tradition come from? How has it transformed and lasted as a lovingly strange ritual that we can’t help but take part in, even if it goes against our better style judgment? To get to the bottom of this question, we must travel back to 19th century Scandinavia, where fishermen, having to work on ice-filled seas, would don very elaborately knitted sweaters, covered in patterns of snowflakes, deer, and other Nordic iconography. While understandably versatile, as the woolen fabric kept them warm against the cold wind of the arctic seas, they were definitely a bold fashion statement. Strangely the jumper would stay fairly isolated until the 20th century when professional skiers would be seen wearing them. Suddenly, Hollywood caught wind of these strange garments and they could be found on some of the largest stars of the time, like Clark Gable and Ingrid Bergman, which brought their popularity into the mainstream. These styles would continue in popularity through the Second World War, as these garments were fairly cheap to produce and looked nice on advertisements, which was an industry that was beginning to grow. In the 50s, designers like Coco Chanel and Jean Patou continued the tradition by having ornately designed sweaters and knitwear as part of their winter collections. This trend would continue long into the 60s and 70s as knitwear would become a staple trend in both decades. These jumpers were the perfect mix of cheap, customizable, and practical, so it was no wonder their popularity took off.
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