today i love... basics

4. Knitwear

Time for another basics post (to see them all, click on the tag "today I love basics" below). Next up: knitwear. One of the most practical, comfortable and hard-working wardrobe essentials, it's at this time of year that knitwear begins to take over the high street. With autumn just around the corner and temperatures falling, what could be a more comforting welcome into colder climes than a soft, snuggly knit? Now I'm not talking about flimsy cardigans or paper-thin sweaters here. I'm talking big, luxurious, soft-as-a-blanket knitwear. Jumpers so huge they could swallow you up; granddad cardigans with mottled buttons and worn leather elbow patches. That's what autumn is all about for me, to be honest: being cosy. And I do love when fashion and function meet so perfectly.

To be honest, you can't go too wrong with knitwear, so I don't think you'll need any tips from me. All I would say is: firstly, make sure you try your jumper on over bare skin before committing to it, because scratchy fibres are not a good plan; secondly, oversized is always better than undersized when it comes to knits; thirdly, stock up on some classic, timeless pieces like cable and angora knits in grey, cream and navy, but don't be afraid to indulge in some seasonal trends, too: bright colours, animal motifs and metallics are all big news right now. And you won't have any problem finding your perfect cover-up, because chunky knits are absolutely everywhere at the moment, so much so that I had trouble narrowing it down to my top nine (below). But I will say Zara's brilliant selection is a great place to start. As for jumpers vs cardigans, personally I much prefer a good chunky jumper, as cardigans have a lot more pitfalls (too mumsy/too fussy/unflattering), which is why I've only chosen one cardigan in my high street picks. But of course it's up to you. Now, can you guess which one of the lovely knits below is currently making its way towards me...?