I can’t be the only one who’s noticed this beautiful emergence of avant-garde and relatable clothing. Think of the meticulous and ethereal designs from Di Pesta and Tia Adeola, or the surrealist accessories coming out of Loewe or Schiaparelli. However, I’d like to specifically hone in on how this has affected knitwear. ’Tis the season for cozy sweaters after all, and we all know that fashion is obsessed with crochet. Knits go far beyond a standard grandma cardigan—in fact, as I aimed to prove this week, it can even be editorial.
As a stylist and writer living in New York City (and keeping my Floridian spirit) I’m inspired by the authenticity of my fellow city dwellers and their effortless ability to be fly. So much so, I’ve borrowed the inspiration and added my editorial eye. Below, five days and five ways that I tested out the trend of edgy, unexpected, and, above all, chic knits.
Monday
When dressing myself, I think of what I want to achieve with this outfit. For me, knitwear means endless possibilities for texture. Nothing shakes up a well-put-together look than mixing in unexpected fabric.
Starting the week off strong, I wanted to bring in color. Just because the days are gray doesn’t mean I have to be. All I needed was a bit of inspiration, which came from Heliot Emil, a Danish brand known for full-body draping and apocalyptic wear. The layering from their fall 2023 collection was immaculate and approachable.
To make the look my own, out of pieces already in my closet, I pulled on my overly tasseled and slightly distressed cream knit trousers with different patterns going across and up and down the pants. Next, I wanted to add levels of asymmetrical shapes for an editorial touch. On my hip is a tied distressed eggshell sweater, heavy yet light.
It’s time for color! My lavender and rust ribbed sweater from Free People brings dark and soft hues. I recently bought a moss green mohair cardigan from Lagoon, making this look more whimsical and fun.
Tuesday
It’s date night! It’s also the one day of the week when I’m not chained to shoots, jobs, or projects—a full day of freedom and creativity. I aim for a certain simplicity that still radiates elegance, sex appeal, and decadence. The trend of skirts over pants has been around for the last few years, but I like to elongate the silhouette with a dress. This is also the perfect chance to winterize a look for the fall.
My reliable House of CB cream knitted pants are made to hug the bum, not hide it. The texture adds warmth and coverage without sacrificing the appeal. I’m honoring the changing leaves by sticking with the brown color palette and wearing The Kript’s dress, with an exaggerated and twisted animal stripe print on the skirt. The best part: the dramatic high slit, perched perfectly on the hip, exposing the horizontal knit pattern of the pants. Add my leather and suede brown Valentino boots and Argentinian leather pony hair bag, and we are ready to go. The best thing about the bag, besides being the ultimate $20 thrift cop, is that although it isn’t knit, it looks like crochet.
Wednesday
Humpday means I need to switch it up. So why not mix materials as well as textures? Metals and knit, but in a way that brings a classic New York sensibility to the look. I’m also due for a change of silhouette. My pants are the heavy black wide-leg denim that falls gracefully on my lower hip.
Next is a rather large, thrifted Calvin Klein dress shirt, with only the top four buttons done up. This creates a split in the middle to play with. More than anything, it creates movement. So where is the sweater? A cut-off thrifted Ralph Lauren vest that stops right where the last fastened button on my shirt is, not interfering with the openness of the shirt. Now, we can start to play with materials. I decided to add a metal cropped halter that drapes over the sweater vest. Throw in some platform patent leather buckled loafers, and you’ll have a ’fit that could easily be seen flippin’ through the magazines. It’s New York: you can never go wrong with black, white, and silver.
Thursday
The theme of today is delicacy, softness, and femininity. I wanted to indulge in my chocolate brown corduroy corset, which had been waiting for its day in the city.
But let’s not focus on the corset. Instead, I want to think about the base. I went with a taupe, ruffled, low-waisted pants. I like to add gold for that metallic shine, and my medallion gold waist belt was a fitting addition. We can add the chocolate corset, but I want more movement. I grabbed my star pattern white and cream mohair trench cardigan, and knotted it softly at the nape of my collarbone to expose my shoulder. My croc brown leather boots meshed with the brown of the corset, keeping the look connected without overly matching.
Friday
Feeling like a femme fatale. It’s no secret that brands like Chopova Lowena, Dilara Findikoglu, and Namilia are dismantling and rebranding of femininity, and I wanted to channel that energy. I started my base with a multi-textured halter crochet dress, worn as a skirt, with a giant misshapen silver ornament. Next? My classic vintage Victoria Secret black satin corset, which defines my silhouette.
I added a mesh Chidozie sleeve to continue the black motif, but give it depth. On top of the sleeves comes my knitted super, super-cropped hood. This highlights the element of the dark femme, obscuring the typicality of daintiness. The kicker is the chain link metal headpiece, deliciously reminiscent of Joan of Arc. Lastly, the shoes! My patent leather stiletto Western calf boots with a boot chain. I’m ready to bring a little runway to the streets of New York City.