It's autumn 2017, and I think by now we've all seen the word 'hygge' appear in some shape or form. If you haven't, hygge is a convenient Danish word (pronounced hue-guh) for something that has a certain cosiness to it. It's a little more than a feeling - although that's what we, as the non-Scandinavian variety, tend to pigeonhole it as - hygge is more like a state of consciousness, where you're relaxed, secure and contented with the present moment. It has a simplicity to it: hygge can be the act of lighting candles in your living room, or slowly sipping a cup of hot chocolate in your favourite chair. You can even find hygge in a homemade stew, or a dressing gown that's been hanging in the airing cupboard.
For many of you reading this blog, fashion might be the way to achieve a sense of hygge this winter. Take the humble chunky knit; a quick Google search drums up 22.7 million results for this phrase, and you can spend hours scrolling through thousands of chunky knit jumpers, scarves and cardigans on Pinterest - I think I even saw a skirt on there once - which means that plenty of us are on the fashion hygge bandwagon.
If you've been on the search for the perfect chunky knit jumper yourself, you'll have probably spied the hundreds of imposters on the high street. The ones masquerading as chunky when in fact they're thinner than the ice you're standing on when you don't reciprocate your mother-in-law's Christmas
When I picture my perfect chunky knit jumper, it most definitely has an absurdly long turtle neck which I can bunch up to my ear lobes, as well balloon sleeves that are big enough to look deliberate, but small enough to fit under a coat if needed (no one wants to look like they've forced their arms into a jacket that fit them perfectly fine the month prior). Finish off the look with a warm neutral shade and I'm sold.
Is it too late to mention that I'm describing the gorgeous Tobi jumper that I'm wearing in these photos? I have to admit, I'm just a little bit in love with this. The silhouette is perfect, and the rips up the sides are a surprising addition to the aesthetic. Not only does it look cosy - it feels cosy. I've been wearing this both with coats and without, and I've felt nothing but toasty. Here, I've coupled the jumper with a pair of black, pinstripe, wide leg trousers from Bershka, some black, heeled ankle boots (which you can't see due to the length of the trousers), a black bag from H&M and some pink tinted glasses from zeroUV. This is a semi-casual look which I wore to go to the cinema with my boyfriend; however, I could easily wear this to work and feel both stylish and comfortable.
This is just one way you could wear this jumper, but I've also paired it with ripped, light blue denim jeans and white plimsols, as well as black skinny jeans and thigh high boots with just a bralette underneath. The thing about chunky knits is that they're versatile - throw one over a sequin mini dress you bought last year, et voilá: you've got a whole new outfit.
What would you pair with a chunky knit jumper? Let me know in the comments below!