Fair Isle is a knitting technique that combines two or more colours to create a distinctive pattern. It gets its name from an island in Shetland just north of Scotland. I also think of Fair Isle knitwear patterns as Norwegian and Icelandic, so very Nordic.

We see Fair Isle knitwear every season because its a classic. From time to time, classics have their fashion moment and are also on-trend. That’s happening with Fair Isle knitwear at the moment. So right now it’s a Trendy Classic. I enjoy when classics are put on a trendy pedestal because it creates a more diverse and less fickle world of fashion.

Fair Isle knitwear comes in many colour combinations and fabric compositions. You’ll also find Fair Isle sweater dresses, hats, socks, hosiery, leg warmers, vests, pyjamas and gloves. Typically the pattern is positioned around the yoke and shoulders of the item. Sometimes the pattern covers the body of the item or is repeated on the sleeves. Sleeves silhouettes are often raglan and necklines are high to best accommodate the distinctive pattern around the yoke. Take your pick.

Fair Isle pullovers can sometimes be bulky, boxy and too long, so pick the fit wisely and make sure it’s just flattering enough. The yoke detailing and high neckline can accentuate a large bust and broad shoulder line. But again, if you choose the pattern, level of contrast in the pattern, and fit wisely, you’ll offset those visual challenges. Contrary to popular belief, raglan sleeves do not accentuate broad shoulders. Their magical diagonal lines narrow a broad shoulder and widen a narrow shoulder, so raglans work on all of us.

Fair Isle has been thought of as overly classic, Preppy, juvenile, heavy, masculine, too much pattern, or too après-ski. I don’t have those negative associations. I see Fair Isle knitwear as a classic that can create fun outfit juxtapositions when combined in interesting ways. Or simply wear it like a classic with jeans and boots. I’m liking Fair Isle pullovers semi-tucked into trendy jeans and high-waisted pants. I like the cropped versions untucked. I also like them with high-low midi skirts.

I currently have two Fair Isle pullovers. The cream is several seasons old, and the watermelon is brand new. They’re fun to wear with my assortment of high-waisted jeans and white boots. I semi-tuck the watermelon Fair Isle to lengthen the leg line from the hips upward and to give the oversized silhouette some structure.

We’ve talked about Fair Isle a few times over the years, and there was always less love for it than I expected. I wonder whether this will change now that it’s a Trendy Classic and widely available. Do you like and wear Fair Isle?

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (NAS for short) is my favourite sale of the year. I’ve been participating for as long as I’ve lived in the US, which is fifteen years. I’ve learned to go in to the sale with a strategy, and to make informed decisions that prioritize purchases within my budget. Some NAS assortments are better than others, and some years I make better choices. This year’s NAS purchases were particularly successful and interesting.

It’s been five months since I brought home my NAS goodies, and I’ve put every item through its paces. I haven’t retuned items, or bought items later when they went back on sale.

Overall, I’m very happy with the quality. All clothing items have been through many laundry cycles and have handled extremely well. The footwear is robust and well made.

Unexpected Workhorses

The white Western shooties were a fun, nostalgic and trendy purchase that I thought I’d wear from time to time. Turns out that they are one of three pairs of shoes I am wearing constantly. They’re more comfortable than I thought they’d be, so much so that I can wear them shopping with a client all day. They add a trendy component to my outfit, which is a handy styling tool. I tried to duplicate, but they’re sold out in white.

The 3.1 Philip Lim skirt was a splurge and one of my best purchases of the year. It feels and moves magically, and is extremely pretty. Its heavier weight and coverage works well in my climate, and it’s smashing with the white Western shooties, hosiery and the body-con Topshop pullover I bought to wear with it. I have worn these items together with all sorts of toppers over and over again. They tick both the pretty-but-not-precious and the dressy-but-relaxed boxes.

Expected Workhorses

I saw the black floral dress in the NAS catalogue and wanted it right away. The length, weight, fit and non-crease fabric are fabulous. The dressy yet playful vibe is versatile, and it packs well too. I can walk at a fast pace because of the flared skirt component. I have worn it over and over again with a variety of toppers, hosiery and footwear, and wish Nordstrom would repeat the style and fabric in another pattern. It’s an excellent Fall & Winter dress.

The navy shirtdress (my birthday dress) is one of my favourite dresses of the year. It’s Modern Retro and a gorgeous classic that works well with pointy toe flats. For me, it’s a Spring and Summer dress, and since I had a long Summer this year I wore it till the end of September. I don’t keep the dress for special occasions — I JUST WEAR IT.

I felt like a million bucks in the navy dress after putting it through its paces in the middle of the NAS, so I repeated the style in a light blue stripe to have a more casual option. I wore the light blue even more than the navy. I LOVE my NAS dresses

I started wearing the cashmere wrap in October, and it’s been around my neck a few times a week. Luxe, warm, and drapes beautifully. The o- trend earth tone is a bonus. Works well with my outerwear, complements my brown and cream footwear, and doubles as a wrap for at home. Sam our Yorkie likes to cosy himself in it too.

Steady Worker Bees

I don’t usually buy very Summery items at the NAS, but now that I live in Salt Lake City part of the time, I wear Summer wardrobe items for longer. I wore the green stripe knit top with my green old green specs into early September and enjoyed it.

The cognac oxfords were a Summer and early Autumn shoe, and I’ve enjoyed them more than I thought I would. I wear them with bare feet, and love them with white jeans. Extremely comfortable, and I have belts to match. They work well for my walking lifestyle and add a casual integrity to my outfits. Gorgeous on-trend earth tone too. I will wear them again in the Spring.

Wild card Success

I prefer streamlined footwear styles without much adornment. That means minimal hardware, buckles, bells and whistles, and preferably more dressy than rugged. Yet I fell for these because of the yummy shade of chocolate, extreme comfort, and insulating high shaft. They were a wild card that worked out well. I reach more for my white and cream footwear but these are worn regularly too. I like them with white jeans. They are fab for city walking, great in rain, and nice with my brown and light blue capsule. As long as I add dressy polish to the rest of my outfit, I feel fab wearing these rugged-for-me boots.

Failed Experiment

This is my first pair of perforated booties, which I thought would be great for Summer or early Autumn. They fit well, look good, are very comfortable, and I adore the colour. I’ve worn them three times and that’s it. I thought I would wear them with hosiery and socks to extend their wear into cooler weather, but that looks too casual for my style. I like to wear them with bare feet which means they are Summer shoes. Thing is, I don’t want to wear cognac booties in the Summer. I would wear white perforated booties in the Summer, so they would have worked if they were white. I’d rather wear my toffee oxfords with cream soles, which is what I reached for instead of these when I wanted brown Summer shoes. So I Iearned that perforated booties are Summer shoes for my style, and they need to be in a traditional Summer colour if I’m going to wear them.

I have four sets of the exact same toiletries that I keep in different locations. By toiletries I mean beauty and skincare products, hair products, grooming products, make-up, and a bottle of Flower eau de parfum by Kenzo. I have one set to use in our home in Seattle. A second set that stays in our loft in Salt Lake City. A third set that I keep packed in a travelling toiletry bag in small travel-size containers. And a fourth set of spares that I store in Seattle so that I can replenish immediately when I run out.

It’s practical and efficient having multiple toiletry sets because I have two homes. I’m in Seattle most of the time, and in Salt Lake City for one or two weeks a month. I travel to see my Dad in the Netherlands every three months, and Greg and I travel a bit during the year. Keeping four sets of toiletries that are ready to use in multiple locations minimizes packing and unpacking time, keeps me organized, prevents me forgetting items, and allows me to use the exact products that I have carefully chosen over time.

It was quite the upfront expense, but once I got over that I was relieved to have the system up and running. Apart from lipstick and lip balm, I don’t carry a toiletry or make-up bag in my handbag, so thank goodness I don’t need a mini fifth set.

There seems to be less party wear in brick-and-mortar stores this year, and I was wondering if you’d noticed that too. Online assortments, on the other hand, are as full, extended and diverse as they have ever been. There is so, so much more available online. 

Here are my top picks for this week across a range of items, price points, silhouettes, dress codes and colours.

• MARC FISHER LTD Marc Fisher LTD Waren Combat Boot (Women) | Nordstrom: '90s Combat Boot Fabness if you can manage the heel height. Fits a range of foot and ankle shapes because you can manipulate the width with the laces. Comes in black with white laces. Read the rave reviews.
• Bed Stu Bed Stu Gogo Boot (Women) | Nordstrom: This tall boot works well on petites because of the shorter shaft height. Comfy and works on a regular width calf. All the colours are nice. Quite comfy.
• Dansko Dansko Pearlina Pump (Women) | Nordstrom: If the arch support of Dansko footwear floats your boat, these semi dressy Mary Janes are worth a look. They aren't as wide as the brand used to be unless you get a wide width. Comes in black.
• Talbots Velveteen Blazer: An excellent velvet jacket for a curvy body type with a larger bust. Good on apple shapes too. The petite is a great fit on a short and curvy body type. Lovely quality and comes in three colours. Good reviews.
• Splendid Splendid Nuria Sock Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom: Streamlined sock boots to wear with skirts, culottes, dresses and cropped pants with hosiery or socks. Very comfortable on a regular volume foot. Read the rave reviews.
• Boden Round Toe Stretch Boots: These work well SCRUNCHED on the leg with skirts, dresses, culottes, wide crops, or over skinnies. They are very long when pulled up unless you are tall with long legs. Runs small, and well made.
• J.Crew Martie slim crop pant in stretch wool blackwatch: A repeat style that works well on a straighter figure.
• J.Crew Pencil skirt in holiday lattice print: A festive skirt for Team Tall and Straighter Hips.
• Boden Lavinia Sweater: A well-made festive pullover that works on a broad shoulder line. The scooped neckline is great on a larger bust and shorter neck. The sleeves can be scrunched and the hem worn untucked. Elegant, streamlining, forgiving, and handy to have in your wardrobe for the holidays. Comes in three colours. Good reviews.
• Zara Low Heeled Square Toe Leather Ankle Boots: Low-heeled '90s booties with a fun oversized block heel. Reasonably comfy, and the quality is okay.
• Marc Jacobs MARC JACOBS Tie Neck Stripe Wool Sweater Dress | Nordstrom: A sweater dress with a horizontal integrity, but the bold stripe is quite forgiving of lumps and bumps nonetheless. Best on a longer neck, smaller bust and straighter hip and thighs. Not good on a curvy body type. Fluid through the waist.
• Marc Jacobs MARC JACOBS Stripe Wool Sweater-Dress | Nordstrom: A fairly fitted sweater dress for those who like to showcase their curves.
• Theory Offset Puffer Coat: FABULOUS avant-garde pinstripe puffer. Bulky yet streamlined. Do not try this style unless you're fine wearing volume. The shorter length does a good job of offsetting the volume. Gorgeous quality.
• Madewell Madewell Tie Waist Tapered Denim Pants | Nordstrom: Fab on those with long torsos and rises who like to define their waists. The belt can be bulky under a long buttoned-up coat so watch for that.
• AG AG Celeste Tiered Midi Dress | Nordstrom: Prairie Frock Fabness for Team Tall & Curvy. Can work on a shorter person, but you might need to hem the length. Read the rave reviews.
• BP BP. Cable Knit Sweater Dress (Plus Size) | Nordstrom: An affordable easy throw-on-and-go sweater dress to wear with hose, boots and a coat. Quality is okay.
• J.Crew Collection floral jacquard pencil skirt: Gorgeous brocade pencil skirt for those with straighter hips and thighs. Plenty of length for taller gals. Love how it's been styled with flats.
• J.Crew Collection floral jacquard painter pencil skirt: The spaced-out pattern is beautiful, and could work well with a burgundy or pink top. Best on a straighter body type. Plenty of length.
• Boden Cynthia Sweater: An interesting cable knit pullover with a slight A-line silhouette. Beautifully made and less bulky than most cable knits.
• Rag & Bone / Jean rag & bone/JEAN Bowery Stripe Turtleneck Sweater Dress | Nordstrom: A pricey and gorgeous sweater dress that can work on a range of body types because of the fluid fit and camouflaging pattern. Personally, I think it looks best on a straight body type with a small bust. Well made.
• Halogen Halogen Hoodie Sweater (Regular & Petite) | Nordstrom: A hoodie to wear as is or under a blazer. Super soft and okay quality. The orchid and turquoise are delicious.
• Halogen Halogen Faux Fur Coat | Nordstrom: Fabulous fluid coat that can look dressy or casual. Good shade of pearl grey, and handy side -entry pockets. Nicely made. It's supposed to be oversized, but still runs a size big.
• Old Navy Lightweight Quilted Jacket for Women: A casual lightweight bomber for very mild Winters. Good on a curvy body type. Great pockets.
• Ann Taylor Foldover Satin Pouch: Citron Oversized Clutch Fabness. Fun festive bow too. Available in lilac.
• Ann Taylor Bow Tie Scrunchie: Scrunchies are back and I dare you to wear one. These satin ones come in colours and are super cute.
• Gap Oversized Wool-Blend Cocoon Coat: A good man coat with a fluid fit. Great for layering over fitted blazers. No side-entry pockets so consider yourself warned. Quite nice quality.
• Boden Rosemoor Paperbag Skirt: A fab skirt for a long torso and defined waist. Works well on a curvy bottom half as long as you have a long body. Must wear it with a tucked top to showcase the paper bag waist detailing. You do not need to be tall to wear this style.
• Boden Melina Paperbag Skirt: The silhouette is best on a long and defined waist. Do not try the skirt if you are short in the waist because you'll feel squat. Its length works well on shorter ladies because of the tucked top that lengthens the leg line from the hips upwards.
• Jeffrey Campbell Jeffrey Campbell Moon GRL Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom: I'm thinking about keeping these because white boots are my thing, they are reasonably comfy, and I love the one inch heels. Fun square toe. Comes in black. For lower volume feet.
• Steve Madden Steve Madden Juke Bootie (Women) | Nordstrom: Silver flat boots with a tailored ankle fit are hard to find, and these are pointy-toed too. Quite comfortable, and reasonably well made. Comes in black. Best on a regular or lower volume foot. Good reviews.
• Boden Long Sleeve Sparkle Breton: A fab form-fitting tee with a hint of sparkle. Fab under a blazer, or tucked into high-rise bottoms. Works well on a curvy body type.
• Boden Winifred Jersey Jacquard Dress: A very comfy knit dress that works well on petites in a regular size. Forgiving fit despite the structure and comes in grey. Comes in longs too.

Go to the collection page to see pictures of the items alongside my descriptions.

Finally, here’s a selection of statement socks that you can incorporate into outfits in a deliberate and fashionable way. I’ve bought a few neutral and non-neutral pairs to wear with boots and am enjoying the maximal vibe. The Hot Sox with the Yorkies on them had to be mine in the stone colourway.