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80's trending?

Runcarla

Veteran

Besides high waisted jeans and white sneakers, these are popping up in stores where I live (see pic below). An independent boutique was having an event and there were many women of a certain age (50's and 60's) in attendance. One woman held up a sweater like the one in the picture and volunteered that she had MADE and worn one in the '80's and wasn't going back! LOL! I made a few also, and DH (boyfriend at the time) gamely wore the brown one I made for him. Mine was shades of blue and cream. I think we called them Icelandic sweaters and they were all wool.

Anyone else recognize this look?

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23 replies

Latest reply was from Bennett

Gretchen

Veteran

Definitely seeing a lot of Fair Isle sweaters featured this season. I don't associate them with the 80s only, but tend to think of them as ski season classics. Glad to see them trending again!

Boden Boden Wool Cotton Alpaca Fair Isle Sweater | Nordstrom

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Agnes Fair Isle Jumper

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Elizabeth P

Veteran

OMG, I made many of these! We called them "lopi" (sp??) sweaters

In fact, I met one of my best friends over one... spotted her in her sweater in a class of over 300 and had to ask her for the pattern.

Joyce B

Veteran

Those look like classics to me for this time of year, fun and colorful.

kkards

Veteran

Susan Bristol fair isle sweaters got me thru high school.

and yes, I'm going there....I bought find #1 2 weeks ago...and find #2 I've owned for a couple of years.

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Agnes Fair Isle Sweater

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rachylou

Veteran

Oh gosh yes. And this sweater:

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kkards

Veteran

I always wanted that LLBean sweater, but back in the day, it was out of my price zone

Runcarla

Veteran

Lopi! That's it Elizabeth P.

Gretchen, way bulkier then fair isle. They couldn't be bought in stores at the time and were mainly in natural colours or blue. Horrible, shapeless, itchy things - but all the rage in uni!

Kkards, the Boden looks very wearable.

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Anonymous

My mother knit up a storm of these in the 80s. Each member of the family had about 6 of them!

I gave most away, sadly.

Anonymous

..and yes, I’ve seen a fair bit of this style around this year.
I bought the Boden one.

Toban

Veteran

I remember this look -- it is so not for me. I do find the colors in the first one flattering on the model, though.

The Cat

Veteran

Oh yes, I remember those bulky, colourful ones from the 80's. I was never attracted to them. But I happily wore one of the Islandic sweaters (usually in shades of grey or brown plus offwhite) that were popular in the 70's. I also vividly remember (and wore) sweaters like the ones shown by Gretchen--those were popular in the 60's.

Cee

Veteran

I had one that was similar about 30 years ago until it started to fall apart. The only downside was it was a bit itchy, especially around the neck. I could only wear it with a turtleneck skivvy or cashmere turtleneck underneath.

Style Fan

Veteran

I love them! Mr SF #1 had a beautiful one that his sister knitted. It got stolen.
Vintage Woolrich sweaters from the 80s are all the rage with younger people (well younger than me). I still have mine.

RobinF

Veteran

Love these, so colorful and comfy looking. I made one too back in the day but didn't wear it much because it made me look fat (haha, if only I were still that "fat"!) The wool would drive me crazy now and be much too warm but maybe a lighter weight one...

NancyW

Veteran

lopi yarn imported from Iceland (by Reynolds?). Lots of patterns and variations. I made one, knit in the round, and it was so bulky and warm yet lightweight. It was also a ‘hairy’ yarn and shed like a pet! Different from a fair isle sweater which is usually more refined and of a much finer gauge wool. Had those too. Not sure I can go back, but I smile when I see them on the street!

Jules

Veteran

You’re reminding me we did wear not these exactly but something similar for a long stretch in the 90s (high school and university for me). They were outerwear weight and cozy for that purpose - the wool was indeed rough and scratchy, but worn outdoors as an outer layer they were fine. Purchased at ‘ethnic’ aka hippie wear stores.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

'80s trending = *happy dance*

Runcarla

Veteran

Bang on, NancyW. I forgot about the shedding!

karen13

Veteran

I saw tons of these in Iceland two years ago when I drove the Ring Road. Super thick, natural colors as you described.

Andrea H

Yeah, my mom made a bunch of the Icelandic neutral colored ones in the very early 80s when I was starting college. Which was convenient because they were extremely warm and I was living in crappy apartments with no heat. To mitigate the bulky factor, I used to wear mine with those super tight "designer" jeans we had to lie down to zip up.

JAileen

Veteran

My brother gave me a lopi yoke sweater he bought in Iceland when I was in high school. Later, I knit a wool yoke sweater for my grandmother, then the nursing home where she lived washed it in hot water and shrank it to about one fourth of its original size. It made me Ill.

Aquamarine

Veteran

I used to love making and wearing these years ago, and made quite a few for my kids when they were little. I’m not sure they liked them as much as I did, LOL, but I made them wear them for Christmas card photos. I run too hot for real Lopi sweaters now, but I might like a thinner yarn version.

Bennett

Veteran

I'd happily wear any of these - they make me think of ski lodges and hot drinks and the Adirondacks....