Why cable knit never goes out of style
Trends come and go, but cable knit has been in and out of fashion for over a century — from Aran fishermen's jumpers to the Hollywood wardrobes of the fifties — and it keeps coming back. Right now it's riding a double wave: the quarter-zip renaissance and a broader return to textured, crafted knitwear. Searches for quarter-zips have roughly tripled in recent years, and textured knits are riding the same wave. For good reason — texture is the easiest way to look dressed without trying.
This guide covers the cable knit essentials: the colours worth buying, how it should fit, and how to style it for a British winter.
What makes a good cable knit?
Cable knit is a raised, rope-like pattern knitted into the fabric. Look for:
- Defined cables — crisp, even ropes, not a blurred print. Real knit texture holds its shape.
- A soft hand-feel with structure — it should feel substantial but move with you. A touch of stretch helps it keep its shape through the day.
- Ribbed cuffs and hem — they stop the jumper riding up and keep the silhouette clean.
- A collar that stands — on quarter-zips, the stand collar should hold its shape when zipped. A metal zip is a good sign of a collar built to last.
The colours worth buying
Grey — the hardest-working colour
A grey cable knit jumper goes with everything: navy chinos, black jeans, brown boots. If you buy one, make it grey. It's consistently among the most-searched cable knit colours in the UK — black and navy run it close.
Navy — the smart choice
Navy cable knit reads sharper than grey and pairs beautifully with tan, stone, and denim. The classic "countryside to city" colour.
Cream and ecru — the statement
Cream cable knit is the Aran-sweater look: heritage texture, maximum visual interest. Our Highbury quarter-zip in Ecru/Navy pairs a cream cable-knit body with a Nordic jacquard chest band — the texture does the talking.
Black — the evening option
Black cable knit works for evenings out: the texture stops it looking flat under artificial light. Pair with dark denim or black trousers.
Green — the underrated pick
Forest and olive greens are the quiet achievers of the cable knit world. Green knitwear pairs naturally with navy, brown, and grey — the core of most men's wardrobes.
How a cable knit jumper should fit
Regular fit is the sweet spot: clean through the shoulders, skimming the torso, ending around the hip. Too slim and the cables pull and distort; too loose and you lose the texture's structure. Our pieces are cut in a regular fit — clean through the shoulders, skimming the torso, ending around the hip. Between sizes? Size up for a relaxed fit. Check the size guide for garment measurements in centimetres.