How to Choose a Fair Isle Jumper: Fit, Sizing and Care
Key takeaways:
- Choose on measurements, not letters: the Fair Isle Quarter-Zip Jumper (£59.00) is a regular fit in sizes S–XXL, with published garment measurements for every size.
- The cloth: 95% cotton, 5% elastane, with a Nordic Fair Isle jacquard chest band and a cable-knit body.
- The care: gentle wash at 30°C, reshape and dry flat — the instruction on the product record, in full.
- Five colourways: Ecru / Navy, Charcoal, Camel, Navy / Forest and Denim / Chocolate.
WARDLEY London is our own store — prices and product facts below are taken from our own listings.
What is a Fair Isle jumper?
A Fair Isle jumper carries a patterned band of repeating geometric motifs knitted into the garment — on our Highbury quarter-zip, a Nordic Fair Isle jacquard band across the chest, over a cable-knit body. It is a pattern, not a print, and not a novelty design: the Highbury reads as festive in December and as ordinary winter knitwear for the rest of the season. It is worn like any other jumper — over a shirt or a tee, or under a coat.
The band is not the only arrangement. The pattern can run across the whole garment, as it does on the Fair Isle All-Over Jumper, our crew-neck version.
How should a Fair Isle jumper fit?
It should sit like a regular jumper: neat on the shoulder, straight through the body, with room for a shirt underneath. The Highbury is a regular fit with a stand collar, a metal quarter-zip and ribbed cuffs and hem, so it layers cleanly over an Oxford shirt worn open, or zips up over a tee. If you plan to wear it mainly over shirts, measure for that layer — the method below allows for it.
What size should I buy? The measurements, in centimetres
Buy by garment measurement, not by the letter you usually take. Measure a jumper that fits you well, laid flat, and compare it with the Highbury's published garment measurements (maker's tolerance 1–3cm). These are measurements of the garment itself, not recommended body sizes.
| Size | Length | Chest | Shoulder | Sleeve |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | 69cm | 102cm | 41cm | 65cm |
| M | 71cm | 106cm | 43cm | 66cm |
| L | 73cm | 110cm | 45cm | 67cm |
| XL | 75cm | 114cm | 47cm | 68cm |
| XXL | 77cm | 118cm | 49cm | 69cm |
Length is the measurement most men get wrong: on the Highbury it runs 69–77cm depending on size, which is hip length — long enough to sit cleanly over trousers, short enough not to swamp the frame. If you are between sizes, or between two readings of the table, email support@wardleylondon.co.uk with the size and measurement you are considering before you order, and compare against our size guide.
Which colourway should I choose?
The pattern does the work, so choose by what it has to sit with. Ecru / Navy is the lightest reading and the one most men reach for first; Charcoal and Navy / Forest sit quietly with dark trousers and coats; Camel warms up with brown boots and denim; Denim / Chocolate is the softest of the five. All five are the same jumper at the same price — £59.00 — so the choice is purely which one will be worn most.
How do I care for it?
Exactly as the product record states: gentle wash at 30°C, reshape and dry flat. Nothing more is claimed for it, and nothing more is needed — the full routine for winter knitwear generally is in our winter knitwear care guide, and the short version lives on our care guide page.
The Black Friday note
Until Sunday 29 November 2026, 23:59, two items in a basket take 15% off automatically and three or more take 25% off. Two Highburys — one to give, one to keep — come to £100.30. The worked examples are in our Black Friday gift edit. Free tracked UK delivery on every order. Dispatched in 1–2 working days, with delivery 6–10 working days from order, and tracking on every order.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Highbury quarter-zip fit?
It has a regular fit. Use the supplier-labelled garment measurements above to choose your size, allowing for the layers you plan to wear. If you are unsure, contact us before ordering.
What is the Highbury made from?
95% cotton with 5% elastane for a little stretch. The chest band is a Nordic Fair Isle jacquard and the body is cable knit.
How do I wash it?
Gentle wash at 30°C, reshape and dry flat.
Is this a Christmas jumper?
It is Fair Isle winter knitwear, not a novelty Christmas jumper. The Fair Isle band is a traditional geometric pattern rather than a novelty print, so it looks festive in December and like ordinary winter knitwear the rest of the season.
More in the same spirit: our guide to how to wear a Fair Isle jumper, and the full range of men's quarter-zip jumpers and men's knitwear.
