'Winter' as a season is almost solely defined in people's minds by the fortnight or so of Christmas/New Year festivities: anything before or after is either known as 'pre or post Christmas'. It is the Marmite period of the year - you either love it or hate it. I personally love it (and Marmite too, which I generously slather on toast almost every morning.) I find the sense of unity that comes with it with rather comforting, knowing that whether you are from Tarxien or Texas, when the 25th day of December comes around, everyone will be unwrapping presents and over-eating all day. It's a time when you make a point of calling your great-aunt or send a stream of loved-up messages to your friend who lives abroad.
Whilst dressing with a sense of taste is strongly advised throughout the first 11 months of the year, a metaphorical 'hall pass' is given during December, when we can embrace all levels of crassness - cue the Christmas sweater, embroidered and embellished to your heart's content. Over the years, it was the dreaded present, knitted carefully by a grandmother, but nowadays, fashion has truly embraced this tradition with on-trend high street shops stocking every version imaginable, truly embracing the ironic comedy of wearing something utterly tasteless.
Fashion has had a love affair with kitsch for quite a while. This year has seen high-end luxury brands releasing quite questionable pieces *cough cough* GUCCI: bright pink shiny ruffled dresses, fur-lined leather slippers and jumpers featuring an array of crocheted animals, have all been perfectly acceptable this year. The transition into winter just amps up the cheese-factor, and I would say that, this year, there is nothing holding you back from going all-out-crass.
It becomes socially acceptable to quite literally drown yourself in glitter for the entire month of December - from shimmer eye-shadows, sparkling nail polish and rhine-stoned tights to any sort of Christmas-themed accessory. There is always one middle-aged woman in every office who seems to own an entire collection of spangly, dangly festive earrings and headwear - entering the office at 9 o'clock with a tinkle of bells coming from a pair of miniature Rudolphs hanging from her earlobes... go for it, girl!
So how can you incorporate festive cheer into your usually quite conservative wardrobe? Answer - novelty sweaters and Nordic knits: the 'it-knit'. Depending on how involved you want to be in the Christmas theme, you have two options. You can go for the full-blown Winter Wonderland and opt for a holiday sweater (Santa, penguins, snowmen... you know the drill, teamed with a pair of leather trousers, heels and some statement earrings or a micro-mini skirt, tights and boots, and you'll be Christmas party season ready. Or, if you want to opt for a more subtle approach, a Scandi Fair Isle-patterned jumper (championed by hipsters) and denim jeans, or a chunky cable-knit sweater paired with a full A-line skirt and dainty heels, is the way forward.
Aside from the great expense and sometimes quite materialistic aspect of this season, there are moments of pure happiness that come from the simplest things: the scent of spices, getting cosy under a blanket on the sofa and watching 'Dr Seuss' movies, endless mugs of steaming hot drinks and unadulterated levels of tackiness. It's your chance to embrace going a bit wacky with your wardrobe for one month of the year. The 'it-knit' is a perfect option for this season's festive gatherings: understated or ridiculously cheesy - the choice is yours.