Tuesday 13 November 2012

The Christmas Jumper's revenge...

Men. I just don't understand them.

Well, that's a given, I suppose, but specifically in this instance, I don't understand what has happened to men.  In the UK.

Reading The Sunday Times Style section this weekend, I came across a piece which focused on what the staff in the editorial team were wearing, and one of them (a man, just in case you hadn't worked it out already) was wearing what my mother calls a 'jumper' and what I, living in Expat World, call a 'sweater'* which featured a rather loud white on red pattern. Now, I know that a man who writes for the fashion section of a newspaper is not necessarily a barometer of what's hot in the UK now but he could be seen as perhaps a forecast for future trends.  And having read this piece it has become apparent that I am so far out of touch with the way things are going in the UK, fashion-wise, that I might as well be living on Mars.

Don't get me wrong; I like a bit of knitwear (living in Moscow, I'd better).  And I see no reason why men shouldn't spend as much or as little on whatever they think looks good, clothes-wise.  But this looked like what students refer to as 'a Christmas jumper' - that is, something you are given by your mother or grandmother or Auntie Flo during the festive season, and which you wear due to a sense of loyalty /out of love for them, rather than because it's particularly tasteful.  Because they're not, you see.  Tasteful.  Christmas jumpers are - by law - in-your-face-over-the-top-completely-too-much-activity-for-one-person-to-sport-on-a-piece-of-knitwear items of clothing.  Think Colin Firth as Mark Darcy the first time you see him in 'Bridget Jones' and you'll get what I'm talking about.

Anyway.

Sweet, I thought.  This fashionist type person (do you call a male fashion editor 'fashionista' or 'fashionist'?  Answers in the comment box, please...) was clearly wearing last year's pressie from Auntie Flo.  But no.  The jumper / sweater featured was not your average C&A acrylic number, or even a lovingly created custom made one using Pattern #375 from 'Best Knits'.  It was brand new.  It was designer (Philip Lim 3.1, if you must know).  And it cost £349.

Three hundred and forty-nine pounds?

On a JUMPER?

On a CHRISTMAS JUMPER?


Crikey.



*When I eventually move back to the UK I will revert to calling them 'jumpers' again, but following an interesting misunderstanding a couple of years back shortly after arriving in Moscow when I was bemoaning to a friend from the US that my jumpers hadn't arrived - and she thought I was talking about all-in-one baby gro type things rather than the warm and cosy knitwear I was waiting for - I decided to temporarily switch to American English on this one.  Well, wouldn't you?

5 comments:

  1. In real (rather than expat) American English, a jumper is actually a pinafore. Even more room for confusion.

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  2. fashionistus - trust me, I have half a degree in Latin.

    I've come across jumper meaning pinafore. Much confusion when it came to school uniform. I mean, what would you think a school jumper was?

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  3. I was going to say that 'jumper' to me means a pinafore, meant to be worn over a shirt. (Or, as my New England side of the family would call it - a jersey. (In the rest of the US, 'jersey' means a shirt worn for sport with one's team number on it.)
    I think Expat Mum's right on this one - have never heard a baby gro referred to as a 'jumper.' In the parts of the US where I've lived, it's called a 'onesie.' I have no idea what a Christmas Sweater/Jumper is called in Expat English here in Seoul; now my curiosity's been piqued...

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  4. EPM & Iota - yes, now that you mention it, I DID hear another parent at the school talk about a pinafore that way, too. It all makes sense, finally!

    MsC, hang on, what is a jersey? A pinafore, or a sweater, or - my head hurts...

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  5. Cor, £349 for a joke jumper! It'll be in the charity bag before the decorations are down ;0)

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