Friday 3 February 2017

Top Ten his and hers knits

Last night at midnight you would have found me rummaging through my pattern collection as an idea for a post had struck at a most inconvenient moment and I had to act on it right then to find out if it was going to work out. This led me to finding the relevant patterns in my collection and then setting up a temporary photo studio in the bathroom as it had the best light I could find at night! I knew I couldn't go to sleep until I had it all sorted out so I just cracked on with it!

For some reason, the idea of matching set knits, often known as his and her knits (though they could also be his and his or hers and hers) appeared in my head as quite a vintage thing. Especially a vintage outdoor activity thing. I was sure I had quite a few his and her matching knits and it got me wondering as to why the whole matching clothes thing was a thing? How did that come about? Did people actually knit and wear the matching sets? Would you? Do you have matching outdoors wear jumpers? Is it still a thing? I would say not, except for in an ironic way, or for a specific event but what made the change? I don't know the answers to this but if anyone does do share.

Let me present the Top Ten his and her knits in my pattern collection. My choices were made purely on liking the patterns and feeling that if I were to be in a matching knit mood any one of these could make it onto my needles.


If I was knitting this I would make the one the man is wearing for me. I like the chunkiness of the knit and the shawl collar design, as well as the motifs.


I do like a yoked jumper and I am yet to make one so these have definite appeal. I like the roll neck too.


If I was going to perch a heavy old typewriter on my knee and sit on an uncomfortable stool this is the jumper I would like to do it in. A lovely look for vintage casual inspiration.


I love this one, this is what I want to look like whilst walking my dog. The matching hat is an added bonus.


My other outdoor outfit of choice would feature this lumber jacket. I like the raglan sleeve and the cable detail surrounding the zip.


You can't beat a traditional Aran cardigan. I like the fit of this one, the longer length for casual cosiness and of course, the pockets.


I prefer his button up version to her zip up one and I like the contrast of the plain body with the ribbed sleeves. Please take a minute to notice that massive saw. This one ticks both the his and hers and the worrying props categories of my pattern collection.


This 1940's knit is very similar in style to the 1950's one above except for the shawl collar and the tighter, shorter fit. This one is a double pattern category entry (men smoking) too as the man has a pipe.


Not only do they have matching jumpers they have matching hats. Fabulous yokes and the pattern continue round above the cuffs and the bottom of the jumper. All good.


Karaoke and motif knitwear? Go on then. I like both designs.

Which would you choose?

8 comments:

  1. The matching jumpers and clothes was also an 80s thing. My then boyfriend (soon after husband) and I had matching jackets, and I think my sister-in-law knitted her boyfriend and her matching jumpers but Andy would not wear anything I knitted him. My niece and her boyfriend decided when they got together that it would be really kisch to wear matching jumpers and t-shirts and I was almost going to knit a pair of those ski-ing jumpers you've shown really just to take the pee out of them. They split up before I got round to it. But even if I had done they are so weird they would probably had turned it into the new fashion. Having said that I think the ski-ing one is my favourite.

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    1. Thanks for sharing the tales of matching knitwear, I had forgotten that the trend made a return in the 80s. The matching sets do seem to work well in ski/outdoors wear.

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  2. I defintiely think the 80s/early 90s matching knits killed the fashion, after that people just thought it looked naff. I do remember a lot of couples wearing those matching fleece wolf jackets in my town back then! xx

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  3. There are some great patterns there but I don't think matching knits are for us! I have the leftover fabric from what were once matching winter capes owned by my parents. That might have been 70s or early 80s.

    I'm not sure what exactly killed the trend but I'm pretty sure the men were behind it.

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    1. I am intrigued by these matching winter capes! What kind of fabric were they made in? Same colours?

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  4. LOVE this post! I secretly would love my husband and I to have maybe the first set of sweaters to wear out to get a fun reaction from people (maybe just once). Your collection for this post is really great and the saw one for "most weird prop" wins hands down :)

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    1. I know what you mean, it would be fun to have a matching set just to see what kind of reaction you would get! It would be an interesting experiment.

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