The Perfect White Oversized Jumper For The Office Handpicked by Claire

The white oversized jumper only makes the office lineup if those proportions are intentional, not a happy accident. There’s a difference between something that looks generously cut and something that just looks like you lost weight. It’s all in the shoulder line and drop, and how that hem falls. The best versions maintain the shoulder seam near where a shoulder would actually be while the body billows out beneath it, so that the whole look feels intentional, not like you grabbed someone else’s laundry off the floor. A dropped shoulder can work, even be flattering, just make sure it’s intentional with a defined cutoff, not shapeless.

Think about the fabric, too. Something knit in superwash merino or a cotton blend with a bit of heft will retain its shape all day long as you sit, stretch and throw your coat on and off while the office. Meanwhile something too airy will start sagging by lunchtime and start fuzzing at the cuffs after a few wears.

White also shows every mistake, so make sure the knit is dense enough to not look translucent under fluorescent bulbs and choose a hem and cuff with enough ribbing to maintain the silhouette all day long.
As far as styling it for work goes, it’s all about reigning in volume elsewhere. Tucked into slim trousers or a pencil skirt, it gives your top half some breathing room while keeping your waistline intact, which looks intentional, not like you’re nodding off at your desk. Throw a blazer on over it, sleeves pushed up just so, and it falls right back into office-appropriate territory without negating the cozy factor that made you want to wear it in the first place.

Same deal with cigarette trousers, straight-leg jeans in a dark wash, or even a leather skirt. Anything that keeps the bottom half sleek will balance out the bulk up top.

Use it for days when you need warmth without rigidity, stacked meetings, commuting in, waking up early. Those long months between fall and spring when the heating just doesn’t cut it, but leaving it on would be unbearable. It’s also incredibly versatile for going straight from your desk to dinner with just a change of shoes and a coat thrown over your shoulders. Really, that’s what separates a good oversized jumper from a bad one. If it only works in one capacity, it’s doing too little for the real estate it covers.