Orange is a fickle colour that demands confidence. It isn’t forgiving of indecision or uncertainty, which is precisely why it should live in knitwear rather than anywhere more fitted. Provided a jumper gives it some breathing room away from the skin, the shade can read as considered rather than costume, and the give in the knit softens what would otherwise be quite a loud proposition. Pick something leaning towards burnt, rust or paprika, rather than fluorescent traffic light orange: the warmer, dirtier shades will behave more like a neutral and do more of the work in an outfit without overpowering everything else you own.
Construction is more important here than it would be with, say, a plain navy or grey jumper; A badly made knit in a bold colour has nowhere to hide. Opt for a yarn with a bit of structure to it; wool, a wool and cotton mix or cashmere blend rather than anything too fluffy or synthetic, which can make orange look frivolous rather than considered. It should hold its shape at cuff and hem, not pill after a month of wearing and have some weight to it to drape rather than cling across your shoulders.
Orange jumpers should always fit slightly generously through the body and have sleeves that sit neatly at the wrist. Anything shrunken in orange reads unfortunate rather than intentional.
It’s less complicated to style than most people make it out to be. Treat an orange jumper like you would any other bold colour, and tone everything else around it down. Dark denim, black trousers or khakis let the jumper do its job without competition from the bottom half. Cream, stone and grey are all easy neutrals to pair with because they pick up the warmth in orange rather than arguing with it, while navy adds a smarter, more grounded feel. Tuck into trousers for things that you need to look work-appropriate, leave untucked with straight leg jeans and boots for the rest of the time.
This is very much a daytime colour over an evening one. It feels suited to the grey, low light months when a lot of your coat collection settles for beige and black. Take it on the school run, weekend errands, casual lunches and long walks: anywhere a bit of warmth against the cold is appreciated, not out of place. This is not a jumper that blends in, and that’s exactly why you should own it.
Top Picks
![DOUBLE DIAGONAL WIND JUMPER [DARK GREY]](https://images2.productserve.com/?w=200&h=200&bg=white&trim=5&t=letterbox&url=ssl%3Acdn.wconcept.com%2Fproducts%2F7204214%2F64%2F720421464_1.jpg&feedId=21675&k=d97c0e8025ca6a9a053094955c647992ba86fe2a)
![Hooded Pleated Button-up Jumper [Navy]](https://images2.productserve.com/?w=200&h=200&bg=white&trim=5&t=letterbox&url=ssl%3Acdn.wconcept.com%2Fproducts%2F7204008%2F62%2F720400862_1.jpg&feedId=21675&k=6325ac094856f996c0f684bf1e368145ad8dfdde)
![Hooded Pleated Button-up Jumper [Orange]](https://images2.productserve.com/?w=200&h=200&bg=white&trim=5&t=letterbox&url=ssl%3Acdn.wconcept.com%2Fproducts%2F7204008%2F63%2F720400863_1.jpg&feedId=21675&k=2bf240f6629a2f5a62e4dd0d73bf1db0171f97fe)
![Soft Wool Wide Stitch Shearling Jumper [Orange]](https://images2.productserve.com/?w=200&h=200&bg=white&trim=5&t=letterbox&url=ssl%3Acdn.wconcept.com%2Fproducts%2F7200110%2F75%2F720011075_1.jpg&feedId=21675&k=4f16ce83720a17f6281170218362ba276a2bef44)
