Classic detail on a jumper is one of those things that either looks considered or looks like a costume, and the difference is almost entirely in the execution. A cable knit done badly reads like fancy dress. A fair isle with the wrong proportions looks like something your grandmother bought you. But when the detail is properly resolved, it earns its place in a wardrobe rather than demanding attention from it.

We’ve been looking specifically at jumpers where the traditional elements serve the garment rather than overwhelm it. Cables that add structure. Textural interest that works at collar level without fighting whatever is underneath. Patterns that are calibrated rather than loud. The kind of pieces that look better the longer you own them.

These are not novelty knits and they are not basics with a logo. They sit in the more interesting middle ground where craft and wearability are both taken seriously. If you wear jumpers regularly, which most men do, these are worth knowing about.