The Cutest Fair Isle Christmas Sweaters to Buy This Year

Whether you’re sticking to a budget or wanting to invest in a timeless classic, these Fair Isle sweaters are festive and cute! I’ve always loved Fair Isle sweaters. They’re classic, cozy, and festive, without feeling like a full-on Christmas sweater. And I love the fact that you can wear them all winter, long after the holidays. This year, I have a few favorite Fair Isle sweaters on rotation, and I thought it would be fun to share them on the blog, along with a few other affordable Fair Isle finds.

Whether you’re looking for a festive, classic holiday sweater or if you need something easy (but not ugly) for a tacky Christmas sweater party, I’ve got you covered with the finds in this post.

If you need more holiday-inspired shopping picks, check out these posts:

• Affordable Holiday Cocktail Dresses
• How to Decorate your Front Porch for the Holidays
• Work Party Outfit Ideas
• Affordable Tartan Dresses
• Gift Guides

The 10 Cutest Fair Isle Christmas Sweaters I’ve Found

1. Pistola Lenni Sweater

This Pistola Fair Isle sweater is my favorite so far this year. Not only is it neutral and easy to style with black jeans (see more ideas for styling black jeans in this post) or blue denim, but it’s also easier to wear past the holidays into January and February.

The fit is relaxed and oversized (I’m wearing an XS in the photos above), and the warm off-white colorway is super flattering. The material is made of a 85% Acrylic/ 15% Wool / Contrast: 100% Nylon blend so it’s warm but not itchy.

The length is perfect for styling with jeans or leggings since it covers your bum, but it’s not so oversized that it feels sloppy. It’s really the perfect winter Fair Isle sweater!

2. Boden Edie Fair Isle Sweater

Boden shocked me last year with their Fair Isle holiday sweater selection, and I’m blown away this year, as well. The Edie Fair Isle Sweater comes in many different colorways and prints, but don’t miss the navy soldiers colorway or the quartz pink robins option.

My only qualm is that you can’t wear it after Christmas, so it’s a little pricey at $160 for a short season. However, I think it’s 100% cute enough to make it a fun splurge this year if you have a Christmas party to attend where you could wear it. And of course, Boden’s quality is great, so you’ll be able to wear it for years to come.

3. Land’s End Cozy Lofty Mock Neck Jacquard Cable Sweater

Land’s End has always been the place I go to when searching for winter coats, but I was surprised to see so many cute sweater options there this year. This Cozy Lofty Mock Neck Jacquard Cable Sweater is a great blend of holiday and winter for an affordable price.

This sweater comes in three colorways. I recommend either the grey or tan if you’re looking for something you can wear into late winter or the green if you’re mostly focused on the holidays. I wear an XS in this sweater.

4. J.Crew Fair Isle Wide-mockneck Sweater

J.Crew is a great place to search for anything classic, especially Fair Isle-inspired sweaters. This Fair Isle wide-mock neck sweater is unique because the length is shorter than other sweaters I included in this round-up. This would be super cute paired with high-waisted jeans. It’s made with a soft wool blend and the mockneck detail is really nice (I always love a mockneck).

5. Amazon Essentials Soft-Touch Crewneck Novelty Sweater

Want a Fair Isle sweater but need something a little more affordable? Add this Amazon Fair Isle sweater to your cart. The colors are really cute and the price is significantly cheaper than the rest of the sweaters in this post. If you’re just venturing into Fair Isle sweaters this season, this is a great option!

6. Old Navy Holiday Print Mock-Neck Sweater

OId Navy is another great place to find affordable holiday sweaters. This Holiday Print Mock-Neck Sweater is very Fair-Isle-esc and the price tag is ideal at $35 (on sale). I love that this sweater comes in 5 colorways. I always lean toward neutral so I initially loved the brown colorway, but I can’t stop thinking about the off-white multi-colored version now that I’ve seen it.

7. Maurices Fair Isle Eyelash Crew Neck Sweater

I had never shopped at Maurices until a few years ago when I discovered how many cute (and affordable) holiday sweaters they have. This Fair Isle Eyelash Crew Neck Sweater looks MUCH pricier than it actually is, and I know from past orders that the quality of Maurices is great, especially for the price. The fitted wrists make this sweater slightly different from the other options above.

8. Target Crewneck Pullover Sweater

It’s hard to beat a great Target find. This Crewneck Pullover Sweater by Universal Thread is such a great, affordable holiday sweater find. I love the light-blue colorway for something different, but it also comes in two other options. For $30, this will be hard to beat if you’re sticking to a budget.

9. Tuckernuck Pastel Color Block Sweater

I can’t get over how cute this Fair Isle inspired sweater is from Tuckernuck. It’s by Hyacinth House, which makes slightly more affordable clothing than some of the other brands carried on Tuckernuck. The colorful collar is such a nice alternative to neutrals if punchy patterns are more your speed.

10. Boden Kat Sparkle Fair Isle Jumper

Yet another amazing Fair Isle sweater option from Boden! This Kat Sparkle Fair Isle Jumper is bright, happy, and such a cute option for upcoming holiday parties. There’s a little bit of metallic yarn used in this so it has a subtle sheen that’s really festive. And can we all just agree that Jumper is a much more fun word than sweater?

11. L.L. Bean Cotton Ragg Sweater

I haven’t ordered clothes from L.L.Bean in years, but this Cotton Ragg Sweater is making me think I should start! I love the funnel neck style and the Storm Teal Fair Isle colorway. The price is great too – under $100!

And, in case you’re curious, here are a few FAQs regarding Fair Isle sweaters.

What is a Fair Isle Sweater?

Fair Isle sweaters that we see today come from the traditional knitting technique named after Fair Isle, one of the Shetland Islands. They became super popular when the Prince of Wales, Edward VIII, wore them around the 1920s.  The term Fair Isle has become pretty generic since then and typically refers to any multicolored, geometric knitwear. It’s common to see the royals wearing them in the winter! Most of the time, when you see a festive, Christmas-y feeling sweater, it’s a Fair Isle-inspired sweater.

What are the Different Types of Fair Isle Sweaters?

Fair Isle sweaters come in many patterns and colors, but I’m not sure if there are truly different types of Fair Isle knitwear with distinct names (please comment and share if you know!)  Most traditional Fair Isle patterns have been passed down through generations, so a specific knitter may have a style that would have been easy to identify in some cultures, and I think that’s pretty cool. Some common patterns that are popular right now are eight-pointed stars, Nordic snowflakes, diamonds, and Christmas-themed (e.g. reindeer, trucks, stockings, etc.).

Where to buy a Fair Isle Sweaters

You can still buy Fair Isle sweaters directly from Fair Isle, if you’re looking for a truly authentic Fair Isle sweater, but most retailers make similar styles around the holidays. My favorite this year is the Pistola Lenni Sweater. I love how it looks with black jeans, and I especially appreciate that I can wear it into late winter (which matters if you spend decent money on a sweater).

How to style Fair Isle Sweaters for the Winter Season

My favorite way to wear my Fair Isle sweaters is with denim. Depending on the length of the sweater, I’ll tuck it into my jeans or give the front a small tuck. I wear them casually, but I’ve seen Kate Middleton pair hers with a blazer which looked so cute.

I hope you find a fun sweater for the holiday season and winter months!