The Best Beige Knitted Tops

I used to think beige was the colour of giving up. My mum wore loads of it in the nineties and I decided at around eleven years old that it was a colour of surrender. Turns out I was wrong. Allow me to address beige directly for a moment: sorry, beige wasn’t the problem, I’d just never seen you worn properly.

A beige knitted top can only earn its place in your wardrobe by doing something that a white or navy one can’t – it gives your skin that holiday glow, even when you’ve only made it as far as the school run. The secret is the shade – there’s a whole beige palette between oatmeal and biscuit and putty and finding the right one depends entirely on whether you’re warm or cool toned underneath (THIS IS NOT FANCY SCIENCE AND I PROMISE YOU CAN TELL JUST BY HOLDING IT NEXT TO YOUR FACE IN NATURAL LIGHT). The fabric matters too. Obviously it needs to be knit but a fine, tight gauge is smoother so sits easily under a blazer without adding bulk. A thicker knit wants to stand alone and do the talking for an outfit.

Style wise it’s also the top that makes tailoring feel less corporate, throw it under a sharp trouser suit and it softens the whole outfit with zero fuss no shirt collar required. Keep it casual with denim, add a gold hoop and a boot and you’re going full off duty. My colleague Priya wore hers with a pair of white jeans to a Sunday lunch and was complimented on having looked like she’d been away on holiday – to seaside Bognor she hadn’t been anywhere, it was just the top. Throw it over a leather jacket in the awkward seasons that aren’t quite spring or autumn or knot it at the front with a midi skirt for something that looks dressed up without trying too hard.

It’s also great for those occasions that have no set dress code but still need you to look like you put in some effort, a work presentation, catching up with someone you want to impress, a Tuesday that just needs to feel like something special. Bonus points because it photographs well, travels without creasing (TESTED ON A DELAYED FLIGHT) and most importantly will never clash with anything else you’re wearing. After a decade or so of loud prints and bold colours, that feels genuinely restful to put on your body.