Happy Birthday to Harry Styles, King of Charming Knitwear

February 01, 2021 | 12:57pm

Plus, how to recreate his look at home.

Happy Birthday to Harry Styles, King of Charming Knitwear

Happy birthday, Harry Styles! There’s lots to celebrate about the English singer, who turns 27 today, but his winning fashion sense is certainly in the top three. Styles is one of Hollywood’s best-dressed gents today, consistently bringing fun, flamboyant suiting and loads of Gucci to the red carpet or on-stage. But it’s not all slick tailoring. In fact, one of Styles’s best signatures is his retro, whimsical, and totally charming sweater collection. And as the winter months trudge ahead, Styles is clearly the winter style icon whose knit looks we should be replicating.

Any ode to Styles’s winning knitwear must begin with his viral sheep-covered sweater vest that he wore back in 2019. The kitschy style, by Lanvin, could appear geeky on anyone else—but on Styles, it was more rockstar-approved. He paired it with wide-leg trousers and layered it over a rolled-up shirt, giving it a cool, effortless feel. Equally as Internet-breaking was the multicolor, patchwork J.W. Anderson cardigan he wore for a performance on the Today show last year. It got so popular that #HarryStylesCardigan even trended on TikTok, with different creators showing how you can make your very own similar one at home.

But let’s go back to vests for a second. It takes true talent to make them look modern and not like something your grandpa would wear. Styles—on multiple occasions—has proven that they can be spunky and fresh with the right attitude. One of his best sweater vest moments was last year, when he performed for Sirius XM wearing a yellow polka-dot style from Lanvin with high-waisted pants and a collared shirt underneath. This layering trick has proven to be one of his signature moves; he’s also paired a lace, peter-pan collar shirt under a blue crewneck sweater, finished off with a pearl necklace.

Winter can be a tricky season to dress for, but Styles shows a way to stay warm and keep your sense of humor. These little touches have cemented Styles’s status as a true sweater connoisseur—and his elevated cozy fits almost make us wish that winter would never end. (Almost.) Below, Styles’s five best sweater moments of all time—and how to get the look this season, too.