'Tis the season for yuletidecore.
On tartan, velveteen, fair isle knits & all things red+green.
I’m posting early this week because I want y’all to have enough time to get any last minute Christmas outfits or gifts that I’ve recommended. I just found too many great pieces in the—what I’m dubbing—“yultidecore” category not to share; plus I hope the items I’ve selected inspire your search for online vintage. For those who may not know, yuletide means the Christmas season, historically linked to an ancient Germanic pagan holiday, centering around the winter solstice. Sounds chic, no?
I was raised very religious in the Mormon faith, and what you wore to church during Christmastime was integral to the culture. My best friend Gabbe’s mom, Pat, would sew us both—along with her nine other children—Christmas dresses and outfits that I would wear every Sunday in December. Sometimes they were red, sometimes with stars or nativity scenes printed on cotton…but no matter the fabric or pattern Pat used to sew my clothes, I would treat these creations with the tenderness as though they were a newborn bird.
While I’ve long since left the church, the yearning to dress up “Christmasy” has stuck with me. I think there’s something magical this time of year that, if I had to define the sensation, borders on “hygge: a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture)” (definition via Wiki). But for me, the emotions go beyond just a cozy, winter feeling because this time of year also registers as spiritual and familial for me…and this year’s my first time celebrating Christmas without family :( so I’m going extra hard with the Yuletide outfits, at the very least, because doing so brings me joy.
Oh, and I sincerely love to wear red and green together. I’m a proponent for incorporating this color combination outside of the yuletide season, too, because—hello—they are great complementary colors??
Velveteen: not just for sad rabbits
It’s a common misnomer to mistake velveteen, velvet and velour fabrics for one another. Let’s just get velour out of the way for now because it isn’t even a woven fabric, it’s a stretch pile knit fabric. Velvet and velveteen can both be made from various fibers like silk, viscose or cotton but velvet fabric is drapier, more lustrous and made with a high pile (longer threads are woven on the surface) than velveteen which has a short pile, less sheen and a more rigid structure. The ridiculously over-the-top red outfits the cast of White Christmas is wearing in the first collage image look like they’re made from velveteen.
Since the nature of cotton fiber is short and it has a tendency to break, it makes sense, then, that you see it more often fabricated into velveteen. While there’s a time and a place for a slinky velvet dress, I’m generally a velveteen-head myself. Often referred to as just “cotton velvet” these days (maybe because of its associations with the more heavyweight options that are made into upholstery), this fabric makes a killer suit, or even mini kilt, and it just reads sooo yuletidecore in the best way.
I snagged the above fire engine red Christopher Kane (sad his designer label is no longer) crystal-embellished buckle skirt a few years back, and I annual outfit-repeat with it now during Christmastime. My outfit repeat of choice includes my Villeine Harriett Top in ink black, of course—this time worn with one of the removable ribbons in my ponytail. I’m also wearing (hard to tell) velveteen JOSEPH black pants that I got secondhand on The Real Real; they’re part of a matching suit of which I found the blazer a year after owning the pants—it was kismet.
Some things to keep an eye out for with velveteen fabric: (no surprise) check the fiber content before purchase. If it isn’t 100% cotton or close to, with maybe a small percentage of elastane, it’s probably not high quality. Sometimes the content won’t be listed if it’s vintage but try to gauge how flimsy it looks. There are some adorable dress links below with both velvet & velveteen bodices. For velvet: look for silk, viscose rayon or a blend—never polyester! As for velvet & velveteen garment construction, a lot of these styles can remain unlined unless you’re looking at a jacket/outerwear. You definitely want velvet or velveteen pants and skirts to be unlined with clean finished pressed open seams or flat felled depending on fabric weight.
It’s funny because just this week on Twitter, a photo of a girls’ Christmas dress with a velvet bodice and tartan skirt was circulating and all these women were discussing how they want it in adult size and how “hard it would go at Catholic Mass” lol. I was reminded that this style definitely used to be made more for women, too, not just girls, from my memories in church. But I was unable to find a version that met my standards…maybe I need to do a velvet/tartan Villeine dress adaptation come next year.
Yuletartan
There’s a reason tartan is often visually associated with Christmastime, besides the versions that consist of red and green. Tartan’s origins began with the Scots who descended from the Celts, and Celts celebrated the winter solstice. Also referred to as “Yule”, the days-long festivities were aimed at bringing light to dark winter days which pleased the gods so the sun could return. Included in these Celtic pagan celebrations were the Yule log, kissing under the mistletoe, tree-decorating, & the use of holly flowers.
But what is a tartan lol..
The refrain I was taught while I worked at Pendleton Woolen Mills was: “every tartan is a plaid; but not all plaids are tartans”. The fabric structure of a tartan is “essentially a checked pattern”, as defined in The Complete Book of Tartan (2004), gifted to me by my friend Rachel who knew I’ve always been tartan-obsessed. The difference from a plaid is that tartans “have an identical pattern of stripes running vertically and horizontally; while regular plaids are not necessarily the same in both directions, with variation in color, size, and/or pattern of stripes” (via Handwoven magazine). Both tartans and plaids are formed by interweaving two bands of stripes at right angles, and both are in the TWILL weave family. Twill weaves on the loom are created when “each thread passes first over two and then under two of its crosswise counterparts. This produces a ribbed, diagonal effect on the length of the material.” (pg. 15 of TCBOT) Also, tartan is an ooooold ass fabric; the earliest surviving example of a tartan dates back to 3rd century AD!
Basically tartans look a little more square than regular plaids. Another component about tartan I love is its affiliation with punk fashion…Given tartan’s roots in the Scottish highlands and that it was, at one point in the 1700s, suppressed and banned by the English, it’s no wonder. Notably Alexander McQueen utilized tartan in innumerable and alternative ways, which was likely inspired by his father’s Scottish heritage. And of course the queen of punk, Vivienne Westwood, was no stranger to using tartan.
But back to yuletidecore tartan iterations: I myself was in desperate need of a red ground Royal Stewart clan tartan (the most recognizable Christmasy one, depicted above, bottom right, on pg. 173 of TCBOT) for Christmas Day, so I snatched up a vintage Bergdorf Goodman collab on Poshmark, giant black bow included. I have “talked” your ear off about tartan already but I do have a bit more to add…please note that each clan’s tartans have multiple renditions: i.e. a “dress” tartan was for special occasions and mourning and nearly all dress tartans I know of come in a white ground. So don’t be alarmed if you search for “Stewart tartan” and a number of different ground colors show up.
Unfortunately I don’t have my red ground Stewart tartan dress yet to show you in outfit form but, nonetheless, I’ve recommended some great red Royal Stewart Tartan garments below. I am however wearing a navy/green wool plaid pleated skirt with a black ground Stewart tartan wool shirt. This shirt is one of my favorites that my first boss, Eli Hoshor, designed when I was an intern at Pendleton. It’s a men’s “Thomas Kay” collection which I recommend buying secondhand since they changed the fit after he left. :(
Last but not least for tartan: nowadays, since tartan comes in all garments, not just kilts, you may come across fabrications that are not twill. This is OK so long as you are checking the fiber content. If you’re looking for tartan in a pant or skirt, I say always go for 100% wool (these offerings will be twills). But if you’re after a structured fabric dress like the one I purchased, the weave is most likely a taffeta, just like mine. With taffetas, silk is always the best choice, but rayon or acetate (semi-synthetic) or a blend of these is an OK secondary option. I say avoid polyester whenever possible with woven fabrics. I’ve linked taffeta garments below with fiber content in the description, if the seller has it listed. Oh and just like as discussed with mini skirts, opt for a functional wrap in a kilt or kilt-like skirt. It drives me insane when companies put a side or back zipper in to cut design corners in a wrap or kilt skirt: it looks cheap and it isn’t even adjustable.
Fair isle for the fairest
Above: Paul McCartney in an all-over fair isle sweater, 1966
And we continue with the UK clothing history this yuletide, rounding out today’s highlights with the fair isle knit. Not always Christmasy, but with certain motifs like snowflakes, or in a red/white iteration, this style of fair isle sweater certainly gives yuletide. Originating from literal Fair Isle, one of the Shetland Islands, the fair isle sweater hit the mainstream when the Prince of Wales sported the design publicly in 1921. Traditionally fair isle sweaters are knitted in the round, or circular knitting, which looks just as it sounds. Side note: it is my goal to learn to knit next year so hold me to it!
You’ll most typically see a contrasting color(s) motif around the neckline on a fair isle sweater, with a raglan sleeve design. It is my understanding that fair isle falls under a “jacquard” knit stitch, where two or more colors are worked in a single row. A classic fair isle neckline sweater is another missing piece from my wardrobe which I hope to own one day. For now, I’m wearing my single-color jacquard (I think that’s the knit construction: @ Sue??) wool vintage Pendleton cardigan & a jacquard cable wool vintage Laura Ashley pullover. I’ve linked the latter in a red variant below.
A handknit is always going to be superior to a machine knit in sweaters using chunky stitches and yarns, and the tag will usually indicate “handknit” even on vintage items. I got a secondhand GAP snowflake jacquard sweater that, although originally made in China, is a handknit. For any heavier-weight winter sweater, I always recommend wool, mohair or alpaca. Today there are sooo many brands trying to sneak in a description like “wool blend” for a sweater that’s, like, 40% nylon! When in doubt, shop vintage and secondhand where there are PLENTY of 100% wool sweaters. If there are holes, pay a professional to darn it for you, if you don’t know how to yourself, of course…the up front cost is worth it in the long run. And you know what I always say: go for the fully-fashioned sweater (not cut-and-sew overlocked seams) whenever you can.
Giftin’ or shappin’ for yourself: get after it, below…Please note for nearly everything this time around, I’ve listed second hand items. Any seller worth their salt will communicate promptly…but if you’re looking for a by-Christmas delivery deadline, I recommend messaging the seller asking if they can ship same-day or asap and that will give you more than enough time to get your item if you order before Dec. 18. Also—I can’t say this enough—with Poshmark sellers specifically, always make an offer (that is unless you’re in a desperate hurry to purchase) but you should almost never pay the price that’s listed ;).
Second hand Christopher Kane mini skirt velveteen sz XS $58.50
Vintage ‘60s union made velveteen maxi sheath dress sz S $100
Vintage Lanz 100% cotton velveteen braided belt fit & flare dress sz XS $35
Vintage Laura Ashley velveteen bodice striped taffeta skirt dress sz M $68
Vintage Betsey Johnson cotton tartan skirt made in USA sz L $89.99
Vintage 100% silk taffeta Royal Stewart Tartan dress black bow at back waist sz L $90
TBD content vintage tartan button front dress sz M (ignore sz 14; that’s vintage sizing) $15
Vintage Ines de la Fressange acetate tartan tartan kilt sz 42 $79.99
Vintage 100% wool merino Liz Claiborne fair isle cardigan sz M $49
Vintage GAP 100% shetland wool reindeer jacquard sweater men’s sz S $40
Vintage LANZ made in Austria pom pom embroidered cardigan sz XS $207.68
Vintage Laura Ashely 100% wool made in UK holly jacquard pullover sz M $122
Vintage REY 100% wool ski jacquard roll neck pullover sz men’s M $60
Vintage Laura Ashley 100% wool cable cropped sweater same as my green one but in red sz M $40
These are a few of my favorite things…
In addition to the big three above, I’m calling out a few key additional notes for your yuletidecore look with some quick tips:
for pleated check/herringbone/plaid wool trousers: if unlined, look for waistband curtain construction & French seam pocketbags (see above image). Make sure pant sits below bellybutton if you want a more masc look. Pressed open center back rise seam for durability and ease of alterations.
white collars & embroidery: see my post on London for great frill-neck collars; look for 100% cotton for embroidered top
apres-ski vibes: you don’t have to ski (I certainly don’t) to wear ski vibes stuff. I got my Swedish ski resort terry-back crewneck sweatshirt (above in red/green) from an awesome Depop seller who focuses on vintage men’s T-shirts & sweats—check him out
invest in some white tights
decorate yourself with charms, jewelry & hyper-femme hair accessories extra this time of year
you can never have too many black shoes
wear red & green together whenever you want, but especially now
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season’s Greetings, etc.! And may I bid you a blissful Yuletidecore dressing season. xHannah