Soft colours have a reputation for washing people out — this plaid does the opposite!

Just imagine a check in dusty pink, powder blue and lilac that lifts your face instead of draining it. Now stop imagining, because these pastels are laid over a warm cream ground, and that warmth is exactly what keeps them kind.

• A Gentle Check
  The squares are large and soft-edged rather than sharp, so the pattern feels painted rather than printed. It reads as a spring-to-autumn piece, not a schoolroom tartan.
• Colours That Flatter
  Pink, blue and lilac over cream reflect light upward toward the face. It's a quietly rejuvenating combination, and it works beautifully with silver or gold at the neck.
• The Waffle Ground
  The textured stitch gives the pastels body. Without it, soft colours can look thin; with it, they look like proper knitwear.
• Relaxed Through The Body
  The cut skims instead of clinging, with a dropped shoulder and a gently curved hem that sits just past the hip. Take your usual size for the easy drape you see here, or go one up if you like a little more room. It comes in S through 5XL, and the shape is drafted for each one rather than simply scaled up.
• Three Buttons At The Neck
  The henley placket adds a small point of interest at the centre and keeps the collar from sitting tight. Open one button and the whole piece softens.

If you've kept away from pale colours because they seemed to belong to someone younger, this is the one to try. It's warm-toned, forgiving and easy — the sort of sweater that finds its way out of the drawer far more often than you'd expect.