The family has left, the bins are full of wrapping paper and many bottles of drinks seem empty.
Yes, Christmas Day is over and it’s time to relax – and this year I recommend you do it in a tracksuit. Don’t worry, my sense of style hasn’t been diminished by port and cheese.
I’m fully aware that there’s nothing chic about a typical ‘tracksuit’, but as soon as you preface it with the word cashmere, it shifts to the other end of the sartorial spectrum.
So how chic can it get? The highlight has to be the Carmel tracksuit from the queen of loungewear, Olivia von Halle. This will give you €1,495 back. Yes, you read that right (and unsurprisingly it’s not mentioned above).
Cashmere specialists Chinti & Parker aren’t cheap, but their rich green boxy jumper and joggers (both now £147.50) are worth every penny. You’ll be hard-pressed to find better quality or fit and the pieces look great worn separately.
Far too fantastic to keep hidden at home, these twinsets can work surprisingly hard, both now and in the cold months ahead.
Cotton cashmere bathrobe, now £110.50 and lounge set, now £127.50, johnlewis.com
Zip collar jumper, €35.99 and wide leg knit trousers, €29.99, stradivarius.com
Fuchsia crew neck jumper, £95, and relaxed joggers, £95, Chinti & Parker at marksandspencer.com
I’m wearing Rise & Fall’s light gray crew neck sweatshirt and wide leg trousers – paired here with a crisp cotton shirt – and a fabulous pair of velvet flats to the local pub for a ‘Twixmas’ drink.
It is 100 percent A-quality Mongolian cashmere and fantastically luxurious. If you’re looking for cold-weather accessories, Rise & Fall also has cashmere wraps, hoodies and bandanas.
If the muted tones are, well, too muted, check out the brands at Marks & Spencer, which has colors and prints galore.
This neon pink combo is 90 per cent wool and 10 per cent cashmere, and the jumper and trousers cost £95 each. The store’s own Autograph design is a highly wearable navy blue hooded jacket and zip-front joggers, £129 and £99.
If you’re looking for something a little more sophisticated, check out John Lewis’s offering, which in my opinion is more glamorous than the rest.
They’ve put a twist on the ‘tracksuit’ by offering their set (wide leg trousers and tank top, now €127.50) with a long coat, now €110.50.
Gray shake-stitch jumper, £45, and knitted trousers, £45, gap.co.uk
Green boxy jumper, £147.50 and wide leg trousers, £147.50, chintiandparker.com
Pure Cashmere Zip Hoodie, £129, and Tapered Ankle Joggers, £99, Signature at marksandspencer.com
Gray crew neck jumper, £128, and wide leg trousers, now £156, riseandfall.co
If you want to get the look for a fraction of the price, allow me to introduce you to Gap’s CashSoft range.
The super soft cotton blend shaker stitch trousers, £45, and the jumper, £45, are 53 per cent cotton, 47 per cent nylon and 100 per cent machine washable.
The Stradivarius Knit Trousers, €29.99, and the Zip Collar Sweater, €35.99 (far left) give the look and feel of natural yarn – only the price tells you otherwise.
Whatever you go for, I can promise you comfort without sacrificing style. I’m such a fan of them that I would make them mandatory, at least for the next five days.