Harris Wharf London Geometric Dress with Pockets

Knitted wool behaves nothing like woven wool in a dress. A woven cloth is cut to a shape and holds it; a knit takes the shape of whoever is inside it and gives it back when they leave. Made light, as this one is, the result moves with a walk instead of swinging against it, which is most of the reason a knitted dress gets worn on days a woven one does not. The hems are left raw, unturned and unfinished, which is the house's habit across almost everything it makes: a knitted wool will not unravel from a cut edge the way a woven one will, so the turned hem is doing decoration rather than work, and leaving it off takes weight and stiffness out of the bottom of the dress. Three-quarter sleeves are the practical length, clear of a cuff and clear of a wrist.

A black knitted wool dress that is not heavy is a genuinely difficult thing to find, and this one has pockets.

One hundred percent virgin wool, knitted, made in Italy. Three-quarter sleeves and raw, unfinished hems. Color: Black.

A light knit follows the body more than a woven dress and forgives more than a woven dress. The raw hems will settle and soften with wearing rather than fray away.

It takes a coat over it without bulking, which is the whole case for a knitted dress in winter. Flat boots, or a heel if the occasion asks. Black on black, with the texture of the knit doing the work that a color would otherwise have to do.

Wash cool by hand or on a wool cycle, reshape while damp, and dry flat rather than hung, because a wet knitted wool will lengthen under its own weight. Do not tidy the raw hems. Our general guidance on wool covers the rest.

The Bell Sleeve Dress is indigo, cut so the sleeve does the work. The Cropped Raglan Jacket is the layer to put over it, in black, and the Stand Up Collar Blazer is unlined pressed wool in lipstick red. There is more on the house on the Harris Wharf London designer page. Everything we carry from Harris Wharf London is listed together.