THE novelty festive knit was all the rage this Christmas, says fashion commentator Sian Davies. What was once a major fashion faux pas for Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy was worn by everyone from Fearne Cotton to Justin Bieber. Despite the festive season coming to an end knitwear, minus the cartoon reindeer, is still top of the fashion tree heading into 2012, and it’s easy to see why. Not only are these comfortable knits perfect for the winter weather, they also conceal any unwanted pounds gained from too much turkey and too many mince pies.

The dark, masculine colours of autumn are making way for Scandinavian-inspired pastel colours for a fresher, brighter and more feminine look. An array of different knits in these colours can be found in River Island’s latest collection.

Bird prints have flown back into our high street stores to replace our festive friends and can be spotted on anything from vintage style shift dresses to winter accessories.

Wellies are no longer just for gardening and traipsing through bogs at music festivals. They are the comfortable and stylish footwear choice this winter and are available in a huge array of different designs, making it easy to keep up with this season’s latest colour trends.