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MAKING A STRONG return to fashion this season are cabled knits, those familiar decorative motifs that the French call "le style irlandais" appearing in varying guises in many collections.

When Marc Jacobs sent out boyfriend Arans worn over floor-length skirts on the New York catwalk with other designers including Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren following suit, suddenly sweater dressing became a trend. In the coming months, expect the high street to be flooded with densely textured jumpers and chunky woolly hats and scarves for winter warmers. Aran-style sweaters and cabled leggings will be all over Topshop, and both John Rocha for Debenhams and Warehouse will be offering full-length knitted maxi Aran dresses with roll collars for those brave enough, or slim enough, to wear them.