Remember when bulky and dowdy-chic knitwear was in? Well flashback to the A/W07 men’s collections from D&G, Dries Van Noten, and Prada and big, fluffy knits were the rave for the impending winter. If not for the refreshing textures and surfaces that these designers toyed with, the return of chunky, “grandma” knits, quite frankly, would have tanked.

Fast-forward to today and knitwear is experiencing a comeback of sorts, but oddly enough the trend (with a more slimmed down visage) has reared its head in several SS09 collections.

Navigating between the extremes has been the defining element of Milan’s SS09 menswear collections. With the climatic uncertainty becoming a present reality for us all, this shift in aesthetic couldn’t come at a timelier juncture. To recreate this environmental ambivalence of serenity and catastrophe, loosely woven knits doubled as breathable cloaks that lithely blanketed and aerated the body.

Based on past renditions of knitwear, the knits of this SS09 season have a lightness to their construction and fabric choice that may be owing to green fashion. Take Salvatore Ferragamo’s macramé knotted sweater complete with sandals or the somewhat disheveled crocheted shirt and cardigan that took the runway for Allessandro Dell’Acqua. Both looks maintain a sense of élan, but at the same time make a perfect green statement on curtailing consumption.

I still possess one or two heavy knit cardigans in my wardrobe, but considering the topsy-turvy nature of our summer skies, this new breed of aerated, loosely woven knits is a flexible option for those days when a beautiful summer breeze is suddenly followed by a few spatters of rains and a cold front.