Paul McCartney’s 1970s Fair Isle knit sweater vest is one of those great menswear grails: instantly recognisable, endlessly referenced, and almost completely undocumented when it comes to who actually made it. That’s where Jamieson(s) tends to enter the chat and things get muddier from there.

The photos wife Linda took of him during those early solo years, clearly show his shift from London dandy to country squire. Unlike so much of what The Beatles wore, the Fair Isle knit is a bit of a mystery. It is typical of the place and time and you can still buy from Jamison’s today. But if you want a replica of what Paul wore, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

That vacuum is exactly why knitters have reverse-engineered the sweater from Linda’s pixels alone. Contemporary knitting projects break down the original into stitch counts and colour palettes (off‑white ground, light and dark blues, golden yellow, brown, reddish brown), rebuilding it from readily available Shetland yarns from Jamieson & Smith or Jamieson’s of Shetland. 

While it has appeal for long-time Beatles fans like Paul Weller, who has been seen in something similar, it’s probably best to consider it as an archetypal Scottish Shetland-style knit, rather that any surviving garment record. By buying what he might’ve worn rather than the exact item, you can make the style your own. It turns the McCartney Fair Isle in a template, rather than a grail, a way of dressing that you can approach through vintage hunting, hand-knitting, or even modern shopping from heritage workwear brands.

With a little more digging, hardcore archivists can find recreations of the exact sweater, on craft sites such as Etsy, where a quick search will pull up several likely options in a wide price range, depending on the fabric. 

HOW TO GET THE LOOK

Vintage — Your best hunting grounds are eBay UK, Etsy vintage sellers based in Scotland, and charity shops in Edinburgh or the Borders. Search “Fair Isle slipover,” “Shetland tank top,” or “Fair Isle waistcoat” rather than “vest,” which pulls up modern gym wear. Aim for natural undyed grounds and traditional OXO or peerie patterns in muted earth tones. Budget around $53-$161 for a good original.

Hand-knit — Jamieson & Smith (based in Lerwick, Shetland) sell both yarn and original pattern sheets, including traditional slipover patterns that map closely to the McCartney look. While not exact, their 2-ply Jumper Weight in natural white, navy, and dark brown gets you closest to the original palette. Knitters in the Ravelry “Paul McCartney Fair Isle” thread have done the hard colour-matching work already.

Modern buy — Jamieson’s of Shetland produce ready-to-wear Fair Isle sleeveless pullovers in traditional patterns that nail the spirit of the original. Anderson & Co on Shetland and Woolly Thistle stock a range of contemporary makers working in authentic Shetland wool. For a slightly dressier take, look at what Universal Works or Nigel Cabourn do with Fair Isle in their autumn drops. It’s less crofter, more considered, but still rooted in the same British knitwear tradition.

Wear it like Paul — The key is studied nonchalance. Layer the vest over a loose washed Oxford or a slightly too-big collarless shirt. Pants can be cord trousers or straight-leg denim, worn with broken-in Chelsea boots or plain suede chukkas. Keep the palette muted and let the Fair Isle do the talking. No tie, no pocket square needed—this is farm dressing, not country-house cosplay.