Sporty tops for your casual life

Before I found a thirty-year-old letter from my grandma to my mom, this was yesterday's intended entry: a couple cheap laughs at old knit fashion. These photos come from the spring/summer 1979 issue of Good Housekeeping Needlecraft. The text on the right-hand page reads:

"There'll be lots of carefree, sunny days coming your way soon. Be prepared for all the fun by filling your wardrobe with sporty little tops like these. The Hooded Sweater (opposite page) is easy to knit. Wear it over another sweater, belt it at the waist and use the hood on breezy days. In Plymouth's Apollo, Knit the Multipatterned Vest for yourself, Multipatterned Pullover for him (left). It's how the two of you can look colorfully matched. Nantuk Sports yarn by Columbia-Minerva. The attractive blue and white tops (above) are great with shorts or a favorite skirt. Patterned Middy Top (left) is crocheted in Bucilla's Tempo. The pretty Yoked Pull-on has a decorative floral motif embroidered in duplicate stitch. Knitted in Spinnerin's Elf. Instructions for all are listed in Index, page 105."

From looking at the picture and glancing at the pattern, the Hooded Sweater appears to be a garter stitch garment. I have a feeling that the variegated colorway is what makes the sweater look horribly outdated more than anything. It's possible I could be convinced that these colors would be passable if knit in stockinette, but that may be pushing it. Anyway, the combination of variegated yarn and the texture just doesn't work, at least from today's perspective.

The other projects don't strike me as outrageously unfashionable, although the combination of colors in the Multipatterned Vest and Pullover don't seem very modern. But what do I know?