Some women don’t like to wear three quarter sleeved tops and toppers in Winter, whereas others are happy sporting “cropped sleeves” all year round. Of course, living in mild Winter climates like Southern California, Florida and Texas makes wearing cropped sleeves easy, but I’m talking about wearing this sleeve length in colder climates. 

None of my Seattle clients object to wearing three quarter sleeve knitwear in Winter as long as the pieces are warm, and woolly, and can be worn under a jacket or coat. Some of my clients layer long sleeved T-shirts, turtlenecks, shirts and blouses under cropped sleeve knitwear for forearm coverage. 

Some of my clients wear flimsy three quarter sleeve tops in Winter, especially when they run warm and spend all day in a heated environment. Some will wear them under long-sleeved blazers and jackets, and pop a coat over the lot when heading outside to brave the elements.  

Outerwear is a different story. There is often resistance to three quarter sleeve outerwear styles for practical reasons. You generally want arm coverage when it’s cold enough to wear a wool coat, so baring forearms makes little sense. That said, I do have clients who run very warm and welcome a breezy three quarter sleeve coat. I also have a client who likes to wear opera length gloves with her cropped sleeve wool coat. And I have clients who enjoy wearing lightweight three quarter sleeve coats, cropped and longer lengths, indoors at the office. 

Despite feeling cold at the drop of a hat, I wear cozy and warm three quarter sleeve cashmere and merino wool pullovers in Winter. I layer a camisole underneath and generally feel warm enough indoors. I add a blazer, jacket and/or coat layer when I’m heading outside. I often scrunch the sleeves of long sleeved pullovers, so I’m creating a three quarter sleeve effect with full length sleeves anyway.

I don’t wear blouses and shirts with three quarter length sleeves in Winter. That’s a Summer look for my style. I also don’t wear three quarter sleeved outerwear in Winter. I love the idea of opera length gloves, but haven’t tried that look because I worry I’ll be too cold. I do have three quarter sleeve wool coats that I wear in late Spring when it’s much warmer. 

Over to you. Do you wear three quarter sleeved tops and toppers in Winter?

As requested, here’s a list of warm, cozy knitwear pieces that have been winners for my clients, or for my own style. Lots of silhouette, colour, length, texture and price point variation. Bonus: most of these items are on sale. 

1. J.Crew Wool Cashmere Turtleneck: I’m a fan of J.Crew cashmere and bought this one in toffee. It’s fairly oversized, as opposed to fluid, and works well over trousers and jeans. I like the way it stands out from the side. I also like the tapered cowl, or loose turtleneck, which does not move around. Very soft and non-scratch. 
2. J.Crew Embossed Floral Sweater: The subtle round-shouldered effect creates a strong yet soft shoulder line. Sporty and feminine. 
3. J.Crew Collection Cashmere Mockneck Sweater: Gorgeous structure on the neck, and unstructured fabness just below it. Billowing yet pretty because of its ultra refined texture. I have my eye on this one in aqua. 
4. J.Crew Jeweled Starburst Sweater: Fitted Daytime Sparkle does not let us down. Great over a pencil skirt or trousers for work. 
5. J.Crew Collection Cashmere V-Neck Sweater: A modern classic in a fluid fit with good length. My larger busted clients with shorter necks are extremely happy with this silhouette. 
6. BCBG Linden Cowl Neck Cable Knit Pullover: A cuddly statement piece over slim jeans or leggings. Its high-low hemline and tailored welt give the oversized fit ample structure. I found it a little scratchy but my client was comfortable. 
7. BCBG Maylin Cable Turtleneck Sweater: A repeat BCBG sweater style with pizazz for Team Maximal. It’s excellent on petites and curvy figures because the angular peplum gives the chunky knit structure. Surprisingly, it works just as well on a pear shape as it does on an inverted triangle shape. I did not the like look for my own style because I prefer simpler silhouettes, but I absolutely loved it on friend and client Phoebe who likes items with lots of design detail. She wore it with leather pants and booties and looked like a million bucks. 
8. BCBG Shadia Textured Jacquard Sweater Coat: A stylish pull-on-and-go. Also available in black. 
9. BCBG Reona Textured Jacquard Raglan Pullover: A sporty jacquard that’s fun layered over a shirt with a skirt or trousers. Also available in black.
10. Vince Tri Colorblock Turtleneck: A repeat style that I’ve had for years and I can’t rave enough about it. Worth every penny and has not pilled. Read the rave reviews. 
11. Vince Travelling Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater: Perfect for Team Tall and runs true to size. I like it best paired with white, cream or faded jeans. 
12. Vince Wool Blend Cardigan: A cocoon sweater coat that looks good over just about anything. 
13. Halogen Cashmere Sweater (Plus): An easy tee-shaped pullover with a flattering curved hem. 
14. Halogen Colorblock Cashmere Sweater (Plus): Another V-neck delight for a larger bust and shorter neck.
15. Caslon Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater: Another for Team Tall. It looks clingy, but is actually quite forgiving because the side slits make the difference. One of my clients, who is pushing six foot, bought this in 3 colours because she has been starved for sweater length and it’s been really cold in Seattle. 
16. Lafayette 148 New York Dolman Sleeve Rib Sweater: An avant-garde piece that’s streamlined in the back but not in front. Warning: you have to be at peace with the eccentric drape of the front flap. 
17. Banana Republic Cable-Knit Pullover: A cotton-rich chunky piece for those who will overheat in the wool version. It’s amazingly streamlined in the body but the collar is bulky. So stay away if you are short in the neck. 
18. Gap Cable Knit Pullover: This style is a whole lot better for a shorter neck. Pretty lightweight for the chunkiness of the design. 
19. Griffen Cheetah Print Cashmere Turtleneck: A streamlined and refined modern classic. 
20. Vince Chain Contrast Mock Neck Sweater: A more tailored version of the tri colorblock, and one I have in my shopping cart. I have been eyeing it all season. Read the rave reviews.  
21. Sofiacashmere Braided Collar Cardigan: The braided detailing on the neck makes the drapey cardigan stay put. Tailored, casual and pretty. 
22. Aqua Cashmere Vertical Color Block Crewneck Sweater: Sporty, streamlined and ideal for faux tucking. 
23. Ralph Lauren Cashmere Turtleneck: A roomy tunic to wear over jeggings or skinnies. 
24. Aqua Novelty Stitch Zip Pullover: Edgy and a litte dramatic. 
25. Aqua Leopard Spot Intarsia High Low Sweater: I bought this at the start of the season in grey because the shape brought back fond memories of the ‘80s. It’s warm, but lightweight and super soft. I like it best with boyfriend jeans, jodhpur jeans and flat Beatle booties. 
26. Karen Millen Chunky Knit Lace Sweater: The lace inset is unique, romantic and non-scratchy. It’s on my wishlist, and you might need to size up a size. 
27. Sejour Faux Leather Trim Front Zip Knit Jacket (Plus): Fashionable, casual and practical. Looks great zipped and unzipped. 
28. Karen Millen Stripey Chunky Knit Sweater: An unusual stripe in a streamlined chunky knit. It’s surprisingly flattering and shape defining – things we usually don’t associate with chunky knitwear. Runs small. 
29. Karen Millen Half Cardigan Stitch Sweater: The cropped length makes it work well over skirts. Streamlined at the hip and fluid over the waist. Modern and elegant. Might need to size up a size. 
30. Aqua Cashmere Twist Front Cowl Neck Sweater: An oversized look in a refined knit. Casual, cozy and on trend. Runs large.

It’s been a cold Winter in my neck of the woods and I reach for warm, cozy knitwear every day. It’s an easy pairing with bottoms, belt, boots, coat and clutch. A fabulous chunky knit sweater can take the place of a jacket, making an equally stylish statement.

The stylist did a great job of putting together this outfit. It’s one way to de-bombshell a pencil skirt and make workwear look more interesting. A soft striped blouse is layered under a roomy grey cowl neck pullover, worn with a leather pencil skirt, high vamped cut-out booties, and finished off with an angular clutch. The effect is modern, relaxed yet chic, interesting, ever so slightly edgy, and comfortable. 

It’s the details of the outfit that make it stand out.

1. It’s a cowl neck and not a crew neck pullover.
2. A soft printed blouse, and not a solid stiff button-down shirt, has been used as the layering piece. The blouse collar is unbuttoned to complement the neckline of the cowl and elongate the neck of the model.
3. The sleeves of the pullover are pulled up and scrunched, while the sleeves of the blouse are left full length, buttoned and un-scrunched.
4. The blouse is untucked to show a little stripe peeking out from under the pullover.
5. Hosiery has been left off the outfit, thereby creating a horizontal line across the ankles with high contrast footwear.  The “stump factor” is offset by the very high heel of the shoe. 

It’s the concept of this outfit that might serve as an inspiration for your own outfits. Of course, you can add black hose, sheer or opaque, to create a longer leg line with a lower heel, and add extra insulation. No need to wear a leather skirt when a basic pencil skirt will do just fine. Tuck in the shirt if that’s better suited to your body type. Wear a fitted pullover silhouette if that feels more like your style. You can also substitute the skirt for trousers or jeans, and wear pumps or knee-high boots instead of booties. Choose any colour palette, and any pattern. Make the look work for you. 

Play around with this formula if you have a sparkly tank top or vest. It needn’t be sequined, beaded or sleeveless, although the sleeveless option is easier to layer over shirts and blouses. You’re after a top with a bit of shine and texture to be the star of the outfit. 

I’ve used neutrals to emphasize the texture-rich integrity of the pieces, but any colour palette will work. I’ve used trousers and jeans as the bottoms, but skirts are another option. 

Here are the components: 

Sparkly Tank: A sequined tank is a no-brainer, but any shimmery tank can work. A lace or beaded tank is a more subtle option. Layer it over tops or under jackets. Layer the tank under a cardigan for an extra casual effect. 

Under Layering Piece: Button-down shirts and soft blouses work best as under layers for the tank. Choose white, denim or another solid colour. Or be a devil and throw in a pattern like gingham, tartan, polka dots or stripes. If mixing patterns with sparkle is “too much going on” for your tastes, keep the palette tonal and monochromatic to offset the hectic-ness of the combination. Leave the tops untucked. 

Layering a sparkly tank over a solid or patterned long sleeved T-shirt is another option as long as the necklines work in harmony. 

Jacket: You don’t need to wear both an under layering piece and a jacket with the sparkly tank. Simply wear the tank alone as a layering piece under a blazer, moto, Chanel-esque jacket, or tuxedo jacket. Any style of jacket at all really. But if you do like to layer, wear the jacket over the combination of under layering piece and sparkly tank. 

Bottoms: Dressy trousers and jeans in flared or tapered styles are easy pairings. I’ve chosen black trousers and blue jeans because they are popular wardrobe items. But grey, white, black, cobalt or burgundy jeans are great alternatives, as are checked or charcoal trousers. For the fashion forward dresser, upscale knitted track pants, silky track pants or leather track pants are a fun juxtaposition with the formal sparkle. 

Pencil skirts and full skirts make equally great bottom options when matched with the layering piece under the sparkly tank. But wearing a pencil skirt with a tuxedo jacket layered over the tank alone is a less playful outfit. Not necessarily a bad thing, just something to think about if you want to keep the outfit relaxed. 

Footwear: Knee-highs with dressy footwear like pumps and high vamped shooties are a good combination.  Dressy booties work particularly well with jeans. Dressy flats are great with tapered jeans and trousers. I vote pointy toe pumps with the upscale track pants to ensure an intentional fashion forward look.  

Accessories: An oversized clutch is my top choice, but a chain handle bag, wristlet or short handle satchel will work well too. Add jewellery, watch and eyewear as desired.  

Wear this ensemble to work, or out to lunch, brunch, dinner, or a casual holiday event. Daytime sparkle is as mainstream as ever, so don’t think twice about popping on a shimmery piece at any time of day. Wear it with jeans to tone down its formal effect.