in terms of colour and looks, it's a tricky choice as they are very similar. However, looking at the fabric composition, maybe it would be best to keep both of them and see which cardi is best for the winter in your new location.

Amen to what SarahD8 wrote!

I prefer new one by a lot, you should keep it! Old one has bathrobe vibe, new one is much more sleeker. And you deserve to wear nice things at home too. I personally don’t feel good in things that are not in good condition even for at home wear but YMMV. Keep the old one just to see if you would still reach for it. If you don’t - you know what to do

I am terrible at this because I am in the throes of trying to downsize my own wardrobe, and to be have more % wardrobe aligned with my real % time activities , and to buy fewer things where I keep something almost like it and “ split wears.

So- from the photos I think I like the new style better as it looks sleeker and ghd cabling is great. Cocoon style trends in and out but tends to be less flattering on me, at least. However, old cardi may be warmer and cosier- I would need that in my climate- I love bracelet sleeves but not for winter.

Sooo... ( what I say, not what I actually do) I would think about a new cardigan in similar color if you want to REPLACE this one. ( could mean it goes into holding zone in case there’s an unexpected disaster with the new one) The very most important first thing is how great do they feel. The new one should be held to account to feel better than the old( itch, shoulder fit, movement- what you realistically will expect from it. )
OR that you totally love how it looks on
you more than the old, and are done with that style, plus that it feels good, fabrication- wise. Don’t let the old fiber content scare you- just because linen and wool are “ natural “, they can each, or together, be unwearable.
Now, waffling a little, if you were going to office and new sweater would be a mainstay and yet you love amber-golden sweaters so are wearing both frequently but need to keep office one nicer— that is sort of like having a same signature style for work and home. Or if knits are very different weights, as one might have a navy cotton or linen something for SS and navy wool for F/W, because you like wear a similar color or shaped item year- round, but happen to come across items not necessarily in season.

So that is probably no help. But it’s not whether you decide according to the above questions— they are more to just stimulate your own ways of deciding.

I like the new one a lot! I think it's a worthy replacement for your older one. I also love the cami with it. I was wondering, though, if the older one could be kept as a lounge sweater, like a robe option.

Lots of food for thought!

Liesbeth, I wish I could apply the "do you want to wear it right away" question, because that's usually a good gauge for me, but it's still in the 90s here and probably won't be sweater-weather for another month or two. I have to shop early, though, because the things available when it finally does cool down here will be too heavy.

SarahD8, your reply has so much wisdom. Thank you for that. You're right that I've been working from home for many years, although "working from home" used to involve quite a bit more "working from a cafe" or "working from the library" than it does these days (cafes and libraries still aren't open at all in Los Angeles).

Thank you to those of you trying to find a way of keeping the old favorite around. I'm not a big "change into loungewear" person. Since I work from home, I tend to just dress comfortably all day rather than switch from work clothes for the evening. When I do slip on a topper over my pajamas (say, weekend mornings), I tend to go luxe and grab my cashmere duster.

nemosmom, I love Naadam, but I suspect their chunky cardigans are just too warm for my needs.

Truth is, there were reasons I had a replacement for this sweater on my list, and I'd probably do well to remember those--the fiber content makes it too warm to get as much wear in California winters and, though I am A-okay wearing clothing with signs of wear, it's starting to feel a bit more like a grubby blanket (it's not actually dirty, though!) than a cozy cardigan.

I'm leaning towards keeping, but we'll see how it works with a few of the other things I've ordered.

I was musing on your post last night and was not quite sure what to say. It helps that you have written more meanwhile. Knowing your excellent commitment to sustainability, I think it isn’t only the number of wears but how the item looks and feels after the wears. 84 wears is a good number. For me, I have 3 long winter cardigans. The oldest, the bronze from 2018, is at 112 wears, with the 2019 olive at 47 wears and the 2019 ink at 55 wears. My bronze still looks pristine. No sign of the wears. My ink is beginning to pill and not look so great. So I think I will feel unhappy with it sooner and it won’t reach 112 wears. Different manufacturers, slightly different fabrics, just how things roll.
And in your pics of the old one, it just looks slightly schlubby, you know? ( Is that even a word?) And if it *feels* more like a grubby blanket than a cozy cardigan, that’s pretty telling- not a good way of feeling. I don’t like grubby blankets!- I want to wash them!
I am conflicted about what to do with my items that are becoming worn or raggedy. ATM I am still putting them in the “clothing bin”. The owner of those bins gives a little to charity ( child cancer), sells what he/staff thinks is good enough in his stores for profit, and recycles some of the clothing for rags. I don’t know what he decides for each thing, and it’s possible some goes to landfill too. I guess I am trusting him to know and my trust may be misplaced as he has not always been the most ethical businessman. But I know no other way to recycle for rags and we have enough rags at home for cleaning, painting etc already. And we have bought clothes in his stores at times at cheap prices so I feel I have benefited from other people’s donations and I therefore don’t mind if he makes some money off some of mine. Still part of the circular economy.
All this to say, if it were me I would keep the new one ( it’s gorgeous) and keep the old one a bit longer until it is cooler and you see if you might wear both- if you would not, then ditch the older one somewhere that you feel is the most sustainable option for you. We can’t help wearing things out! It’s better than so many people!

I think the new sweater is a big improvement over the old one which, as you say, is a little like a grubby blanket. That, with the fact that the old one is too warm for your new climate, it looks like a slam dunk.

Re things that are kind of grubby: my non profit/thrift store donates less than perfect things to the gospel mission. After all, we are selling our things to make money, and they are giving their things away. The standard for our things is higher.

That’s true J’Aileen- my best things that I am not trying to make any money on (which I am remarkably unsuccessful at in any case) I donate to the hospice shop where they try to make money for the cause. Then the rest to the clothing bin.
But what happens to the things that go to the gospel mission do you think?
( Sorry Jenn for going Off Topic to an extent).

Jenni, the gospel mission gives donated things to homeless people. That’s what I meant by different standards. People won’t buy a coat that is slightly worn, but a person who is cold will want that coat.

I don't mind the digression at all. I know Goodwill in the US has a huge sorting/selling operation that goes far beyond what you see in the thrift stores. Bales of clothes are sent to other countries (which comes with its own set of problems for local global economies), cut down for rags, sold for recycling, and shredded for insulation and furniture fill. Way more donated clothing is recycled than resold...about 80-90% of all donations. I'm glad there's a robust system for dealing with textile waste, but it's not nearly enough, and less production/consumption is the only really solution. https://www.saturdayeveningpos.....ng-crisis/

After wearing the new sweater around the house for a bit and sitting with it in my closet for a day or two, I've decided to return. It's quite (physically) heavy, and I think it might be a little big. Those two things together make it prone to slipping off my shoulders, which is annoying and feels sloppy. It's not the right replacement, and the need isn't dire. Next.

I'll be darned. I wouldn't have pegged the new one as heavy.
Don't like clothes that are determined to have their own head
They should stay where they're put.

Is it worth going down a size?

Angie, I don't think so. Pretty sure the construction of the shoulders and the cut of the neckline are both playing a role, too. I should probably know by now that if I do a K/R, it's more likely an R than a K. I'm pretty good about wholeheartedly committing when I'm sure it's right!

You are an inspiration for being PPP, Jenn! Thank you for the update. I am sorry to hear it didn't work out, but I am sure the perfect replacement is out there!

Super update!
This is such a great example of the limitations of the photos— only you know how it actually fits and feels.
And if you keep it, then you’d have 2 “ not quite right” items and still be looking for better.
Wonderful wardrobe planning!

It's so good to make a decision you know is right. Glad it worked out so clearly, even if it means waiting for the right replacement.

Well done. I have the problem too with certain cuts of cardigans slipping of my shoulders. Those will never be favorites ;).