Despite dodgy quality in many lines, and a propensity to pill in most cashmeres.....I still need a good handful of nice looking sweaters for winter. I spend a lot of time running around visiting clients, and find that a knit under my coat is the best formula. I often keep my coat on all day, too. Blouses are too staticky and fussy, and I don't do body-con anything, so a fluid-fit sweater is my go-to for many days of the week, even weekends.

I've tried buying high(well, to me, anyways) end and low end, and truthfully get most wear out of the cheaper sweaters from H&M than any other line. I have low expectations for a $40 sweater, obviously, but found that the 3 or 4 I bought last winter looked pretty good by the end of the season. Not great, but definitely still wearable. What bugs me though is my hefty contribution to fashion turnover with these $40 sweaters that may last a season or two at most. But what's the alternative? $300 cashmere sweaters that pill? (well, almost all cashmere pills, so there is that) I also don't find the level of design and style I want in lower priced lines, so I feel somewhat stuck.

Spending more hasn't necessarily been the answer - knits are SO unpredictable. Honestly, my best sweater right now is a cotton knit (brushed, with some heft and a cool hand/feel, and not a spring cotton look) from Sandwich which, while only about $100 is on it's 3rd year of heavy wear.

I'm stumped as to what to buy this season as sweaters are definitely a must -have for my work life.

Thoughts?