Talking sweaters

April

Or jumpers, as you prefer.

As winter 2023/4 approaches, I have made some rules about sweaters that will make it harder to shop.

1. No more cashmere. Even my best-quality cashmeres pill mercilessly and I just don't have the discipline to de-pill them. Also I am one of the few citizens of humanity for whom cashmere is a tad itchy.

If I were willing to spend $2K on a Lora Piana pullover, perhaps the pilling would not be an issue. I am, however, not.

2. No more baby alpaca. Like angora, this irritates my eyes.

How about you - are you gearing up and thinking hard about potential purchases?

ETA: I should add absolutely no more 3/4 sleeves.

7 months ago

General

24 replies

Latest reply was from April

Irina

Veteran

For me, no more cotton sweaters. I have only a couple of 100% cotton and one mixed fiber and not planning to add more. I actually am trying to sell the mixed one.

I like the texture of a heavier cotton knitwear but can’t stand how it stretches! It looks like it grows in size! Cashmere and merino works better for me.

7 months ago

Helena

Veteran

I'm with you April, and it's tough! I can no longer wear merino due to skin sensitivity and I'm not willing to take the chance with cashmere, given the expense. Unfortunately, most of the better-quality sweaters out there are in one on these two fibres. Good quality cotton sweaters that aren't super-basic are hard to find around here, it seems. I do have luck with viscose or Tencel, but they are also not as plentiful as either merino/cashmere on the one hand, or itchy acrylic on the other.

Irina, fwiw, I find I can fix stretching by airdrying my cotton sweaters to about 90/95% and then throwing them in the dryer for a very short cycle. It seems to just tighten up the stretch (and shake the wrinkles out) without shrinking them. Ymmv!

For this year, I am trying to avoid basic sweaters - I like them, but I have enough. A couple of additional sweaters with some interest - texture, pattern, colour or silhouette - is all I want at the moment.

I did spot a few pieces that are carried in a local shop by Kaffe clothing, but I've had missed success with this brand. May give them a try ...

https://www.kaffe-clothing.com.....905-101323

https://www.kaffe-clothing.com.....767-195421

7 months ago

RobinF

Veteran

I am very sensitive to wool (and I also knit which makes it hard to avoid!) and because of that have never tried cashmere. People swear it doesn't itch but they say that about merino too and it itches me so... I sometimes wear it anyway but not if I really want to be super comfortable. I do like cotton or part cotton sweaters but not the really heavy ones.

7 months ago

Indigoprint

Veteran

Interesting input Fabbers.
I love my sweaters and have many different fibers in my closet.
In the past I have not wanted to admit that some of my favorites are acrylic, they wash well, maintain their shape, are soft and do not pill.
I love my cotton sweaters but as mentioned above they stretch out. Helena's trick works for me but I get boggged down in the washing....they usually make our machine un- balanced and I end up scooping a dripping wet sweater from the depths of our machine. I have shifted to "airing out" my cottons and wools on our clothes line and am pretty happy with that, but do wonder if they really get "clean enough".

7 months ago

Roxanna

Veteran

I hear you!

I tend to buy thrifted cashmere because I know it has stood the test of time, so I will continue to do that.

I LOVE think, chunky sweaters - they look so cozy! But, in real life, I rarely wear them (can't layer a coat on top, they are not warm enough without a coat, I overheat when indoors.) Maybe if I lived in a milder climate they would work, but in Toronto, they are, funnily enough, only a fall garment for me (when I can use them like a coat - and I have enough coats!) I will just look longingly at the women in thick sweaters in fall orchards and realize that is not my life.

I'm with you on the three quarter sleeves- I feel too cold when wearing them alone, but hate how they bunch under layers!

7 months ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Indigoprint, I also confess to having some favorite sweaters that are not natural fibers. They do seem to last without pilling and keep their shape well.

I refuse to spent a lot on knits anymore, with rare exceptions. I consider all of my sweaters a bit of an experiment when I buy them, LOL.

I also refuse any more 3/4 length sleeves — they drive me nuts because they feel neither here nor there and don’t layer well (I don’t even like 3/4 sleeve tops or blouses much anymore either). And no more chunky, heavy sweaters no matter how cute they look — I have enough for the few days we have that are cold enough for them!

7 months ago

cat2

Veteran

My solution has been to buy a few silk long underwear tops to layer under my wool and cashmere sweaters. I think mine are from LL Bean. Tissue thin turtleneck tops also work.

7 months ago

Bijou

Veteran

I have a few Boden cashmere knits which don’t pill very much at all, they are my workhorses in winter, I keep an eye out for Boden sales. I much prefer buying and spending money on jackets than knits. Itching, pilling and getting misshapen are common issues and I am with you on not wanting to waste time on excessive maintenance or tricky laundering.

April I hope you find some great knits that work for you, it is a bit of a minefield.

7 months ago

slim cat

Veteran

Old cashmere sweaters feel better than new ones, old cotton sweaters work better than mixed fabric for me. My sensitive skin is difficult to please - luckily my warm climate does not require many sweaters .
The best old sweaters are from earlier days from BR, GAP and even BP.

7 months ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My rule for this season is to buy a few new knits in more current silhouettes. Most of my knitwear is about a decade old. And classic fluid fit crewneck type stuff. It's all good but it doesn't add "oomph" to the outfit, and some is looking tired. I know I will inevitably buy a classic knit top or two and that is okay if an essential -- but I also want to prioritize something with a bit more personality.

Re fibres -- Irina, I agree about cotton's propensity to stretch and bag out, but also use Helena's method to good effect. And I will never buy a loose cotton knit again -- a tighter knit works better. The other risk with cotton is fading.

Re itch: for some, it's an allergy/ extreme sensitivity, and that's not going to change. For others -- it might be related to your climate. I wore cashmere well next to my skin in dry Ontario winters, but cannot tolerate it next to my skin in damp BC winter; I still have cashmere sweaters but wear them only over a thin tee of some kind (or wear them as cardigans). They get less wear than in Ontario.

Merino is a better bet for me here -- but even that can itch if it is too warm out. The temperature needs to be low enough for it to work -- except for Icebreaker very very thin knit garments, which do work. But they are gear. And they develop holes easily -- so have their own problems!

7 months ago

Joy

Veteran

When I first joined YLF over 10 years ago I bought several Gap recommended sweaters that I still like to wear.
Anything with a hint of Mohair is off my list. Most sweaters overheat, so I try to stick to button downs or zip cardigans. If you like Mohair try thrift shops. My favorite sweater is alpaca. Soft and warm but not itchy, but pricy. Mine was a gift but stays out all year for cool times.

7 months ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

April, I'm nodding along to a lot of these!

My plan:

I do well with cashmere from some brands and stick to them.

No alpaca, mohair, or angora because of the itch-factor. No acrylic either.

I refuse to spend a pretty penny on knits. Not worth it to me. I happily buy fab knitwear on sale from Boden, M&S and J.Crew!

I love 3/4 sleeves!

I wear quite a bit of cotton knitwear too. No pilling!

7 months ago

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Interesting. I admit to never really having understood the Fabbers’ constant complaints around knitwear and purchasing it constantly! Now I begin to. My jumpers (thanks for knowing our word, April- I feel a fraud when I write sweater so I usually write knitwear in my posts) are the mainstay of my winter dressing and this past very wet and cold-feeling winter I have worn one almost every single day. They are mostly thick or medium thickness wool, not specifically merino and I wear a skivvy aka a mock turtleneck underneath so my neck and skin doesn’t itch. The jumpers are from the 80s and 90s mostly! That’s what I didn’t understand because they truly wear like iron! They seldom need washing being a thick wool so I just wash once or twice a season on a wool wash cycle with special wool detergent called wool wash.
So basically lots of you wear your sweater next to your skin without a layer underneath? No wonder itch is a concern?!

7 months ago

MsMaven

Veteran

I bought my first cashmere sweaters at Harrod's in London and wore them for over a decade--no itching. I think I would still have them if I hadn't had a cat who always wanted to be my neck piece.

Something happened in my 60s. The cashmere and wool, including merino, began to itch. My solution is to wear silk underwear. Lately I have been buying Uniqlo Heat tech and that works as well. I do have a couple of cashmere scarves I can wear around my neck and they don't bother me. Who knows? One scarf is an Eric Bompard bought in Paris in 2015. The two Bompard sweaters I bought at the same time are soft and I don't think they itch, but have low-cut V necklines and I wear another layer under them.

I'm working on buying more nice cotton sweaters. I am a sweater person all the way through. I usually regret buying a shirt or a blouse.

7 months ago

Roberta

Veteran

My neck is sensitive, the rest of me is not (go figure). So I try to be careful with the neckline of sweaters. Last winter I bought a hot pink sweater that I thought was perfect, but after an hour my chin (underneath) began to fret. I get so hot with a turtleneck under a sweater so this sweater might be headed for Goodwill.

That is why I didn't buy thie GORGEOUS orange Cos cardigan last year. I knew the back of the wool neck would bother me. Double

I get bored with my v-neck/crewneck sweaters as well, but what are you going to do.

Ann Taylor

Mock Neck Cable Sweater

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Top Pick

COS

Waisted V-neck Cardigan

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Top Pick

7 months ago

ChristelJ

Veteran

I adore sweaters and especially cardigans. I do well with some synthetics and blends with cotton or wool in them. Also I love all-cotton sweaters even though they do grow in length. No cashmere for me because the moths always find it no matter what I do.

7 months ago

Sloper

Veteran

I love love love sweaters. But, I don’t do cotton sweaters - the stretch factor as others have mentioned. And some types of wool are itchy (a dermatologist once told me it was the lanolin). Cashmere works for me though I agree about pilling, especially in some less expensive brands. And not particularly a fan of fine gauge knits - I want detail and texture!

Anyway - I am trying to avoid any sweater shopping or browsing this season as I can easily talk myself into almost any sweater, sigh. Need to work the closet a bit more. Ok I confess to one purchase this season. - just one!

7 months ago

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

Talking sweaters! What will they think of next. Must be some new AI thing...

Jokes aside; I like cotton sweaters for most of the year. And good quality "biosynthetic" fibers are nice too, like rayon or bamboo-based yarns. The down side is that these fibers tend to bag out more easily. In particular I find that linen doesn't hold it's shape super well so unless a sweater is open knit and OK to be baggy I am not drawn to linen fibers. Might be OK if it's a linen blend...

I will only lay my nice cotton sweaters flat to dry and I hang them fold around a hanger to minimize the dreaded stretch (see photo attached, screen snip from a youtube vid). I'd hate to dry them as they'd most certainly fade very quickly.

there are nice acrylic fibers but they are petroleum based so I mostly avoid that if I can.

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7 months ago

Peri

Veteran

I'm with you on the no more cashmere rule but it's only partly the itch. I do get that but if it's cold enough I don't feel it as much. That's my red flag...it's rarely cold enough. The last several winters have been so warm I've barely worn the cashmere I have, and I don't miss it. I'm longing for a cold winter but not due to the sweaters. I just like it cold. I think I need to move.

Also, I have plenty of sweaters. That's one thing I've usually been able to find at NAS and now I have so many that are basically the same but in lots of colors. I don't need more and would have to see something stunning to make it worth buying.

Finally, sweaters with welts around the bottom seem to be more common now and I got rid of mine with that detail years ago because I just don't find it flattering or comfortable to wear. So that's a deal breaker detail for me.

7 months ago

Jonesy

Veteran

I have the same issue as Roxanna: I am drawn to big, thick, "statement" sweaters, but then I don't have too many opportunities to wear them, because it's too hot in most buildings (very cold climate but very overheated indoors). So I really need to stop buying them! My ideal sweaters are natural fibers (merino wool, cashmere, cotton blends), boxy, interesting (a print or pattern or some other notable feature), not too thick, with long enough sleeves, in colors I favor. This can be a tricky combo to find, but I am always on the lookout, especially in the second hand market.

7 months ago

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I can’t abide any wool, cashmere, etc. in my sweaters. I’ll be looking for 100% cotton, preferably v-neck. Thanks for the cotton care advice in the comments.

7 months ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am also sensitive to some cashmere and definitely cannot deal with Alpaca and angora is the worst! But I have thrifted excellent cashmere, the older the better, and you know what you are getting with second hand knits.

7 months ago

Anonymous

Only non chunky cotton and cotton blend sweaters for me! I haven't yet found animal fibers that don't itch. Wool is good for coats, but not for anything right against the skin. I don't like acrylic either. Our winters are usually mild, so I don't layer.

7 months ago

April

Veteran

How did I - mother of the world's most avid NYC thrifter - not think of thrifted cashmere? Duh.

I forgot the moth issue with cashmere. Another reason to put it in the NO column.

Would have also vetoed most synthetics, except that last year I got a synthetic pullover from Proenza Schouler and it is my favorite piece of knitwear.

7 months ago

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