A Short Guide to Fall Sweaters
by u/[deleted] (2017)
It's still summer, but I thought I'd write this guide as an offering to mother nature for cold weather. We already have an excellent knitwear guide, but it's more focused on care and how to wear a sweater than the different types and where you can buy them. So, I just want this to serve as a brief description of each garment, plus a few examples in different price ranges, in the vein of my other guides.
Note: I have included links to products as images and the store link. The store link will likely expire at the end of this season, but you should be able to find similar items by googling the names I have listed.
The prices I have listed are retail prices. You can pay significantly less, especially on some of the higher priced items. Here is a link to my shopping guide for strategies on how to do that.
I. Types of Materials
I'm not going to go into depth on the history or manufacturing practices of various sweater materials because this great guide from /u/adoucett on the various types of wool does a better job than I ever could.
Very quickly, I just want to break down the most common materials you'll see as you're shopping.
Cotton - You'll probably want to transition away from cotton as it gets colder, but it still has its place in the early fall or a mild winter. Huge variety of cotton
Merino Wool - A soft, finely woven, and somewhat stretchy wool. Resists pilling better than others. Fairly warm, but lighter than most other wool options.
Donnegal Wool - Soft, heavy wool that is commonly flecked with different colors. Usually quite thick and warm.
Lambswool - Can be super soft and comfortable. Lower quality lambswool (looking at you, Uniqlo) can be super itchy and pill terribly.
Cashmere - Super warm, super soft, and super expensive. Basically the best.
If you're interested in learning about less common materials, the guides linked above really are fantastic.
II. Patterns
Speaking very generally, the following patterns/knits can work well:
There are others that are fine too, but I would stay away from the following:
There are, of course, exceptions to the above, but IMO those patterns look bad more often than not.
III. Types of Sweaters
Note on Uniqlo: I have included several pieces from the upcoming Uniqlo U collection, to be released in the US on 10/5 at 9pm. These are a really good value, but they are limited. If you see something you like, try to buy it shortly after it releases. This line uses much better materials than regular Uniqlo. When it comes to regular Uniqlo, I would recommend generally staying away from their lambswool, but the merino and cashmere are both quite nice.
Crew Neck
Suggested Colors: Navy, Burgundy, Black, Gray
Formality: Varies
The basic. The most inoffensive thing you could possibly wear. Looks great with a shirt underneath or on its own. Good for business casual with an OCBD underneath or on its own with jeans and boots. A tighter knit merino one is better for business casual and a thicker wool is slightly more rugged and casual. Both are relatively interchangeable, though.
Uniqlo Extra Fine Merino Crew Neck - $39.90 - Store Link
Uniqlo U Soft Lambswool Crew Neck - 39.90 - Store Link
J. Crew Cotton Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater - $59.50 - Store Link
Norse Projects Sigfred Sweater - 160.00 - Store Link
J. Press Shaggy Dog Sweater - 265.00 - F/W Collection Not Yet Released
The Elder Statesman Popcorn Knit Cashmere Sweater - 1,050 - Store Link
Cardigan
Suggested Colors: Navy, Gray, Camel
Formality: Varies
Super popular a couple of years ago, but these are still a staple. Major variations are in the collar type: regular, mockneck/stand collar and shawl collar. Shawl/stand collar is a little more casual, but all can work for business casual. If you had to wear a tie underneath, I’d go with a regular one.
Uniqlo U Fleece Zip Cardigan - 39.90 - Store Link
Uniqlo Merino Wool Cardigan - 49.90 - Store Link
J. Crew Italian Merino Wool Cardigan - 89.50 - Store Link
J. Crew Marled Cotton Mockneck Sweater - 108.00 - Store Link
Inverallan 6A Shawl Cardigan - 269.00 - Store Link
SNS Herning Stark - 305.00 - Store Link
Cable Knit Sweater
Suggested Colors: White, Gray, Navy, Black
Formality: Casual
Technically this is a knit pattern that you’ll find commonly on cardigans or crewnecks, but it’s common enough to warrant its own section. These thick wool or heavy cotton sweaters are great for the winter. They give off serious nautical vibes and pair well with a peacoat or overcoat.
Uniqlo Cotton Cashmere Cable Knit - 39.90 - Store Link
Brooks Brothers Cable Crew Neck - 148.00 - Store Link
Inverallan 6A Shawl Cardigan - 269.00 - Store Link
Fair Isle Sweater
Suggested Colors: Be careful with your pattern, but all colors can work
Formality: Casual
Also technically a pattern that you’ll find usually on a crewneck sweater, but tricky enough that it deserves its own section. There is a lot of ugly fair isle out there and it can be a little tricky to pick out a nice one. If you’re not sure about one that you like, post a question in the Simple Questions thread. You can dress this sweater up a bit with a buttondown underneath, but they may still be a bit loud for a conservative office.
Uniqlo x JWA Fair Isle Mockneck - 39.90 - Store Link (Available 9/21)
Jamieson’s of Shetland Fair Isle Crew - Store Link
J. Crew ~ 70.00 - Not online yet, but has several every year. Usually decent patterns.
Brooks Brothers Nordic Fair Isle - 108.00 - Store Link
Norse Projects Birnir Fair Isle - 265.00 - Store Link
Turtleneck
Suggested Colors: Black, Camel, Burgundy, Gray, Navy
Formality: Dressy Casual
Very popular item last winter and likely to be again this year. Works best with a smart casual wardrobe and pairs well with wool trousers or dark jeans. Has the bonus of keeping your neck really warm, but can be really unpleasant to wear if you get scratchy wool. Can work for business casual, but might get some looks in very conservative areas. Two most common types are the rollneck and the mockneck.
ASOS Rollneck - 32.00 - Store Link
Uniqlo x JWA Fair Isle Mockneck - 39.90 - Store Link (Available 9/21)
Uniqlo U Merino Rollneck - 39.90 - Store Link
J. Crew - Like Fair Isles, J. Crew doesn’t have their turtlenecks up yet. They will and they’re a decent buy on ~30% sale.
Canali Merino Rollneck - Store Link
Stephan Schneider Morning Turtleneck - Store Link
Quarter Zip
Suggested Colors: Navy, Olive, Gray, Black
Formality: Casual
Kind of a controversial item around here due to them having strong dad connotations. If that’s your thing, though, these are great. They can also look cool in the right fits, and some popular brands are making some that look better than the stereotypical ones. Personally think if you’re going to wear them, a casual fleece one looks better than the dressy ones like this. If you like it, though, it’s the first one below.
J. Crew Cotton Cashmere Half Zip - 98.00 Store Link
Patagonia Better Sweater ¼ Zip - 99.00 - Store Link
Patagonia Synchilla Snap To Pullover - 135.00 - Store Link
Our Legacy Shawl Collar Zip Shirt - 325.00 - Store Link
Styles to Avoid
V-Necks
EDIT: A lot of people disagree with me on v-necks. That's cool. Also a lot of people pointing out that they do look better with a tie. That's fair.
In my opinion, V-necks look very dated these days. They’re definitely not the worst thing in the world, but any of the other sweaters on the list will look better. They can look ok with a dress shirt underneath, but I think a crew neck or cardigan is a better choice. If you really want a v neck, pretty much all of the options I listed under crewneck are available in its uglier cousin.
Shawl Collar Sweaters
These sweaters were super popular about seven years ago but have now thankfully gone very much out of style. If you want a shawl collar, get a cardigan. These almost always look very strange in real life, or at least a lot worse than anything else on the list.
So, yeah, that’s it. Hope you liked it. If you have any questions post them in the comments.