Long Live Cashmere Crewneck Sweaters
Continued shades of beige, easy luxury, and vintage homewares
Cashmere is one of those things with a reputation bigger than its worth. Some people immediately associate it with luxury and tack it on as an adjective for all sorts of assorted categories (Cashmere sneakers! Cashmere socks! Cashmere sleep mask!). Others write it off as being expensive, end of story. As a lover of the fabric with enough experience as a stylist at the uptown Club Monaco in 2015 to know that cashmere socks are just a last minute gift cop out, I’ve formed a few rules about how to best interact with cashmere.
For context, I’m talking about plain old cashmere crewnecks. Not a v-neck, not a cardigan, though both have massive potential. The charm of a crewneck is that it’s always the more elevated option. Next time you slip on a crewneck sweatshirt from undergrad, imagine the outfit with a crewneck sweater. Suddenly, it’s 90s J. Crew, not running to and from the laundry room in your building. And it’s a personal choice, but have you considered tying it over your shoulders? It can feel very preppy, even for me, but I’ve found that thicker knits give the look less of a collegiate feel.
#1 Start with vintage, then go big box.
Shopping for cashmere on eBay was my gateway drug something like five years ago. I didn’t grow up in a “cashmere house,” so the material seemed exorbitant and overly indulgent. Both are true, if you’re shopping new, but vintage is a whole other story. If you’re a new person, check brands like Costco, or if you’re younger than 50 and in New York, Quince, Filoro, and Italic all make really great 100% cashmere options for less than $100.
#2 Winter accessories feel special in cashmere.
Interested, but not willing to invest in a full sweater? You’re in luck. My second iteration of cashmere is certainly influenced by the holiday gifting industrial complex. But hear me out! Giving someone a cashmere scarf and beanie is the simplest, most surefire way to say, “You’re special, and I want you to stay warm.” eBay is my home for 100% cashmere scarves in a variety of colors, usually under $30! Example here.
#3 Always size up
Key to keeping the look from teetering on stuffy is wearing cashmere in a casual way. Pragmatically, this generally means sizing up. I like little cropped cashmere cardigans that wear like shirts, but if it’s a crew neck, a little elbow room feels more at ease.
#4 100% or nothing
Blends are complicated. I stand in a strictly 100% camp when it comes to most materials, like cotton, linen, silk, and of course, cashmere. Especially when shopping secondhand, I recommend filtering based on this to avoid 5% cashmere blends from someone’s TJ Maxx trip in the 80s gone wrong.
#5 Cashmere care
Cashmere is like a finicky baby when it comes to care. Pilling is to be expected, and can be cared for with a sweater stone, like so. MVP sweaters in heavy rotation get dropped off at the dry cleaner’s every few months. And at the end of the season, I give every sweater me and my partner own a bath in this wonderful product. Listen, no one said cashmere was easy!
Archived Outfit
It’s just like me to prescribe an anti-v-neck diet in the top of the newsletter, but then endorse it by midway. But here’s why I’m revoking my statement! I love what this vintage Elle France outfit is doing with layering and color. If you’re out on chocolate brown (sorry, it’s in!), then *imagine* the look in navy or black. Layering a v-neck cashmere sweater over a white tee is fun. Matching the tee to socks that scrunch over loafers, double the fun! This whole outfits makes me fantasize about having an office job where I jog out to the car come Friday at 4 pm to beat traffic out East for the weekend.
This simple as anything sweater is $40.
There’s a little bit of a neck on this cream sweater for $40.
Sick of neutrals? I get it. Try this Land’s End cashmere for $32.
Honorable Mentions
We got this cookbook for Valentine’s Day, to the tune of my list. A marvelous tahini salmon was the result.
I’m not a nail person, minus the twice monthly Geranium, but Bare Nails Dry Gloss Manicure Set has changed that. For $40, it’s a sound investment that lasts much longer than any trip to the salon. It’s so nice to start your week with a moment of self care like this. Can’t recommend enough.
Have you considered outfitting not only your body, but your home, with eBay finds? I wrote about some of my favorite for Ink + Porcelain.
Thank you so much for reading. This week, I wrote about Fresh Beauty, the new Kosas Foundation, and a hair duo I can actually get excited about. See you next Thursday! x
When will you break your silence on how to best store sweaters in small apartments???
You’re right to call me out on this…I apologize and I will do better next time