Sweater Weather

And so, it continues. The cold weather is upon us and snowfall is nearing, for those of us in the north and east coast that is. You know the drill. Sweater weather is here! Even if you live in a warmer climate there are plenty of lighter sweater options you can opt to wear on a cooler day. Fabrics, styles, necklines, there are so many things that go into making sweaters the ultimate cozy piece for wintertime.

Let’s talk about necklines. There are several types of necklines that sweaters can come in ranging from turtleneck to the newest trend of cutout necklines. The most modest options are turtleneck, cowl neck, mock neck, and crewneck. I am obsessed with turtlenecks and mock neck sweaters. Something about these two sweater styles is so chic to me. I prefer them to hit at the waist or a little below, so I do not seem so unkempt. Though not my personal preference you cannot go wrong with an oversized turtleneck paired with leggings, and hey you may even slip your UGG boots on with these. Then there is the cowl neck. I adore cowl neck tops, but there is something about the sweater that is sloppy to me. I have had a cowl neck sweater in the past and no matter how many times I wore this sweater I was never able to nail down how the neckline should lay, ughh. There are some very cool options right now where you can wear the sweater off the shoulders or as a cowl neck; I am not sure how well this holds up, but I do love the versatility. Then there are crew neck and V-neck sweaters, these are the most classic options and are the easiest to dress up for work as you can layer them with a blazer or coat. And lastly is the cutout neckline. This neckline started becoming popular in shirts last year and now the sweaters I am seeing with cutout necklines are endless. These are a great option if you are looking for something trendier or for a date night. Okay, so you have picked out what neckline you prefer next is the fabric.

Depending on what climate you are in fabric for your sweater can be extremely important. Come on you are not going to want to wear a linen sweater in Minnesota in the dead of winter or a wool sweater in Florida where winter barely exists. The heaviest of them all is wool and is often mistaken for being the warmest, though it is not. Wool has a bad rap for being super itchy and many people can be allergic to this material; however, if you purchase a wool blend sweater then this top may not be so itchy, and if you can handle wool then go for a 100% wool sweater for the ultimate warmth. Wool is also very durable and can be easier to wash than other materials. Then there is cashmere. Cashmere is the warmest of them all, can you believe it?! Not only is cashmere super soft, but it helps maintain your natural body temperature, meaning a cashmere sweater will keep you warm but not hot. Cashmere is the most luxe looking of all the sweater materials and is perfect for a dressier work look. While wool comes from sheep, cashmere comes from a few types of goats. The fiber from these goats is much finer than the fibers from sheep, which is why cashmere fabric maintains our body heat more than wool. Next, is cotton. Cotton sweaters are most popular in spring, but if you are in a warm climate all year long (i.e., Florida and Arizona), then this will be the most comfortable option. Though there are not as many cotton sweater options available as there are other materials, so you may have to end up going with a cotton sweatshirt which will be a more casual style. And, lastly the most lightweight of them all is linen. Linen sweaters come in styles that are more suited for spring/summer but as mentioned if you are in a warm climate and get hot easily this may be the best sweater for you!  There are many other fabrics used in sweaters such as polyester, viscose, and acrylic (itchy!), but wool, cashmere, cotton, and linen are the most common bases, with those other fabrics most likely mixed in to create a blend.

Sweaters come in many styles, fabrics, and with the most variety of them all is color! As for winter there are certain color schemes more suited for this season then say spring or summer. I feel like most sweater colors from fall can transition well into winter, but some scream winter more so than others. You can go with your traditional colors such as black, cream, and camel. My favorites are a crisp winter white sweater paired with black or blue denim, a vibrant red sweater (I absolutely love this color!), and even more saturated colors such as blue for this season. Some other timeless winter colors include burgundy, forest green, and even grey. A cashmere burgundy sweater is the ultimate essential for a chic winter look, whether it is for work or simply everyday wear. If you have the chance to invest in a cashmere sweater, I highly recommend it. Maybe start off with a neutral and you can even snag them on sale during off seasons. This year I kind of went a little off the winter color scheme and purchased a bright pink sweater. I am simply loving the fun options this year, since I am not getting as dressed up these days, I prefer to have some colorful pieces to brighten up my days! And, if you are in a warmer climate there are some beautiful shades of yellow, I have seen this year. Think of a puff sleeve or ruffle sweater in yellow. Dress the sweater down with light wash jeans and sneakers or dress it up with dark wash flare jeans and booties. So many options and ways to style them!

Oversized, fitted, cashmere, cotton, yellow, burgundy, oh my there are many many varieties of sweaters out there. Do you have any favorites that you come back to season after season or are trying out for the first time this year?

XO