Winter Wardrobe Staple #1: Cashmere Sweaters
Unless you’re allergic to wool - and yes, I have a couple of clients who can’t tolerate even a small percentage - I’m sure you love how luxurious a cashmere sweater feels.
Cashmere is truly one of my most-worn pieces during NY winters. Because of that, every year I either replace one that’s no longer in great shape or add a new style for variety.
As I mentioned in my Style Notes newsletter, this past Black Friday I added a V-neck gray cashmere sweater to my wardrobe. I already have an older gray crewneck from Everlane that has held its shape beautifully. It’s super soft and the one I always take on long flights. Adding a V-neck made sense for creating new layering options, and gray is probably the most versatile sweater color you can own.
Here are a few tips if you’re building (or refining) your cashmere collection:
• Think beyond color.
Vary necklines (crew, V-neck, turtleneck), shapes (oversized, cropped, classic), and details. When styling, these small differences open up totally new outfit possibilities.
• Cashmere prices vary a lot.
Quality depends on many things: the region the cashmere comes from, the length of the fibers, and even which part of the goat is combed. My older Everlane sweater still looks perfect, but I can’t guarantee new ones will be the same, since quality can vary from season to season.
• Take care of your cashmere.
I hand-wash all my sweaters, no matter the price. It really helps them last. I have a whole blog post on this; you can read it here.
• Pilling happens, even with expensive sweaters.
Shorter fibers pill more easily, but even high-quality cashmere can pill from friction (for example, where your bag rubs). Having a sweater comb and a sweater shaver is essential. I own both and use them often.
• Consider your lifestyle before investing.
I never owned cashmere when living in Rio de Janeiro; it made no sense. Here in New York, I’m literally wearing one as I write this post. If I need to go out, a cashmere sweater + jeans + boots + accessories can take me anywhere on a freezing Winter day. I wear them to work and for errands, so it absolutely justifies the investment.
left: cashmere • pants • bag • shoes • earrings
righ: cashmere • pants • bag • shoes • earrings
In this post, I am showing a few ways I’d style cashmere sweaters, and I’m sure I could think of many more. You can wear them to a party with a festive sequined skirt, to formal dinners with an interesting pleated skirt, to a casual get-together with jeans and boots, and to work with tailored pants. I am sure you will find many more ways according to your personal style.
Hi, I’m Marcia Crivorot, a Personal Stylist based in NY. Once a month, I send newsletters featuring style tips, recommended brands, and a shopping guide. Unlock previous editions of my newsletters and receive my emails firsthand by subscribing.
Disclosure: Remember that I link products and companies based on their quality, my personal opinion, my experience, and my professional expertise. Some of the links in my posts are affiliate links, and if you go through them to make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. The decision is yours, and whether or not you buy something is entirely up to you.