Fall is here , the weather is getting colder, and it is time to change out your cotton sweaters for wool. As I was taking stock of my fall/winter sweaters, I could see that a new sweater would be an appreciated addition to my current rotation. This is a smart purchase for me as my sweaters get almost daily wear. They serve as jackets when the weather is mild, keep me warm in the office in the winter, and I have no issues wearing the same sweater multiple days in a week. I have started a search and thought that I would share my list.
What do I look for in a sweater? Well, my criteria is simple, it must be 100% wool and have a crewneck. Color is important as well. Colors such as navy, gray, charcoal, green, brown, and burgundy are classic colors that easily fit into a wardrobe. I am focusing on building a collection of solid colors as they are not as easy to notice when wears are repeated as say a Fair Isle pattern. This rule works for all items, not just sweaters. Here is the list that I have compiled.
1. Brooks Brothers
Shetland Crewneck Sweater – $98.00
Available in two colors Clipper (light blue) and Cobblestone (oatmeal). Both colors are really nice and the sweater has a good look to it.
2. JCrew
Lambswool Sweater Crewneck- $59.50
Available in black, deep navy, heathered coal, heathered flannel, heathered fatigue. I would recommend deep navy, charcoal, or heathered flannel.
Marled Lambswool Sweater – $59.50
Available in two color- marled loden and marled chambray. I like the marled chambray color.
3. JPress
Shaggy Dog- $180
Available in 20 great colors. When I imagine the [perfect sweater this is what I see. The price is the only deterrent.
4. Lands End
Disappointingly they do not have any %100 wool crewneck offerings at this time.
5. LL Bean
Shetland Crewneck- $39.00
Abailable in a variety of colors. There are some bad reviews on the site which is preventing me from ordering, but the price still has me interested.
Lambswool Crewneck- $69.00
Available in a variety of colors. However, I would recommend navy, charcoal, and russet.
6. LL Bean Signature
Brushed Lambswool Crewneck- $79.00
Available in 3 great colors, coal marl, dark umber marl, and navy (looks navy-cobalt). The texture of the sweater looks nice. I have no experience with this brand, but their sweaters have piqued my interest.
7. O’connell’s Clothing
Scottish Shetland Wool Sweater – $145.00
Available in 40 great colors. I would put this sweater in the same category as the JPress Shaggy dog. When I imagine a great sweater this is what I see in my head. However, it is a little outside of my price range.
Scottish Shetland Wool Sweater Cable Knit- $165.00
Available in 5 colors. Same as the sweater above, but with a cable knit.
Lambswool Crewneck Sweater- $185.00
Available in 5 colors. I don’t like the way that saddle shoulder looks here, but it may just be the picture.
Conclusion
I know that this is not a comprehensive list, but it gives you a good place to start if you are in the market for a new sweater. All of the sweaters that I have included are %100 wool. I know that many of these companies offered a wool blend in a crewneck that I chose not to feature. Hopefully in the near future I will be able to offer a review for one of these sweaters. Any questions or comments are welcomed and appreciated.
