Going Green Part 2: The Green Sweater

Shaggy Dog Sweater

In my last Going Green post I focused on ties, but this post moves away from green accessorizes and onto the wardrobe staple that is the Shetland sweater. I already have a forest green Shetland and get a lot of use out it it. This year I decided to invest in a new green sweater.
Green Shaggy Dog SweaterI mentioned not too long ago that I may have purchased a Shaggy Dog sweater from J.Press. In spite of the all time high prices of Shetlands, I did. I ordered a blue-green Shaggy Dog which I thought was going to be more green than blue, but that is not the case. While it is not the color that I was hoping for ( I was hoping for that light green that Ralph Lauren does so well.) it is a beautiful sweater with gorgeous color variation.

As for the sweater itself…It is a warm one. It is by far the warmest sweater that I own. The thickness is not immediately apparent until you take a look at the cuffs when turned back (,as I wear all of my sweaters). They look enormous. It is then that you realize just why it is so warm.

I found sizing to be a little tricky. I purchased a small and it was too large. More than anything it was too long in the sleeves and torso. I exchanged it for an XS and although I was worried it would be too small the fit turned out to be spot on. The XS fit like a true small.

I am happy to add this green sweater to the collection. I can already tell that it will get a lot of action on very cold days and will most likely be my number one choice for outdoor adventures this winter. The soft blue-green color will help to add a little color to the dark grey days of winter that lay ahead.

oxford cloth button down
Jerrod Swanton is a simple man interested in simple, classic, and traditional style.

15 Comments on "Going Green Part 2: The Green Sweater"

  1. rmpmcdermott says:

    Great post. I’ve been integrating a few ties with prominent green repps from Press into my daily style and I really like it! It’s interesting that the XS fits like a small on your shaggy dog sweater. I was in the D.C. Press store recently and actually had to size up from a large to XL. I wonder if they size it so the smaller sizes are sized big and the larger sizes are sized small. Or maybe I’ve been eating too many empanadas…

  2. Andy Gilchrist says:

    Nice investment my friend.

    Warm regards,

    Andy

  3. RWK says:

    Would you mind sharing the measurements of the XS sweater? Body length, chest width, and sleeve length? Thanks.

  4. Alexander says:

    You look great in that thing. Thumbs up and greetings across the Atlantic

  5. RNA says:

    To expand on RWK’s question… how does it compare to an O’Connell’s Shetland in sizing? Is an XS about 36 or a 38?
    Thanks.

  6. oxford cloth button down says:

    RWK & RNA – I will provide measurements. I hope to add them this evening. From feel alone I would say that the XS from Press is larger than my 38 from O’Connell’s.

  7. ChildDoc says:

    Jerrod,

    I wonder if you would comment on your satisfaction/quality of the Press vs. O’Connell’s sweater you bought last year at this time. From the picture above it appears that the Press sweater is a bit “bulky” and, as you note, looks heavy when the cuff is turned back–as I like to do with my sweaters as well. Press thinks a lot of their Shetland–with a marked contrast in pricing compared with Harley’s of Scotland (knit in the round/seamless and half the price) and O’Connell’s (with a saddle shoulder) and even Ben Silver’s. As you reflect on your purchase, was it worth it? P.S. Truly enjoy your website!

  8. oxford cloth button down says:

    Upon measuring the XS Shaggy Dog and the 38 from O’Connell’s I was wrong. They are practically identical except for the sleeve length. Thanks for pushing for hard numbers, guys!

    Chest: 19 inches
    Length (Measured from back, top to bottom): 25 inches
    Sleeve: 33 inches (shaggy dog) & 30 inches (O’Connell’s)

    ChildDoc – Thank you for the kind words. Hard to tell if it was worth it as I just recently purchased it, but if pressed (haha!), I would say yes. It is definitely noticeably warmer and thicker. I also really enjoy the look of brushed Shetlands. With all that being said, I definitely give O’Connell’s the thumbs up and want to try one of Harley’s.

  9. CAY says:

    I have two Shaggy Dog Sweaters and love them both. One is navy, the other a light brown. Although I have other sweaters, these two are the ones I reach for first, if I am not looking for a specific color or a lighter sweater to fit under a jacket. I don’t have sweaters from either O’Connell’s or Harley’s, so can’t make that comparison. Nevertheless, I think these are truly great sweaters.

  10. Lennart says:

    Lovely blueish-green colour, I’d like to have one myself.

  11. Fading Fast says:

    Jerrod, great looking sweater. This was the year I was going to buy Press’ Shaggy Dog in light grey (price be damned), but they seemed to have dropped the light grey from their line. Hence, I’ve been looking at O’Connell’s Shetland (which seems “Shaggy-dog like”) and they have a light grey. Where you tend to wear a small in most bands, I tend to wear a medium (but sometimes mediums are a bit big on me), based on that, since you wear a 38 in O’Connell’s, I’m thinking a 40 would work for me – thoughts? Thank you.

  12. oxford cloth button down says:

    FF – Based on your description I would say that a 40 should work. I would check out my measurements below and add about 1 inch. If those dimensions match up with one of your sweaters that you like the fit of I would say that is it. Also, they are great about returns unlike Press.

  13. Paul says:

    Which do you feel is warmer? The shaggy dog or the oconnell Shetland? I’m deciding between a navy Shetland from both brands right now. Thanks for doing the size comparison!

  14. oxford cloth button down says:

    Paul – The Shaggy Dog is definitely warmer! I hope this helps.

  15. paper clip says:

    I have that exact color sweater which I bought from the Andover Shop 3-4 years ago. I thought it was the nicest color – a blue/green mix. I have since picked up a shaggy dog from a forumite and found it was the exact same maker.

    Indeed it is a heavy sweater which can easily be used as outerwear. I love the thick brushed wool.

    My only issue are that the sleeves are not saddle.

    I have three other shetlands which I got from Brooks when they were still knitted in Scotland. They have saddle shoulders but are much lighter weight and feel than the Andover/Press ones. Of course, they were cheaper as well.

    I will have to get an O’Connells to round out my collection.

I would like to hear from you