The FW24 Guide to Sweaters
There's a sweater for everything.
Howdy all — Not a ton of housekeeping from me this week so let’s just get right to it. It’s sweater season.
Put on a Sweater
It’s difficult to survive winter without a good supply of hefty sweaters. Of course, sweaters and knitwear are about utility, but if you’re a fake email job urbanite, it might be more about what your sweaters says about you. Are you a a rugged cable-knit guy, or a quiet luxury minimalist in a fine gauge sweater or are you going for ‘trad’ in a fair isle sweater that wouldn’t be out of place in a Wes Anderson picture. The truth is, we’re probably all of them at different times.
For the most part, it’s difficult to find a new, quality sweater that’s not mostly polyester for under $100 so these skew to a more mid-price range and up.
And so, here are the sweaters a man needs, if needs is the word, which it might not be.
Once again, I’ve linked to independent Canadian shops wherever possible.
Shetland Crewneck Sweaters
For crewneck sweaters, a Shetland is hard to beat. I’ve got three already and counting. Equal parts rugged and classic, they’re an Ivy staple you don’t have to be too precious about. If you’re building your collection, start with a neutral like grey or navy for maximum versatility, then throw in a bold colour to keep things interesting.
> Jamieson of Shetland Sweaters > I discovered Jamieson’s a couple of years ago at Beige Habillier in Paris (one of the city’s absolute best menswear stores!) and immediately wanted to pick up several colours. Nothing fancy, just quality Shetland wool in a classic shape in any colour you could want! You can get them there or on END at a really good price. I recommend the brushed styles which are much softer. — $195 CAD
> Lost & Found Shaggy Sweater > The lads over at L&F launched their in-house Shetland last fall and I immediately scooped up a grey one that’s one of the best sweaters I own. Will take you from now through to brisk spring evenings. — $250 CAD
> Neighbour Shetland Sweater > Neighbour is also doing their thing, so see what calls out to you, colour-wise. — $205 CAD
> James Coward Brae Sweater > My pal Nikki put me on to this one. Canadian brand out of Vancouver, knit in England. — $235 CAD
>O’Connell’s Shetland Sweaters > Special shoutout to O’Connell’s in Buffalo which is famous for its Shetlands. I’m going to need to do a full post dedicated to this place in the future. It’s a must-visit if you’re ever in Buffalo. — Starting at $195 USD
Crewnecks (Non-Shetland)
Sometimes you need a crewneck that’s not a Shetland.
>LL Bean Commando Sweater > LL Bean is making 100% Merino sweaters for under $200, which is great! I dig this “Commando” sweater; Daniel Craig wore something similar to this in the last Bond flick. — $149 CAD
> Patagonia Recycled Cashmere Crewneck > Patagonia! Recycled! Cashmere! $249 CAD
>Stone Island Crewneck Sweater > Honestly I’m fucking with Stone Island again; it’s sort of undeniable! I’m partial to taking the patch off. $653
Fine-Gauge Sweaters
Sometimes a guy needs something finer and thinner that will layer tailoring and other outer layers well. For this, some fine-gauge wool or cashmere is the way to go.
>Uniqlo Cashmere Crewneck Sweater > Again, Uniqlo can deliver the goods at a price that will allow you to pick up a few colours. — $129 CAD
> John Smedley Hatfield Sweater > If you want to invest a little more, and want something finer you can’t go wrong with John Smedley. The sweaters are made in England and it’s been around since 1784. Michel Brisson in Montreal had a ton of colours. — $375 CAD
Cardigans
Cardigans are a winter powerhouse and yet still sort of seem underrated?
>Noah Crewneck Cardigan> This full-button crew neck style has recently become quite popular with men and is sort of based on a classic Agnes B women’s cardigan. Noah has a great Shetland one this season. makes a nice one. — $559 CAD
>Anglo-Italian Lambswool Cardigan > Everything Anglo-Italian does is perfect in my book. Not too slim-fitting, not too chunky, Italian-made, horn buttons. — $380 CAD
>Kaptain Sunshine Roya Alpaca Cardigan > Equally simple in a beautiful Alpaca. Put this in your wishlist and see if it goes on sale.— $634 CAD
>Drake’s Lambswool Sleeveless Cardigan > A sleeveless cardigan is a great way to layer without the bulk if you want to get your tenured professor look on this winter. — $400 CAD
V-Neck Sweaters
V-neck tees have gone the way of American Apparel but V-neck sweaters are another story. In my opinion, they shine brightest when paired with just a crewneck T-shirt underneath—(a pastel tee under a neutral sweater is a nice switch-up from white). The catch with most V-necks is their often timid, shallow cut. I find myself wanting more V in my V-neck. Here are a few that go a little deeper.
>Casatlantic Meknes V-Neck Wool Sweater > Ideal V-neck here, nautically inspired with British wool and a cropped fit. — $270 CAD
>J.Crew Merino Wool V-Neck Sweater > OK not the deepest V but simple, substantial and the price is right. —$144 USD
>P.Johnson Moss Openers Sweater — This from Aussie brand P.Johnson has a few things going for it: a deep enough V-neck with a nice wide rib and a relaxed fit. $$249 USD
Turtlenecks
A turtleneck does it all, in a way. It’s simple, versatile and sort of announces that you know what you’re doing, even if you really don’t.
>Uniqlo Ultrawarm Cotton Turtleneck > Start with something basic and lightweight for maximum versatility. I have a couple of these cotton Uniqlo babies and they’re a great entry point into pulling off the turtleneck look. — $30 CAD
>John Smedley ExtraFine Merino Wool Sweater > If you want to splash out a bit you can upgrade to a thin Merino wool. — $400 CAD
> GAP Donelgal Turtleneck > Or you can go a bit chunkier and make the turtleneck itself the focal point. — $89 CAD
>Andersen-Andersen Navy Turtleneck > Full wool and navy-inspired. LFG. — $525 CAD
Full-Zips
GQ recently proclaimed that full-zip hoodies are back, baby! So let’s say the same applies to knitted sweaters, which are out there in abundance at the moment. A shawl collar is a bit too grandad, but for me, these are just on the right side of dad.
>Frizmworks Wool Deck Zip-Up Cardigan Great sweater from S. Korea’s Frizmworks— CAD 320
>Wynona Studio Jacques Cardigan > Lovely stuff from upstart Toronto brand Wynona Studio.— $410
>And Daughter Rib Zip Jacket > This is a new brand to me as it seems they’ve just entered into menswear (their paid ads found me!) but all the sweaters are made in Scotland with beautiful yarn. The silhouettes, details, and colours look to be super on-point as well. I’m hoping they go on sale at some point. — $895 CAD
>Studio Nicholson Knit Jacket > Woof! —$930 CAD
Cable-Knits a.k.a. Aran Knits a.k.a. Fisherman’s Sweaters
This is more on the nice-to-have side of the scale but an all-wool fisherman’s sweater is still a pretty timeless style. Oh, it’s itchy? Grow Up! These will soften over time and will last for years. If you opt for a blend of wool and synthetic, it will start to sag and lose its shape and you’ll be back to buying a new one next year.
>KOTN Fisherman Sweater > For the Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally look, KOTN is doing one right now that’s 100% lambswool for less than two bills. More modern and closer to the body than something you’d find at the thrift. — $198
>Sunspel Cable Jumper > You can find more luxe styles like this one from Sunspel made from soft Merino wool. — $585 CAD
>Allevol x Inverallan Cable Knit Sweater > If you want to go up a notch further, something like this Allevol x Inverallan sweater comes in a cool dyed black colour that will fade like jeans over time. It’s handmade in Scotland. Aye. — $625 CAD
Statement Sweater
Let’s skip the ugly Christmas sweaters this year. They’re itchy, they’re cheap, they’re unsustainable — a better idea is just something daring that you can wear well past December 25th. Here’s a few.
>Howlin’ Fire in the Mind Navy Sweater > Based in Antwerp but made in Scotland (“howlin’” is Scottish slang for smelly, apparently), this is a brand that’s really mastered the art of bringing quality to outrageous design. — $565 CAD
>Our Legacy Evening Argyle Polo > Our Legacy strikes again, combining an eye-catching pattern, with an ‘evening polo’ design. —$595
>Chamula for Drake’s Fair Isle Sweater > Chamula is known for its hand-made-and-dyed-in-Mexico knitwear. For Drake’s, they’ve given us their take on a Fair Isle sweater. A banger.
Well Linked
Crowdfunding and private chats: menswear label Percival’s unusual loyalty tactics — Percival’s loyalty program consists in part, of being added to a WhatsApp group and getting the inside track on sales and other perks. As somebody who used to work for a venture-backed clothing brand, the pressure for sales is constant, but you can’t forget to dance with the ones who brung ya in a real way. (FT)
Kobbie Mainoo & Cole Palmer are just getting started — Obsessed with the Burberry suits the lads are wearing in this. (GQ UK)
Has Fashion’s Convergence With Sports Gone Too Far? (BoF)
From Raw Denim to Natural Wine — The founder of APC made some natural wine. (NYT)
Can Lululemon win men over? — I thought it already had? I know a few regular dudes who swear by the stretchy chinos. (FT)
Why Is UNIQLO the Anti-Fast Fashion Fast Fashion Brand? (High Snobiety)
Thanks for reading
BK
