Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.
Everyone’s clothing collection should include a cable knit sweater or two, whether they’re chunky jacket alternatives or of the thinner, slightly more formal variety. The number of choices is near endless, and while that might mean that some of us end up with far more sweaters than strictly necessary it also means that more precise shoppers can find a single, perfect sweater for their wardrobes.
1) Uniqlo: Cotton/Cashmere Cable Crew in Off White
Uniqlo doesn’t have the widest selection of clothes, but when you are looking for popular, simplistic patterns they are perfect. Their Cotton/Cashmere Cable Crew Sweaters might only contain 5% cashmere but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a great piece for filling our your closet. The fit is great, the construction solid, and they come in a variety of neutral colors.
Available for $30 from Uniqlo.
2) Norse Projects: Arild Cable Knit Navy
I like thick sweaters as much as the next guy, but sometimes they are too thick — so thick that they feel more like a jacket than a sweater and can’t be comfortably worn as a layering piece. Norse Projects’ Arild Cable Knit Sweater is the perfect thickness to keep you warm without being so chunky that you have to forgo your coat out of necessity. The cable knit pattern itself is quite attractive, featuring a symmetrical motif on the chest and back as well as the tops of the arms.
Available for $247 from Oi Polloi.
3) Inverallan: 1A Cable Crew in Heather Grey
For a brand to remain competitive these days they have to do one of to things: continuously produce unique and popular designs or produce more traditional pieces better than anyone else. Inverallan definitely succeeds at the latter. Their 1A Cable Crew is a textbook example of what every chunky, cable knit sweater should be. It is made from 100% virgin Scottish Lambswool, is hand-knit, and fits beautifully. It features ribbing at the neck, hem, and cuffs, which blends perfectly with the design of the rest of the sweater.
Like this? Read these:
Available for $275 from End Clothing.
4) Canadian Sweater Company: Handmade Wool Raglan Sweater
Canadian Sweater Company’s Handmade Wool Raglan Sweater is one of the most substantial sweaters on the market, and with its tall collar it could definitely be used as a jacket alternative. The design itself is a bit divisive — everyone has their own opinions on button-front sweaters, and in addition to that the small front hand pockets and contrasting raglan sleeves are sure to make it some friends and enemies. That said, if the design of this sweater speaks to you then what are you waiting for? You aren’t going to find many sweaters at this level of quality.
Available for $355 from Tate + Yoko.
5) Maison Margiela: Cable Stitch Pullover in Black
Maison Margiela has been pulling out all the stops the last few seasons, and their latest Cable Stitch Pullover is nothing short of spectacular. It’s hard to create new styles of cable knit anymore, but the way the various cable knit patterns are used in conjunction with one another can still create a very unique sweater, and that’s exactly what MM did. The design is matched perfectly with the ultra-dark black color of the wool, creating a chunky sweater that is as much form as it is function.
Available for $890 from Totokaelo.
Plus One – Ralph Lauren Purple Label Dragon
Winter is coming, and how better to defend yourself from cold that with this Dragon Sweater? It is part of Ralph Lauren Purple Label collection, which is the highest-end label produced by the Ralph Lauren parent company. While all their clothing is fantastic, it is rare to see them come out with something as unique and eye-catching as this dragon sweater, but when they do it is done to their same, phenomenal standards. This sweater is constructed from hand-spun yarns using 70% wool/30% cashmere fibers, so you’ll feel just as soft and warm as you feel fierce.
Available for $2995 from Mr. Porter.
