I love sweaters. People have been making and wearing sweaters since sheep had wool. Over the last two years or so (the time frame since I started caring about my style), I have amassed a small collection of sweaters that I am fond of. Not every sweater can be as glorious as some, however. Now and then I’ll pick something up at the thrift that ends up lying vacant and unwanted in the corner of my closet until it passes out of all memory forever. It’s sad. The following articles of clothes are 10 of my favorite sweaters; they’ll be critiqued on comfort, fit, styling potential, and some just the pure joy they bring. In the end, it’s up to you to decide if a sweater is deserving of your love or not.
1. My favorite sweater, ahh the joy. It’s extremely soft, not too hot, full of nice neutral colors, eye-catching but not too flamboyant, and has been a great staple of countless outfits. It’s just a great sweater. It came from my favorite little shop in town, His Helping Hands thrift store. Thank God for those sweet old women in there who always are so generously giving me discounts and free stuff. They are true saints.
2. I’d like to start by saying this sweater and I go way back. You see, this is my dad’s sweater. When I was a little kid I would find it and put it on just because it was so soft. Back then, it was much too big for me, but now it fits me perfectly. The weight of it is so cozy but still breathable, not to mention it looks great with a pearl necklace. The styling potential of this sweater is amazing as it is comprised of many soft brown shades. My dad used to have another just like this but in shades of blue, but I guess it ended up like those unwanted sweaters I was talking about. You know, the ones that pass out of all memory forever in the dusty corner of a closet.
3. This sweater is another great piece that came from the saints down at Helping Hands. This one is significantly more baggy on me than the last two, but I like it like that. Out of all the sweaters I own, this is the comfiest. You’re probably tired of me talking about how masterfully neutral colors are woven into all these sweaters, so I’m not going to anymore. Just know this is another example of that. I just have to mention the subtle green undertones give it a mossy, earthy feel that I adore. A special thank you to Cooper Slocum for passing this up at the thrift so that I could buy it a few days later.
4. Cardigans count as sweaters right? Regardless of your answer to that question, in my world they do. This is one of the most versatile pieces of clothing, a plain black cardigan. It’s a little bit itchy, but I can excuse that because it’s so nice to style with. It can be a nice layer added to a casual outfit or it can be used, if you’re daring enough, with a formal shirt and tie. As a bit of history, this cardigan is real wool. It was bought long ago for my father by my mother, I believe. It remained relatively dormant in a locked cabinet in my father’s elementary music classroom. He kept it there in case he ever got too cold during the school day. When I began to care about clothes, I mentioned to my parents I wanted a cardigan of some kind. A few days after, my dad came home with this. Thank you, Dad.
5. This is the second of two cardigans on this list. If I was dangling over a pit of ravenous, hungry crocodiles and the only way I would be brought to safety is if I described this sweater in a single word, I would shout “FUNKY!” and live to see another day. The pattern of this piece of clothing is indescribable. Some people say it looks like monkeys that have curly tails, others say camouflage, and once it was even likened to hermit crabs wielding shepherd’s crooks. To me, the pattern is just a melting texture of funky shapes and colors. I think this sweater is one of the most difficult to style articles of clothing I own. I like the challenge. Every time I put it on someone comments on it.
6. For a while in my freshman year, this sweater was my everything. It’s striking blue color catches a complement every time I wear it. I truthfully have no idea how this sweater came into my possession, it seems like it has always been a part of my closet. Sometime in the middle section of 9th grade, my fashion was largely influenced by the luxury brand, le FLEUR*. The color of this sweater perfectly matched the brand’s warm, whimsical French Californian aesthetic. I grew out of trying to match the vibes of le FLEUR*, but I still think that what the brand is doing is super unique. I don’t wear this sweater often, but it holds a special place in my heart.
7. It’s always more difficult to say something about each sweater the further down the list I go. This is a vintage Aéropostale piece that was delivered unto me, once again, by the angels of His Helping Hands. The burnt orange stripe across the chest and the sleeves makes this knit unique.
8. The only sweater vest of the list. The only reason it’s so low down is because it’s a little small and right now it’s too cold outside for vests. It’s a nice burgundy color.
9. I plundered this sweater from my dad a few months ago, it’s a little itchy, the collar is super weird, and the sleeves are a little small. However, the pattern is cool.
10. This turtle neck is a miracle thrift find. It came from the Union City Salvation Army Family Store, a respectable establishment. I pulled it from the shelf because it looked nice only to discover it still had a $55 H&M tag still attached. What a find. The reason it’s number 10 is because it’s a little too long and a little too thin. Regardless of its flaws, I got it for only around seven bucks.
