Photo: Drakes London It is difficult to find knitwear to wear over a shirt and under a jacket because most of what is out there is less than ideal. For one thing, proper knitwear should be relatively light lest the wearer be overly warm indoors. Single ply is best, and certainly no more than two ply. For another, it should be sleeveless for the same reason (like a vest, the sweater is to keep the torso warm and add some additional color and texture to the ensemble). That leaves us with three choices, the vee neck, the cardigan and the crew, only two of them ever seen.
The crew is not a practical choice as to my knowledge no-one on this earth makes a sleeveless version even though there would be a nice market for them. For the closed neck would let men go tieless if they so chose, and many men would.
Whether four in hand, bow tie or ascot, both the cardigan and the vee neck really require silk to finish the look of the neck. Open collars and jackets are less than ideal, George Clooney notwithstanding. The best designs have a deeper vee, keeping the body warm but displaying an ample amount of necktie.
Within these limitations a variety of materials will do. Cashmere is wonderful of course, as are the modern combinations of silk, linen and wool in various proportions, alpaca and merino. Just avoid sleeves if you can.
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10 comments:
Will, wonderful post.
Although I am not a fan or regular customer of Brooks Brothers, last Winter I purchased a light gray, sleeveless, cardigan sweater which I wear with a navy suit and tie. I have received a lot of compliments on it and it is wonderful to wear in the office when I remove my suit jacket.
I have since stopped wearing ties with v-neck sweaters - too collegiate looking for my age. (I know the Duke did it but I'm not the Duke)
Great Post.
On the sleeveless claim though I want to give something more to think about.
Presume the environment is slightly less formal. I often combine a knitted buttoned "jacket" and avoid wearing a jacket all together. Together with a silk tie and rolled up sleeves it makes for a very nice ensemble.
The tie adds a little bit of formality, the rolled up sleeves open the view to the shirt sleeves a bit and are a good idiom for "get to work". It works very nicely in an informal work setting where wearing a suit would be inappropriate (sadly this applies to a lot of work laces these days).
Sleeveless crews exist, or at least, they used to. I have one in a fine merino by Australian designer, Claude Maus, from several seasons ago. It is perfect for when you aren't feeling like wearing a tie, exactly as you suggested.
My husband's office has gone informal. My husband wears khaki's or trousers, long or short sleeved shirts with a long sleeved button up the front cardigan, usually V necked, and tie oxfords or loafers. This is his basic look. I've suggested a jacket or tie, but he thinks that would be over the top in relation to his co-workers. Outside the office, he is getting more interested in your suggestions.
I used to have a sleeveless crew. I never wore it and ended up getting rid of it. It seemed and awkward combination. It felt confining in the front, but not warm enough for some circumstances.
If I’m wearing a tie and it’s exceptionally cold, I prefer a half zip or half button. Though, my collection, and I assume most offered are sleeved, they feel a good balance of warmth and comfort.
Most of the time I tend to go for a deep V or a Cardigan. My work environment has a terrible habit of going from cold to hot and back again throughout the day. I like to have layered options. A sleeved cardigan with an unlined blazer or light jacket gives me four levels of comfort. Throw in the overcoat and I can endure all four seasons on the same day.
Perhaps it is just the climate here, (Edinburgh, Scotland) but I feel very happy for the extra warmth sleeves give me at this time of year.
A sleeved cardigan is certainly a very nice choice for when one takes ones coat of in the evening.
I love the button-up vest that you show. I would love to find them but, can't seem to locate them. I would love a 1 ply cashmere in a light gray, light blue or seafoam green. Where did you get the lavender one shown?
Tony, Drakes London. Tell them I sent you. :-)
I’ve long loved the sleeveless cardigan, on which pockets make the look. The one you depict from Drakes is particularly handsome. Wonderful cut and color in a fabric that looks as if it might be single-ply cashmere.
Very enjoyable post and blog (which I found due to your inclusion in the recent 100 best blogs in The Times - an honour most deserved).
I'm always in a slight quandry as to what colour to pick for my knitwear, weather to go for a matching colour to the suit (that Roberto Mancini uses well), or, as you suggest, to 'add some additional color'.
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