Please help me keep warm this winter

January 3, 2016 9:06 PM

I am in search of the perfect sweater(s). Not scratchy, gauzey, drapey, boxy, or itchy. This shouldn't be so hard, but it is.

I'm the first to admit that I'm a picky shopper. I find the majority of clothes I see at women's clothing stores just awful - weird materials, unflattering cuts, details in all the wrong places. I like classic lines, fitted styles, comfortable fabrics. I'm having a hell of a time finding pullover sweaters, and it's cold and damp and I'd really like to keep warm.

The general trend in women's clothing right now is this boxy/drapey style, which is incredibly unflattering on me. I wear a medium or large, have fairly substantial breasts, and a narrowish waist. The boxy/drapey look just looks messy on me.

I'm looking for cotton, acrylic, and/or cashmere sweaters (wool is so itchy!) in crew-neck or v-neck. Have any ideas?

posted by radioamy to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

Lands' End? I got a cotton crew neck sweater from there recently.
posted by kat518 at 9:08 PM on January 3, 2016 [1 favorite]

Uniqlo! Warm, classic styles, well priced.
posted by shazzam! at 9:12 PM on January 3, 2016 [6 favorites]

Seconding uniqlo, my favourite sweater is a uniqlo cashmere v-neck.
posted by yesbut at 10:05 PM on January 3, 2016

Have you tried Talbots? They have some slightly more trendy things but they mostly stay pretty classic and the materials are soft and substantial with pretty colors and a shape that tends more towards semi-fitted.
posted by Mizu at 10:06 PM on January 3, 2016

J Crew makes fantastic pullovers and cashmere sweaters. I have a bunch of their v neck cashmere sweaters; they're thin, fitted, and warm. I have a body type similar to yours and the J Crew sweaters look trim and neat, never slobby or messy. They are so worth the money and are really well made.
posted by the webmistress at 10:11 PM on January 3, 2016

Seconding Land's End. I buy almost all of my sweaters from them for the same reasons you describe. They can be a bit pricey, but the sales are good.
posted by neushoorn at 10:28 PM on January 3, 2016

Nthing Uniqlo. All my favorite sweaters are from there. Simple design, interesting colors, well made, dirt cheap.
posted by miyabo at 10:30 PM on January 3, 2016

Um, Target. Usually in stores they have both v-neck and crew, but they sell out--you'd have better luck in October. Flattering, comfy, cheap.
posted by Violet Hour at 12:31 AM on January 4, 2016

Nthing Lands End. I recently got a cashmere pullover from there that is exactly what you describe.
posted by Metroid Baby at 3:40 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

cashmere sweaters (wool is so itchy!)

Cashmere is wool, it's just a type of wool that is particularly soft and rarely reads as itchy to anyone. There are other wools -- generally high quality and well finished ones -- that are non-itchy, so don't just count it out of your search wholesale. If your intention is to stay warm in your sweater, it's by far your best option.

I agree with recommendations above for Uniqlo cashmere sweaters, but I will note the ones I have are not especially warm and need to be layered in winter weather (where I live, anyway).
posted by telegraph at 4:48 AM on January 4, 2016

Not my first (and probably not my last) time recommending Woolovers. Their sweaters are divided by fabric - cotton/cashmere, lambswool, cashmere/merino, silk/cotton, 100% wool - and they have many classic styles, all remarkably reasonably-priced and machine-washable. I tend to wear the cashmere/merino or silk/cotton under jackets or with fancy scarves, while the lambswool, cotton/cashmere, and 100% wool I treat as stand-alones. I don't find any of them to be itchy, despite my sensitive skin, but YMMV. One of the great things about their site is that they provide, for each sweater in each size, the precise measurements so you can compare these to a sweater you already have in order to estimate the fit.

I don't work for Woolovers or represent them in any way; I'm just a huge fan. If you memail me, I can set you up for a 10% discount on your first order through their refer-a-friend scheme.
posted by DrGail at 5:20 AM on January 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

Depends on your body type, but I've been AMAZED at how good men's sweaters look on my body. They're longer, not boxy-cut, and they don't look masculine as long as I'm wearing a decent bra. Plus, you get much nicer materials for the same price! Definitely give it a try the next time you're in an H&M or J.Crew, you might be dazzled like I was.
posted by you're a kitty! at 8:45 AM on January 4, 2016