As you know, I strive to cultivate a wardrobe of classic, versatile, well-made pieces that stand the test of time. These essentials are carefully chosen to ensure they can be mixed and matched for endless outfit possibilities across all four seasons. In doing so, I am able to ensure that I never have nothing to wear. Instead, dressing is simple, fun and effortless.
With that ethos in mind, I am starting a new series called "Effortless Essentials" in which I will share my top core items along with a brief overview of why I think they are essential. First up is sweaters. I love sweaters and even before I moved up to New York from Florida, I couldn't help myself from collecting them. Since moving up north, I have reworked my closet to suit the cooler temperatures and narrowed in on 4 types of sweaters that can take me from brunch to the park, to the office and beyond. I have outlined these knitted necessities below and hope they help you narrow down your own collection to a set of basics that you truly love.
Classic Crew Neck
A classic crew neck sweater is easily one of the most versatile styles you can own. I choose to have both cashmere and cotton options in a simplistic cable knit to suit all four seasons. As far as color goes, I find that navy and cream/white work best for my wardrobe. Virtually every brand under the sun offers crew neck sweaters but my favorites are from J. Crew, LL Bean and Ralph Lauren.
Versatile V-Neck
A v-neck is one of the most flattering styles one can own. The open neckline elongates the frame and can be easily layered over shirts and accessorized with scarves and necklaces. As with my crew neck sweaters, I favor navy because it goes with everything in my closet and you can find them practically anywhere. For the material, I love cashmere but cotton is also an excellent material to choose that will last for ages when cared for properly.
Classic Cardigan
I love cardigans! I love that I can throw them on over silk shirts, oxford shirts, dresses, silk tanks, polos and t-shirts. Cardigans are like the t-shirts of the sweater world in the sense that you can wear them across all seasons and I think they are best in black, navy and white or cream. My favorite cardigans are from the J. Crew cashmere line, but you can also find similar styles and quality at Uniqlo, Ralph Lauren and even T.J. Maxx from time to time. Also, I never hesitate to check eBay. If you spend the time to search, you can score brand new cashmere numbers for a fraction of the retail price.
Timeless Turtleneck
Turtlenecks have really made a come-back this season. Seemingly overnight, everyone wears them again and you can find them at every top chain. When it comes to turtlenecks I prefer cotton because for me the neck can feel a little suffocating in wool and cashmere. My turtleneck is a really old cream Ralph Lauren option that is no longer available so the sweater linked above is a wool blend but it has a great design. I also adore cable knit for turtlenecks because of the collegiate feel it gives to any outfit.
Until next time!
