Q. You write a lot about suits and ties, but other than high-end meetings, no one in my office is required to wear them -- ever.
We're mostly a dress shirt and sweater setting, and as I head to winter I need to modernize my sweater choices. I have a lot of Cosby sweaters from 20 years ago. I just saw a co-worker in something that looked good, with a sweater that was light in bulk, light in color (ecru?), and crew neck with one of those small V's woven into the neck.
Can you confirm this is a modern look and provide other suggestions?
A. It definitely is a modern look and it is one of many that would be perfect for your setting. In fact, for any man who knows and loves clothes, adding a sweater can be the one touch that pulls a combination together and turns it into a really terrific look.
Sweater dressing opens up a whole array of possibilities, from inexpensive to costly, from solid colors to patterns, from cashmere and fine-gauge merino to chunky Shetland wool. Whether wearing a sweater alone, layered over a dress shirt, or under a blazer or sports jacket, it works for a business-casual setting as well as for weekend dressing.
If you are deciding to become more of a sweater man, collecting many different styles and colors makes sense. I'll categorize these by cuts/necklines, fabrics, and patterns.
CUTS AND NECKLINES
The crew neck sweater you are describing (with a small V design) is referred to as a sweatshirt cut. It comes in versions from the widely available cotton sweatshirt fabric all the way up to fine merino wool or cashmere.
The style looks great layered over a collared dress shirt or a lightweight turtleneck. But this is only one option among the wide array of sweaters you have to choose from.
Sweaters come in two basic cuts, pullovers or cardigans. Pullovers offer the most options, including crew necks, high V-necks, deep V-neck tennis styles, sleeveless V-neck vests, sweatshirt cuts, turtlenecks, shawl collars, polo style button openings, Henleys, hoodies, and half-zip fronts. (The hoodie is the only one that is too casual to wear over a dress shirt in the office.) Cardigans are either button-up or zip-fronts.
These days, button cardigans do not all have a baggy grandfather air; many are cut trimmer and are quite stylish.
FABRICS
Sweater fabrics may be wool, cashmere, cotton, silk, rayon, acrylic or some other synthetics. Often, they are a blend of two or more of these. Which fabrics you choose depends on your preference, the season, your pocketbook, and the occasion. The only ones I don't recommend are those with a high percentage of synthetic. They will in most cases be of lower quality than their wool/cashmere fiber counterparts.
Pay attention to the major component (the bulk of the fiber). If most of the fiber is wool or cotton, the sweater will behave like the basic ingredient (for example, it will shrink in the laundry). Some fabrics, such as rayon, are not designed to be laundered, and must be dry-cleaned. Other fabrics project an air of elegance or informality.
And, in the colder months, a warm sweater's comfort factor can't be denied.
PATTERNS
Sweaters come in solids and a huge range of patterns. Solids are safe; patterns add interest. Solids are the most formal; patterns make the garment more casual. The trick to wearing a patterned sweater successfully is to understand that the sweater's pattern will be the center of your outfit. Match it with simple (usually solid-color) items that do not compete with it.
As to whether your old patterned sweaters are out of style, generally speaking (unless they have very flashy, bright-colored patterns), they are not! While new sweater styles, such as zip-fronts and half-zip openings, keep being added to the many possible options on the market, I can hardly think of any type of sweater that has actually gone out of style ... except, perhaps, the Italian gondolier's boat neck.
Note: A sweater is one of the most flattering garments a man can wear. It adds weight to a skinny physique and streamlines a large figure. It can help create optical illusions that flatter your body. If you are very tall or very thin, opt for sweaters with horizontal stripes or argyle patterns. If you have "love handles" that need hiding, a sweater that comes down a few inches past your waist directs the eye past your waistline and helps camouflage any excess girth.
A sweater combination does not need a tie, but you certainly could wear a solid knit tie with it if you like. A man in a sweater should project a cool, nonchalant air.
Don't waste your money on an "ugly Christmas sweater."
Send men's fashion queries to Male Call:
Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
High Profile on 11/22/2015