Shawl collar cardigan recommendations

[NickInTO]

I'm looking for a nice shawl collar cardigan to wear with a CM/business casual wardrobe. I love the Scott & Charters version, but can't spend ~$400.

Any recommendations for a quality cardigan at half that price (or less)? Does anyone have any experience with the Suit Supply cardigans?

 

[breakaway01]

Northern Watters makes a nice cardigan in PEI for $249.

 

[emptym]

I normally wouldn't do this, but I'm going to recommend something more than the S&C one, the Armoury cardigan. I looked around a lot for a good sc cardigan and couldn't find any that looked as good as the Armoury's. It's expensive, but worth it for something I wear often and will for decades. The collar is perfect imo. Most others are too skimpy or oddly shaped. I also liked the ribbing, cuffs, hem, and pockets. My only complaint is that it does pill a bit. I'd love a Drakes cashmere one, but they're priced beyond my comfort zone.

Some have said Johnstons of Elgin makes the Armoury/Drakes ones, and they sell one for a bit cheaper than the ArmouryDrakes, but the specs may be a bit different. You might also look for a good vintage one. I have one by Peconic Bay Traders that I really like, but the collar doesn't lay flat. @dieworkwear would have some good recommmendations.

Edit, not much on his blog, except a rec for Club Monaco ones. Ebay has some, like this one.

 

[dieworkwear]

Northern Watters is one of your better options. There's also the recently revived McGeorge label, which used to be a good Scottish knitwear company, but now is just another one of those foreign-owned labels that trades on the company's Scottish heritage in name only. Current day McGeorge is owned by an Italian company. There's a seller on eBay (sarafsaraf) who sells offseason stock for about a third of the retail price. The shawl collar cardigan is $150. Quality is ... OK. Not worth what they wanted retail, but not bad for current eBay prices.

Or you can try any number of preppy RTW brands. Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, Gant, J. Crew, and Land's End has stocked them in the past. No idea what they have this season though. Another one that has been mentioned on boards before is Black Sheep Knitwear, but frankly, I don't think it looks very good.

The problem with ones that cost under $400 is that the shawl collar itself can be a bit thin, so it lays flat. The thing that makes the S&C, Armoury, and other high-end pieces nice is that the collar is thick, so there's some volume to it. It just makes the collar line look better, but I assume with all the multipliers throughout the manufacturing chain, that extra material is probably how you end up at a $400 price point.

@emptym Armoury's isn't made by Johnstons FWIW.

 

[emptym]

...
@emptym Armoury's isn't made by Johnstons FWIW.

Ah, yes. Thanks. I meant William Lockie (makes Armoury/Drakes).

 

[NickInTO]

Thanks everyone!

 

[emptym]

This looks pretty good:
http://thewardrobewimbledon.com/sweaters/the-wardrobe-sweater-4345.html

Found on @eHaberdasher's instagram.

 

[La Fin Du Monde]

Northern Watters is one of your better options. There's also the recently revived McGeorge label, which used to be a good Scottish knitwear company, but now is just another one of those foreign-owned labels that trades on the company's Scottish heritage in name only. Current day McGeorge is owned by an Italian company. There's a seller on eBay (sarafsaraf) who sells offseason stock for about a third of the retail price. The shawl collar cardigan is $150. Quality is ... OK. Not worth what they wanted retail, but not bad for current eBay prices.

Or you can try any number of preppy RTW brands. Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, Gant, J. Crew, and Land's End has stocked them in the past. No idea what they have this season though. Another one that has been mentioned on boards before is Black Sheep Knitwear, but frankly, I don't think it looks very good.

The problem with ones that cost under $400 is that the shawl collar itself can be a bit thin, so it lays flat. The thing that makes the S&C, Armoury, and other high-end pieces nice is that the collar is thick, so there's some volume to it. It just makes the collar line look better, but I assume with all the multipliers throughout the manufacturing chain, that extra material is probably how you end up at a $400 price point.

@emptym Armoury's isn't made by Johnstons FWIW.

@dieworkwear If you could rate the top three to five brands, what would you recommend?

I just joined and would appreciate your thoughts.

 

[Anachronist]

Check out Hackett as well, they sometimes have really nifty and bery British sc cardigans (bought a double breasted one a few years back, that I really love and that is elegant enough even for business wear). They ain't cheap either, but if you get them at sales prices the value for money is good.

 

[dieworkwear]

@dieworkwear If you could rate the top three to five brands, what would you recommend?

I just joined and would appreciate your thoughts.

William Lockie and Scott & Charters are my favorites, and they make for other brands, but they fit very differently from each other. Largely depends on what you want. I don't know if you can really rate them like that.

 

[La Fin Du Monde]

William Lockie and Scott & Charters are my favorites, and they make for other brands, but they fit very differently from each other. Largely depends on what you want. I don't know if you can really rate them like that.

Yeah, I have encountered this before. What the brand and the manufacturer don't always correlate, thus the quality of garments vary.

I appreciate it. I was just interested in getting some solid recommendations.

 

[dieworkwear]

Yeah, I have encountered this before. What the brand and the manufacturer don't always correlate, thus the quality of garments vary.

I appreciate it. I was just interested in getting some solid recommendations.

Sorry, I don't mean that the brand and the manufacturer differ. I mean S&C-made cardigans fit and look differently from William Lockie-made ones. Which you prefer is a matter of preference.

 

[La Fin Du Monde]

Sorry, I don't mean that the brand and the manufacturer differ. I mean S&C-made cardigans fit and look differently from William Lockie-made ones. Which you prefer is a matter of preference.

Thanks, that's a helpful clarification. On average - what have you noticed about the fit and look between the two?

 

[dieworkwear]

Thanks, that's a helpful clarification. On average - what have you noticed about the fit and look between the two?

The S&C has an elongated silhouette. It's a little longer and the collar drapes like a fat roll.

The WL has a slightly rounder silhouette. It's shorter and the collar is wider. Collar also sits closer to the body, doesn't fall like a big roll.

If you Google around, you can find images. The WL is easier to wear. It's what most people think of when they think of a chunky shawl collar cardigan. The S&C fits a bit more like outerwear. I like both.

 

[La Fin Du Monde]

The S&C has an elongated silhouette. It's a little longer and the collar drapes like a fat roll.

The WL has a slightly rounder silhouette. It's shorter and the collar is wider. Collar also sits closer to the body, doesn't fall like a big roll.

If you Google around, you can find images. The WL is easier to wear. It's what most people think of when they think of a chunky shawl collar cardigan. The S&C fits a bit more like outerwear. I like both.

Wonderful distinctions.

Thank you good sir.