What colors do you like for cashmere sweaters?

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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'Plain blue', as in 'navy'? How's that working out for you?

Not quite as dark as navy. Actually, it's close to the blue this can of spam is wearing:

If you're looking specifically for one to go with olive green however, I'd cast my vote with those who have said gray or light tan.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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I give everything just the right amount of thought.

So which of the colors mentioned above looks better on you?

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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I intend to wear the sweater casually under my waxed cotton Barbour, which is olive green.

Originally Posted by Montrachet

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If you're looking specifically for one to go with olive green however, I'd cast my vote with those who have said gray or light tan.

I think trying to purchase this sweater with the sole idea of pairing it w/ an olive Barbour jacket is a bad call imo, since in theory, the quality cashmere sweater should outlast the jacket in both style and versatility over time.

Chocolate brown is nice for cashmere since it's not a 'traditional' color for lambswool like grey or tan.

That said, since my opinion on color and fabric don't matter, I would recommend you go for a crewneck rather than v-neck. I find myself reaching far more for the crews than Vs these days. Less fussing with collars for a cleaner look, warmer too...

I would go for reddish brown.

But you shouldn't think of it like a OneSweater . A sweater is not a jacket you wear every day.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Is this in order of preference?

No, for me the order of preference (i.e., usefullness) would be:

Navy/wine (tie; buy first & concurrently), light gray, medium blue, camel, forest green, medium gray.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Lockie, Johnstons,
Unless the stock they supply in the states is radically different from what is available in the UK I think you might struggle to find anything that fits you from these guys, they both start at a pretty baggy 40.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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As sweaters are soundly outside my regular wardrobe system, I don't have any strong theories about what color to get.

I just love it when you type stuff like this...

I like beige/tan, white & burgundy. Sky blue's a quirky alternative. *shrug*

Originally Posted by furo

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For the V necks I went with Brooks Bros who contracted a company in Scotland, not sure of their name, but the quality is just fine imo considering I paid $179 each, and made with 3-ply yarn.

I have these, I think. Mine are Scottish-made, but using 3-ply Italian yarn. They have held up okay, but I think they can be improved upon. The knit is not as tight as I've seen on other good Scottish examples and pilling has been an issue.

Originally Posted by AThingForCashmere

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So far, the Scots are the ones who've bailed on traditional quality. I've always preferred Scottish cashmere to Italian, but Italy's higher-end mfrs have maintained their traditional quality specs while Scottish companies (nearly all of them at least) have not.

Really? I was under the impression that the Italians simply use a different benchmark. At the very least, the Scottish stuff is better made, no?

Originally Posted by Montrachet

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If you're looking specifically for one to go with olive green however, I'd cast my vote with those who have said gray or light tan.

Light tan is getting lots of support.

Originally Posted by Wes Bourne

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So which of the colors mentioned above looks better on you?

I think the darker colors look better on me, like navy, since I have dark hair and fair skin. I normally hate accounting for skin tone, but for whatever reason, it appears to make a difference here, while it usually doesn't.

Originally Posted by furo

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I think trying to purchase this sweater with the sole idea of pairing it w/ an olive Barbour jacket is a bad call imo, since in theory, the quality cashmere sweater should outlast the jacket in both style and versatility over time.

Well, as a matter of fact, my casual outerwear tends to be earthy in color. Also, I have a spare, unworn Bedale in the same green, so I imagine I will have a Barbour to wear for a good, long time. Anyway, I think it's only good sense that the sweater color I pick should match my regular outerwear, even if that is not the sole consideration.

Originally Posted by EL72

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Chocolate brown is nice for cashmere since it's not a 'traditional' color for lambswool like grey or tan.

That said, since my opinion on color and fabric don't matter, I would recommend you go for a crewneck rather than v-neck. I find myself reaching far more for the crews than Vs these days. Less fussing with collars for a cleaner look, warmer too...

Brown is intriguing. It's finding the right brown that is troubling. As for the v-neck/crew-neck issue--I need all the vertical I can get, and crew-necks tend to make me look blockier.

Originally Posted by Tarmac

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But you shouldn't think of it like a OneSweater

. A sweater is not a jacket you wear every day.

Agreed. I'll probably wind up with three or four different ones.

Originally Posted by Manton

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No, for me the order of preference (i.e., usefullness) would be:

Navy/wine (tie; buy first & concurrently), light gray, medium blue, camel, forest green, medium gray.

I agree on navy and wine, but I don't see ever making use of a light grey sweater. You don't like lighter tan or cream?

Originally Posted by youngscientist

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Unless the stock they supply in the states is radically different from what is available in the UK I think you might struggle to find anything that fits you from these guys, they both start at a pretty baggy 40.

Well, 42 at Lockie is very similar to the size small from Brooks Brothers that I wear. I like my sweaters slouchy.

Originally Posted by Holdfast

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I just love it when you type stuff like this...

It's like exhaling.

Cream, no. Camel is close enough to light tan and I like it more.

I'm a big fan of cashmere. I have red/wine, oatmeal, navy, light/medium grey, a royally-blue navy, dark brown, and charcoal.

The red/wine color is my favorite.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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I have these, I think. Mine are Scottish-made, but using 3-ply Italian yarn. They have held up okay, but I think they can be improved upon. The knit is not as tight as I've seen on other good Scottish examples and pilling has been an issue.

From another thread here, someone posted that BB has recently switched makers in Scotland, so you might have a different one than I do, since you said you bought it some time ago.

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Well, as a matter of fact, my casual outerwear tends to be earthy in color. Also, I have a spare, unworn Bedale in the same green, so I imagine I will have a Barbour to wear for a good, long time. Anyway, I think it's only good sense that the sweater color I pick should match my regular outerwear, even if that is not the sole consideration.

I consider the cashmere sweater a stand alone piece, so different viewpoints I guess. I wear mine in the office all the time over a button down, and given the warmer weather in Texas, I frequently go out with it either under a jacket or without.

From what I've read in a couple of places, a quality cashmere sweater is a must-have staple in any man's wardrobe, certainly moreso than a Barbour waxed cotton jacket. I see it as more versatile, but that's just my opinion

Nothing beats cashmere! I like blue, (navy light/dark, aquamarine, sky, dove etc) Brown (all shades) Plum, Rust, Green (bottle, loden, teal, almond) YOU NAME IT. Don't have Yellow or pink though ...

Matt, are you looking in NY stores or purchasing from abroad?

Originally Posted by mafoofan

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Really? I was under the impression that the Italians simply use a different benchmark. At the very least, the Scottish stuff is better made, no?

If you mean quality of construction, yes that is still true. I'm referring to fiber and yarn quality. As evidenced by recent offerings from Ballantyne, Johnston's etc, these sweaters look thin and cheap compared to traditional Scottish cashmere, while Italian product, even though finished more for softness of hand than durability, is made from longer/better fiber, does not shed and simply looks better.