2.26.2013

foundations: the grey cashmere sweater


a few weeks ago, my boyfriend bought this grey cashmere sweater. it's the perfect hybrid of the humble sweatshirt and a thick, luxe knit. he's now wearing it nonstop, and i've been eyeing it enviously ever since. 

it's the perfect shade of heather grey. wonderfully soft, substantial, and thick, all of which are hard to find in knits these days. its interior even resembles the slightly nubby, woven french terry texture of that favorite sweatshirt (love!). this is one of those quietly chic foundation items that functions like a blank canvas and transforms a look effortlessly. perfect with jeans and sneakers, over a dress or skirt, black trousers and heels, high and low. grey is such an anonymous color, yet i find that it complements so many different skin tones so well. (alas, i can't say the same for camel, or the various shades of pink, or beige...)

layering 1-2-3: a classic collared shirtgrey cashmere pullover + simple jewelry (or statement, depending on your mood). roll up sleeves, and voilà – imperfect perfection.

this sweater has just moved to the top of my wardrobe planning list (a post on that soon). 

do you have a grey crewneck pullover? how do you wear it?

P.S.: i've noticed that lately some readers are commenting multiple times due to possible confusion about where your original comment went. comments are moderated here so that spammers don't get through, therefore it may take a little while for your comment to show up. i don't use a captcha code (i find them clunky and annoying), so once you hit the "publish" button, rest assured that your comment did go through! sorry for any confusion :)

update: wearing mine here.

26 comments:

  1. i'm wearing one to work today, coincidentally. mine is charcoal gray. i'm wearing a purple silk collared shirt underneath, ankle length black pants, gray socks, emerald croc dieppa restrepo lupes, and a brass cuff bracelet.

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    1. your work outfit sounds lovely :) i love that the grey cashmere sweater gives a totally new lease / look for silk blouses layered underneath!

      also, your DR emerald croc shoes!!

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    2. i love cashmere and silk together. it's so casually luxe.

      the Dieppas are amazing. it was only their second time out. i was a little shy wearing them at first because of the color and masculine shape but i think they're becoming a favorite..

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  2. I have so many grey sweaters that I'm looking for a good ol' black longish version. I can't believe how hard it is to find one that's long enough to cover the upper thighs. Brrr.....I hope the cold snap will end soon. This winter doesn't seem to end!

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    1. winter is dragging out here too. i am looking forward to temps inching above the 40s, hopefully in the next two weeks!

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  3. I have a grey cashmere crew neck sweater from Ashley Fogel (a New Zealand label which has unfortunately just gone under) - it's so beautifully soft and perfect in the winter. I really want one of the J Crew v-neck cashmeres... but they are quite pricey and the idea of paying customs can occasionally put me off.

    If I were you, I'd find some way of stealing your boyfriends one without him realising. That, or buy the same jumper in the smallest size x

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    1. haha, i would but there's no way my bf and i could share this one fairly...i think i'm just going to get it in the XS. and will proceed to wear it all. the. time.

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  4. I agree with how versatile and flattering grey is in contrast to camel and beige which presumes particular skin tones. Most of my wardrobe is blue, grey and black. Been living in an inhabit cashmere sweater in raisin (purple-ish grey) and light grey. have you checked the items at the Muji store? the design team I think works for Yohji so you may find the androgynous grey sweater that might work, it's always designed to be a tad bit roomy.

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    1. oh, i browsed the Muji store often when i was in SH but haven't gone to the NYC shop. they have really nice quality clothes actually, i love the organice/minimalist aesthetic...

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  5. I tried the Isabel grey cashmere sweatshirt from Jcrew and the fit was so strange - I would def size down on it if anyone is thinking about it. My husbands cashmere sweaters make me never want to go back to regular wool again...
    ps. new reader - loving your effortless style.

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    1. hi helen! thank you for the kind comment - love to hear from my readers :)

      i wasn't super impressed with the jcrew sweatshirt...the one my bf has is SO much more soft and luxe and even though it's cashmere, it feels really thick and 'sturdy'. i think i'm just going to get it in the XS!

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  6. I have a thin, grey cashmere sweater for Zadig & Voltaire that I absolutely adore. Alas, I managed to spill a bit of oil on it and didn't notice until the stain had set too much to wash out! I've been looking at cashmere-friendly dyes on eBay, and I think I might try to dye the whole thing as a last resort..

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  7. Looks perfect on you! I don't have one, have been looking for the longest time! The only grey things I have are a cashmere cardigan and most recently a humble H&M sweatshirt. I'm hoping to find one in the mens department in the XS size since I've found a few of my favourite perfectly slouchy jumpers from there in the past.

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    1. yeees - the mens dept is a goldmine for some of these classics :)

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  8. Dries van Noten did one for women recently; it's already sold out...

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    1. see, more confirmation that this IS really a foundation gem :)

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  9. I need to add more grey sweaters to my wardrobe-- I have a few that are starting to show their age (nothing cashmere though). I love grey, and I agree with you, it goes with many skintones and looks great with everything, from other muted shades to a bright primary.

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    1. i am always really tempted to add a red lip when i'm wearing grey :) it's such a complexion-illumination color!

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  10. I have three grey cashmere jumpers. All different in colour and fit and style. My favourite is a slouchy v-neck from the supermarket which has been going strong for more than 7 years. But strangely enough - I don't have a pale mid grey crew neck but it doesn't mean I haven't been looking. Some of the men's jumpers I've tried are a little too big on the shoulders and too tapered towards the bottom.

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    1. i think the mid-grey color is just so flattering on. i just got the CM one in this post, and the men's XS has a nice slouchy fit without being too big. :)

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  11. Wearing a grey crewneck cashmere sweater as I type!

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  12. I have a grey cashmere hoodie that I have worn to death this winter; it pairs effortlessly with dressy ankle pants, skinny jeans, and skirts. A more basic version (like the crewnecks above) is on my winter wish list, and I hope to snag one during an end-of-season-sale. No luck yet, but I'm still on the hunt!

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    1. i know exactly what you mean - there are some items that are just my go-tos, until they're worn to shreds! SO glad i found this one, it is exactly what i've been looking for for seasons.

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  13. This is perfection. I think everyone has some version of the grey cashmere sweater that suits them. I have an O neck one that's ancient, but still going strong. It's really effortless but there's something really pretty about how it frames the neck too.

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