I’m going to be straight with you: this is a COMPLETELY girly post. I’m sorry but I thought I should warn you in advance. It doesn’t mean that it won’t have GREAT (and completely biased) advice in it. It’s just very what-I-personally-swoon-for-in-a-man-esque. Forgive me.
Blanket statement: There is next to nothing better than a man in a sweater. Little babies in pumpkin costumes at Halloween are a close second, but sweatered men are DEFINITELY number 1. (pardon the excessive use of caps, I just really love sweaters)
Be it a crew neck, v-neck, fair isle, quarter zip, full zip, buttoned, cardigan, or what have you, I love a man in a sweater. It politely shouts the following:
1. I’m warm and therefore will make you warm (I run cold, I like to think I’ll be well protected from the elements when I’m around men)
2. I’m incredibly cuddly (see #1)
3. I’m huggable (see #1 and 2)
4. I’m manly and somewhat rugged (this depends on the sweater, admittedly)
As far as I know these aren’t bad things to be saying to a girl. I can pretty much guarantee that every girl you ever talk to will agree with me on this one. Sweaters aren’t and can’t be bad. Well, you know, maybe there are a few mistakes you can make but if you stick to these flexible rules you’ll never miss:
1. If you must do pattern keep it light and subtle (stripes) or classic (fair isle, argyle). The only place I should see an ugly sweater is at the office Christmas party. I don’t need to see something that looks like it was born the same year I was, on you.
2. Aim for mostly neutral colors (gray, black, tan, navy, cream etc.), they fall under the classic category and are therefore ALWAYS a safe bet.
3. Have ONE bright sweater. I’m not a big fan of bright sweaters; they tend to overwhelm me. But I can’t help but love an occasional pop of color (burnt orange, apple green, lapis blue) during the dull winter months. I guess you could have three bright sweaters if you stick with the above mentioned colors but please don’t veer off into the pinks and purples. It just doesn’t usually work.
4. Go for chunky. I adore a good chunky sweater. There’s nothing that says manliness more than a guy that walks in with a chunky cable knit sweater, LL Bean boots, and smells like pine trees and campfire. Seriously, it’s beautiful.
5. Rib knits aren’t chunky. And they’re not cute so stay far away from them. Far.
6. Think Elbow Patches. They’re very distinguished looking plus they also give that warm, cuddly, huggable and manly look to any guy. Instant winner.
Honestly, I don’t understand why more men don’t utilize sweaters. It’s a beautiful piece that’s easy to come by, looks good on anyone, and makes you look more polished and like you put just a little more effort into your wardrobe than the other guy. Please, wear sweaters.
-Rachel
PS: most of these sweaters are from LL Bean or The Gap. You don’t need to spend a large chunk of cash on these. Aim for quality and classic styles and you’ll be set for life, barring excessive weight gain or loss.
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