Maintaining good style in the face of a New England winter can seem akin to staying afloat in a dingy during the perfect storm, and nowhere is the struggle more evident than with men’s sweaters.
When the mercury drops, too many men with perfectly good bodies don potato-sack-shaped woollen body bags in the name of warmth. You know, the kind made for hearty sheep farmers herding flock on windy Irish hillsides- perfectly charming in that context, but out of place in a metropolitan city setting, especially for business.
Plus, bulking up is not where it’s at; in fact you’ll stay warmer, more attractive, and comfortable through indoor/outdoor temperature changes by layering clothing that fits closer to the body.
While previous seasons were favoring thin knits like cashmere and silk, this season the focus is on thicker knits like Fair Isle and cable knit. But not all thick knit sweaters are created equal, and the cut and size you choose can make all the difference between looking ruggedly handsome and looking like a man with too many cats who collects figurines.
Look at the example above: On the left we have the afore mentioned sack-shaped sweater, which is doing no favors for that man’s body. On the right is an equally thick wool sweater, yet it still maintains the desired, masculine V-shape of his upper body. How?
1. Since bulky knits generally run large rather than true to size, try a size smaller than you usually wear and you may find it fits much better.
2. It’s got a front zipper, so the vertical line lengthens and slims the torso.
3. Coordination: The V-shape is emphasized by unzipping the sweater to the mid-chest revealing a darker brown T-shirt underneath which features a graphic in the same color as the sweater.
Add a scarf and you’ll be equally, if not warmer, than in the blob+turtleneck combo, and guess which one will fit better under your coat?
I appreciate the post but I’m going to have to point out that the two photo examples are two different people. Of course the tall, thin guy on the right is going to look good in a tall, thin sweater. The other guy has a bulky sweater on- but would he fit into the other guy’s zipper down? Unlikely. Would you put him in a body hugging sweater?
Thanks for the feedback Casey! The picture of the sac sweater was used simply because it’s an all too common style, this post was not a before & after but rather showing the contrast of basic silhouettes. While my client in the zip sweater (who is actually shorter than me, yet looks taller, thanks again to the elongating sweater shape) is leaner than the man in a sac. It’s only the difference between a 33 and a 36 waist- not so drastic, and it’s precisely the sac shape that makes him appear heavier. His frame would also be flattered better by a fitted sweater in the appropriate size.
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