Meet Our Stylish and Warm Layering Secret Weapon This Season — the Cashmere Sweater

The cashmere sweater has extraordinary versatility in any modern man’s wardrobe, and cashmere’s luxurious connotation is just an added bonus. There are several levels and grades of cashmere, but even the most basic thereof are wonderfully soft — just a 5-10% addition of the fiber to any garment can lend a warm and cloud-like feel that is unrivaled by most fabrics. Cheap cashmere, however, is something to stay away from as it tends to pill and lose its shape quickly. Which is why we kept those options out of our list. The budget option, Uniqlo, still maintains a fairly high level of quality despite their reasonable pricing.

Cashmere can also reach the uppermost echelons of comfort and quality, and we do highlight some of those below. To round out your rotation, we suggest a few more reasonably priced sweaters, and perhaps a splurge here and there for a particularly special evening.

Inherently warmer than its more basic cousins in the wool family, a thin cashmere sweater will keep you just as warm as a bulkier lambswool or merino sweater. All of our picks also come with a slim cut that make them a wonderful option for layering. The aforementioned softness makes these sweaters incredible easy to wear, as well. So whether you’re based in California or the middle of the country, you can’t go wrong with adding a cashmere sweater to your winter wardrobe rotation. Here are our top picks for the best men’s cashmere sweaters for adding to your wardrobe for comfort, warmth and versatility.

1. Everlane Grade-A Cashmere Crew Sweater

BEST OVERALL

If you are buying your first cashmere sweater, or want to buy one with the a ton of versatility, this crisp heather grey option from internet darling Everlane is a sure fire option. The light grey goes with just about anything — your beat up Red Wings, jeans and pea coat? You betcha. How about as a layer over a dress shirt and tie with a navy suit? Perfect. Wear it by itself, wear it under a shawl collar sweater, wear it with an overcoat. Heck, you can even wear it with nice sweatpants. Your imagination is the limit with this slim-cut, 100% cashmere sweater from Everlane.

 

2. Loro Piana Quarter-Zip Cashmere Pullover

BEST HIGH FASHION OPTION

This quarter-zip pullover offers a great melding of style, luxury and functionality through its sporty design and high-quality materials. It’s a splurge for sure, but it comes with utility attached being designed for both sport and style. Designed for the golf course it’ll look just as fly off of the greens with the sleek quarter-zip placket, rubbed trim and stand collar. It’s made in Italy and has a slimming build to it that offers a high-fashion design while still being comfortable, breathable and made of the high-quality fabric feel you want in a cashmere sweater.

3. Uniqlo Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater

BEST WARDROBE STAPLE

If you have a job which requires suits or standard business casual wear, these sweaters by Uniqlo have incredible wearability at a price point that allows you to pick up several colors. They’re warm, comfortable and formal and should be a staple in everyone’s wardrobe. As you’ll likely be wearing them over a dress shirt and under a suit jacket, the crew neck option is best to frame the collar of the shirt and your face, while staying thin enough to fit well underneath the suit coat or sport jacket you may be wearing.

 

4. Brooks Brothers Cable Knit Crewneck Cashmere Sweater

BEST FOR THE HOLIDAYS

The Cable-Knit sweater, executed this well, has both a “made by grandma” and “high end country club” vibe simultaneously. Cable knits started with Irish fisherman sweaters, and the visual addition has been recreated several times with varying thickness and boldness — in this circumstance, they’re nice and subtle with only minimal thickness, adding style without weight. Pick this one up in a cozy baby blue for an intriguing color to wear with your holiday best. (This particular option is best paired with fuzzy slippers and a warm cup of hot chocolate.)

5. J Crew Cashmere Hoodie

BEST CROSSOVER OPTION

The hoodie is just as important an option in your closet as the cashmere sweater. Both have very necessary places in the rotation. Occasionally, that rotation will provide you an occasion where either would work, so why not have the perfect choice ready to go in your closet? Need a layer to throw on at the beach? Grab this option. Movie night with the lady? This cashmere hoodie has you covered. Regardless of the situation, be it classy or casual, this hoodie will keep you stylish and warm.

6. Naked Cashmere Cruz V Neck Sweater

BEST FOR DATE NIGHT

A casual, not-too-fitted sweater with a little visual interest makes for a great date night option. The full cut, V-neck, and charcoal gray makes it basic enough, while the bicep stripes give this sweater some great stylistic acuity not found in other options. Wear this with a pair of black jeans, lace-up boots, and a camel overcoat on your way to drinks, and enjoy your casual chic look!

 

7. Naadam The Essential $75 Cashmere Sweater

BEST WARDROBE STAPLE

If you’re looking to simply cross “cashmere” off of your list of wardrobe must-haves, this $75 sweater from Naadam is a great way to go. It’s a sweater that’s received over 300 5-star reviews for its comfort, fit and 100% sustainable cashmere blend. The best part? You can truly wear it with anything — under a suit, over a button-down or on its own with a simple pair of jeans. It’s rated as “heavenly soft” on their website and comes in a ton of colors, including this classy blue. Take the cashmere plunge without actually, you know, taking the plunge with this safe bet.

8. Everlane Cashmere V-Neck

BEST TO WEAR BY ITSELF 

Maybe you’d prefer a nice, thick, warm option to just throw on all by itself. Leave the button down, the jacket, whatever else you thought you may have needed behind, and just get a nice thick sweater. Everlane’s cashmere options are numerous and excellent, so pick up this solid v-neck choice of theirs and brave the blustery fall days we have ahead!

9. Falconeri Ultra-Soft Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater

BEST COZY TURTLENECK

For a turtleneck option, Falconeri makes a super soft turtleneck sweater for staying warm in the winter. The elegance is paired with a soft knit material that’s fitted and cozy at the same time. It comes in a huge range of neutral colors and a wide range of inclusive sizes so anyone can don this suave and sophisticated look under their winter jackets during the colder months.

10. Men’s Fine Gauge Cashmere V-neck Sweater

BEST V-NECK

This v-neck sweater is from a low key style icon especially when it comes to all things warm, Lands End. They make comfort a priority with all of their clothes, but they also make pieces that look good in the process. Their clothes are built to last, and this sweater is as affordable as it is modern and trimmed. It’s knit using 100% cashmere fine-gauge yarn. It has a lighter feel and a year-round weight that can work in all seasons and with a variety of outfits. It has a 1×1 rib knit neck, hem and cuff as well as structured, fashioned shoulders that enhances the look of this sweater and the feeling of confidence you’ll have wearing it. Plus, who doesn’t want to rock a V once in a while?

11. Naadam Cashmere Turtleneck

SOFTEST

This turtleneck from Naadam is made of 100% buttery soft Mongolian cashmere and has a flattering fit with ribbed cuffs that’ll make you look sophisticated while you revel in how comfortable you are. Take it from the office to happy hour and maybe even into bed with you as you’ll never want to take it off. It also happens to be lightweight, breathable and a high-quality sweater that will last you for years.

12. J. Crew Cashmere Cardigan Sweater

BEST CARDIGAN

More of a cardigan guy? We get it — they’re a classic look that’s made even better by being made of soft cashmere. This one is made by people who know sweaters — J. Crew. It’s the result of 30 years of expertise when it comes to the softest fabrics and how to transform them into beautiful clothes. This cardigan is soft, warm and lightweight enough for you to not sweat bullets in it when heading inside during the winter. You can also rock it during the fall with a t-shirt underneath, or on a chilly summer night as well. It has welt pockets for style and is dry-clean only.

 

13. L.L.Bean Men’s Cotton/Cashmere Quarter Zip Sweater

BEST COTTON BLEND

Sometimes cotton is combined with cashmere to make it softer and more luxurious without the exorbitant price tag that pure cashmere can come with. This quarter zip sweater is perfect for winter with its festive print but is versatile enough to wear during the fall and spring as well. It’s a traditional fit that you can layer on top of a t-shirt or button down for a perfect Christmas/holiday party look. It’s also machine-washable which, in the world of cashmere, is a major plus.

14. Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece Wool-Cashmere V-Neck Sweater

BEST FORMAL

This blend of wool and cashmere has been 3-D knitted in a textured fashion that looks as smooth as it feels. It’s perfect for more formal occasions where you’ll have a collar up top over the rib-knit collar that’s included. The sweater also has comfortable cuffs and a seamless design for better fit, more comfort and better durability. It’s made by sweater masters in Italy who know their cashmere, who make it from a continuous garment rather than with panels to improve the look and feel.

15. Nordstrom Regular Fit Cashmere Quarter Zip

BEST QUARTER ZIP

The quarter zip is like the formal unicorn of the sweatshirt world — it’s a comfortable warming piece you pull over your head that also looks polished no matter what you wear it with. This one is made from pure cashmere so it’s super soft, and comes in this navy blue, black and grey colors that check all the boxes when it comes to stylish wardrobe staples. It has long sleeves and a ribbed trim for an added touch. It’s also cut with a little extra room in the chest for comfort.

16. Rag & Bone Haldon Cashmere Hoodie

BEST HOODIE

A cashmere hoodie is a perfect combination in the outerwear world. You get the formal feel that comes from the luxurious fabric with the casual vibe of a hoodie. Plus, it’s kind of a whole top of the outfit in itself — you don’t need to wear anything with it or underneath it for it to look good. This cashmere blend is lightweight and comes in this bold camel color with white stitching for a casual, cool guy finish. Pair it with some jeans and sneaks and you’ve got a solid second date outfit on your hands.

17. Brunello Cucinelli Cashmere Short Parka

BEST PARKA

We’re not entirely sure who’s looking for a cashmere parka these days, but this is a gorgeous piece of outerwear we had to include. This parka is entirely made of cashmere and has cinching at the back so you can adjust the fit of this luxuriously soft jacket. The drawcord hood is removable and it has a stand collar for when you really want your outfit to pop. It’s made in Italy so you know the cashmere is legit, and while we don’t know how well it’ll battle the elements you’ll definitely look suave despite the cold.

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