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.
Courtesy of 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.
Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue
3. Uniqlo Cashmere V Neck Sweater
BEST BUDGET
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. As you’ll likely be wearing them over a dress shirt and under a suit jacket, the V-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. Pick up this bold red to start to add a pop of color to your formal look.
Courtesy of Uniqlo
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.)
Image Courtesy of Brooks Brothers
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.
Courtesy of J.Crew
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!
Courtesy of Naked Cashmere
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.
Courtesy of Naadam
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!
Courtesy of Everlane
9. Michael Kors Mens Cashmere Turtleneck
BEST COZY TURTLENECK
For a turtleneck option, Michael Kors makes a nice cozy sweater for you to enjoy. It’s everything you want in a turtleneck — it’s got some layers up top to keep your neck warm without too much stifling material. It’s a luxurious pick without the crazy luxury price as it’s over 50% off — down from almost $500 to less than $200. It’s made of 100% cashmere and can be worn with everything from simple jeans to dress pants.
Courtesy of Michael Kors
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?
Courtesy of Lands End
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.
Courtesy of Naadam
12. Brooks Brothers Cashmere Cardigan
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 menswear — Brooks Brothers. It’s made in Italy from pure cashmere that has a rich, soft feel to it. The real horn buttons accentuate the sweater with a bit of flair, and it has a grosgrain trim inside that stabilizes the whole structure of the sweater. It also has two front pockets, and fashioned sleeves that conclude with ribbed-knit cuffs and a ribbed hem.
Courtesy of Brooks Brothers
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