In Search of the Perfect Cotton Sweater

with shopping links & styling ideas

It’s always very affirming when I’m spending a lot of time thinking about something, and then find out that people much smarter than me have been thinking about it too. In fall 2021, Aja Barber shared this Instagram post with a great caption about knitwear that’s still on my mind today. She explained why knits are one category that we should all slow down and stop compromising on, and her perspective was spot-on as always. More recently, I listened to Episode 183 of Clotheshorse Podcast. Host Amanda brought on Dani Des Roches of Picnicwear to talk all about knitwear! I was so excited to listen to this convo between expert fashion buyer (Amanda) and star knitwear designer (Dani) about the reasons behind the steep quality decline of knitwear. The duo, of course, didn’t disappoint. They covered messy industry politics, the makings of good (and bad) knitwear, and what it all means for us as consumers.

Dani released the first Picnicwear knit collection this year, a series of beautiful cotton sweaters made in collaboration with The Endery. The story behind them is very special, and the pieces are a truly excellent choice if you’re in the market for a new knit. In the podcast episode, Dani mentions that 100% cotton sweaters are very hard to find, and Amanda instantly agreed. As someone who has been on the hunt for good cotton sweaters for several years now, I knew exactly what they were talking about.

Like many of you, I’ve been continually working on being more mindful of my purchases with each passing year. I’ve finally (and sadly) accepted that I just won’t wear a wool sweater, and I’ve learned to avoid the super soft and tempting synthetics that I know won’t hold up. I really love silk, but not as a knit. Much like I adore the stiff heaviness of 100% cotton denim, the soft/rough coziness of cotton is the exact knitwear texture I find most appealing and comfortable to wear. Actually finding nice cotton sweaters, however, has been a task.

About three years ago, I purchased a 100% cotton sweater from a fast fashion brand I won’t promote by naming here. It’s a nice dense knit in an unusual color and shape, and I’ve worn it many times. It is 1 of 2 sweaters in my closet that was originally purchased new, and both are made of 100% cotton. Every single other new sweater I bought over the last ten years simply hasn’t lasted. And while I’ve largely stopped buying new clothes altogether in the last 5-ish years, I’ll be the first to admit my new clothing consumption was very high for a very long time, especially when I worked retail in 2015-2016. The store I worked at received thousands of new items every few days, and I was often buying multiple new pieces a week. The number of those pieces I still own and wear, however, I could count on one hand.

Last winter, I came across a perfect red cotton sweater at a thrift store. It’s densely knit, heavy, and a shade of bright red that isn’t too orange or too purple. I wore it a lot last year, and it was one of the first knits I reached for when the weather dropped this season. I don’t remember the price, but I’m guessing it was between $8-$15. I typically thrift shop about once a month or less, and this sweater is the only secondhand cotton knit I’ve found for myself in person.

Recently, I’ve purchased two more secondhand cotton sweaters online. They’re both cardigans, which give me a bit more flexibility in styling. One piece is dark green with a cute but muted pattern in a warm neutral colorway, which makes it easy to match with the things I already have. I’ve worn it with white tank tops and loose t-shirts. The striped cardigan arrived with a musty smell, and I haven’t had the chance to wash it yet. Otherwise it looks great, and I think I’ll wear it often once it’s clean. I plan to style it over a similarly striped blue and white button up, and over t-shirts. The horse cardigan was $55, and the striped cardigan was $40, both found on Ebay.

My three vintage cotton sweaters. They're only hung up to share with you here - don't hang your knits!

If you’re interested in the moody red sister to my horse cardigan, here's a link! It’s $48.99, and tagged a Size S. If you’d like the inverse colorway to my striped cardigan, here’s a link! It’s $20, and tagged a Size M. Not only did I find alternatives to the exact pieces I purchased for myself, but I’ve come across a lot of cotton knits that could be just right for one of you. I’m including the best of them below with some styling suggestions, in the hopes I can match you with that dreamy cotton sweater you’ve been looking for. I’ve also included sweaters that are a cotton/ramie blend, as it’s the one blend that I personally find has a similar texture and appearance to pure cotton.

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As most of you probably know, I own and operate my own vintage clothing brand. I’ll be taking the opportunity to sneak a few links to my own product at the end of the letter, but a majority of the pieces I’ve included here are from other sellers via Ebay, Poshmark, and Etsy. These are my personal top three platforms for buying vintage online. Many of these pieces were found using Gem, a search engine that I highly recommend! I always keep an eye on what other dealers are offering, and make regular purchases from other vintage sellers for my personal wardrobe. I deeply respect this work, I think it’s an essential part of clothing circularity, and I love to promote and patronize other people who are doing the same.

When it comes to buying secondhand, really good deals often require work, and this especially applies for online purchases. I usually need to clean a large majority of clothing items I buy on Ebay, many pieces from Poshmark, and occasionally even certain pieces from Etsy shops. The most professional dealers I know treat their items in all sorts of special ways before selling them to you: stain treatment, specialty laundry, mending, shaving, and more. That extra work is, and should be, reflected in the price. If you can afford the luxury service of buying ready-to-wear vintage from a curated online store or local vintage boutique, please do! Otherwise, keep in mind that many of these items will need additional care when you receive them.

I’ve organized the links below in three categories: pullovers, cardigans, and novelty sweaters. The pieces are listed in price order from least to most expensive.