Hello and happy Sunday!
We’ve had a few “cooler” mornings in the past few weeks and while it still gets into the 90s most days 😛, I’ve finally felt like thinking ahead to dressing for chillier temperatures. Although my first fall purchase was a bit of a bust, I’m excited to report that this haul was a bit more successful.
I’m trying to be smarter about fall/winter shopping this year. I’ve written about this before, but Austin never gets that cold. And even though we spend about 3 weeks in Boston over the holidays each year, I realistically don’t have many days of the year when I need to dress for temperatures colder than 30 degrees Fahrenheit. So rather than purchase thick sweaters or wool coats that won’t get much wear, I’m more focused on layering pieces and thinner knits. I’ve been into the barn jacket trend and recently picked up a jacket from Polo that hasn’t arrived yet - more on that next week. This post is about knitwear!
I usually stay away from Sézane knitwear as I learned my lesson a few years ago when I purchased the cutest alpaca sweater which promptly shed everywhere and was incredibly itchy. However, they’ve been releasing more and more pieces in merino wool and yak wool recently, and I picked up 3 knits to try - two cardigans and a dress. In addition to avoiding alpaca, my other criteria was to try and avoid browns, beiges, and blacks as somehow all of the sweaters in my collection are one of these colors. I sort of failed at this as you can see below that one of the knits is brown, but since it’s the only knit dress I’d own, I think it’s okay!
1. Jady Cardigan in Perfect Green*
Made from 100% yak wool, this cardigan* comes in a really pretty dark green color which would work well with the blue and black jeans I wear most often in winter. I liked that you could wear this on it’s own as a sweater or layer it over tees or a dress for versatility. I’m a sucker for boxier frames with knitwear and this one fits perfectly. I love the contrast of the buttons against the green and the yak wool, although not as soft as cashmere, is soft and doesn’t shed like alpaca. Priced at $195, I think this cardigan is priced fairly for the quality of the piece.
Verdict: Keeping this! I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of this, this year.
2. Liya Cardigan in Ecru
This cardigan is made from 100% merino wool and feels a bit stiffer than the yak wool. Although I purchased a larger size, this cardigan still sat a little more snug on my body than the previous one. Because of the high neckline and collar, I felt this was more like a shirt than a cardigan and I didn’t think it would be as versatile a piece for me as the previous one. It’s priced at $170.
Verdict: Returning this - I thought the quality was great but I just don’t think I’d get as much wear out of this.
3. Léandre Dress in Dark Taupe
I really have no business adding a knit dress to my collection, but when I saw the contrast stitch work on neckline of this dress, I knew I had to try it on. The website says that it’s made from 43% Merino Wool, 39% Organic Cotton, 16% Polyamide, and 2% Elastane. So although the composition is not made from entirely natural fibers, I like that natural fibers make up a majority and the balance of wool and cotton could potentially make this a “lighter” piece for my wardrobe. I sized up to a small as I wanted the dress to sit comfortably, and this was a good decision. The bottom of the dress isn’t body hugging, which allows for easy movement (no waddling) and also helps with airflow in milder temps. This dress ends up being a maxi on my 5’2” frame, but I feel that the sleeves hit at a good spot on my wrists and wouldn’t require altering. The dress is priced at $230.
Verdict: Unsure - I love the quality and fit of this dress, but I’m just trying to decide if this would get enough wear to justify the price. I don’t have any other knit dresses in my collection, so I don’t have any data to support my decision. What do you guys think, should I keep it?
Thanks for following along! I’ll definitely keep you all posted on whether I decide to keep the dress or not. I’m also excited to style the cardigan this winter!
See you next Sunday,
Cost per Fit 💰
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Make it a point to wear the dress more often. You can wear it for years. Sometimes a special piece is worth the price point if it’s something you have always wanted and isn’t easy to find.
The dress looks so lovely on you! I also love the contrast stitching.