By Janet Kelly
SPRING weather is always unpredictable, but so far this year it’s been positively wild. We can’t forecast what the Fahrenheit will be the next day, let alone the next few months, but if past performance is an indication of future outcome, we bet you’ll need a sweater(s).
Luckily, our cup runneth over with choices. Hopping on the show-some-skin trend, crochet and loose knits, along with oh-so-sheer styles, are über popular. Stripes continue to rule the runway—and the street. Cardigans that look like haute couture jackets are too pretty to leave on your desk chair, while half-zip sweaters will appeal to sporty or wanna-look-sporty, grown-up girls.
Of course, we have suggestions:
What would spring be without flowers? Zara makes its contribution to the season with a cotton-blend, abstract-floral jacquard cardigan, which sells for $49.
We love the bracelet ( 7/8-length) sleeves on Ba&sh’s cropped Gaspard cardigan for showing off arm candy. Cut in a cotton-blend knit with a tweedy texture, the structured cardigan has fancy buttons adorned with a coat of arms. At Bloomingdale’s, it sells for $380.
There’s a lot to be said for wearing mood-boosting yellow, like this loose-fitting acrylic sweater for $24.99 from H&M. Layer it over a white shirt or bathing suit top.
Buzzy brand La Ligne is known for its classically striped sweaters. Named after the mother-in-law of one of the founders, the cotton Jilly Sweater ($175) riffs on the expected with navy and pale blue scallop stripes. We also like the label’s very wearable Lean Lines Cardigan, in lightweight cashmere.
Staud‘s Hampton oversize, half-zip sweater in a chunky cotton-blend will be comfy for cool evenings and to slip into after a brisk dip in the ocean. It sells for $295 at Moda Operandi. And, it’s available in a slew of other bright color combinations, available on the Staud site.
From Milan, Italy-based, eco-conscious brand Happy Sheep comes this sexy, sheer cardigan with a metallic finish. Dress up a pair of wide-leg khakis or a summer dress. It sells for $228 at Anthropologie.
Don’t estimate the need for a neutral in a warm-weather wardrobe. Massimo Dutti‘s 100% linen sweater ($119) with polo collar and 3/4-length sleeves fills that niche nicely.
Handmade in Peru, the texture of Alex Mill‘s crochet cardigan is feel-good breathable, the style charmingly retro. Treat it like a lightweight spring/summer jacket and toss it over a tank top or just by its lonesome with jeans. It sells for $295.
Mersea labels itself as a “curated collection of travel essentials,” but you don’t have to go far to wear this cotton classic crewneck. Available in lavender (above), lily pad green and sunny citrus, the Amalfi pullover ($168) takes inspiration from the pastel-hued villages along Italy’s famous, picturesque coast. Mersea recommends sizing up for a more relaxed fit.
Hoodies are not just for winter, especially when N. Peal, known for its luxe cashmere sweaters, decides to make one in a summer weight. A blend of 15% cashmere and 85% supima cotton, this new addition to the line features a generous hood and an ivory contrasting trim at the hem and along the shoulders. Also available in navy and white, it sells for $300.
Varley has evolved from an activewear-focused label into a broader, wear-every-day kind of brand. This long sleeve half-zip polo ($138) with a contrast V-panel and high neck is made from a textured cotton fabric. For cooler days, layer it over a tank top or T-shirt. Whether or not you play pickle ball or tennis, you’ll nail a sporty-girl vibe.
Come hot weather, you’ll feel the breezes in this lightweight, short-sleeve top With a drawcord hem for cinching over shorts or summery linen pants, it sells for $99 at Varley. It comes in white and black, too.
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All of these sweaters are desirable. Particularly the Happy Sheep cardigan. Great choices to highlight.
Thanks, Nancy! I agree, love that Happy Sheep cardigan. So summery.
Please help me explain to Elin that she should not put away the winter clothes until the groundhogs spend their days foraging for food and the robins frantically search for worms. I spend my mornings foraging through the closets searching for something warm to wear. I begin the day looking like Nanook of the North and by afternoon I’m shearling coats and sweaters like a striptease artist.
In fairness to Elin, this has been a crazy spring. Who knew the temperatures would climb to 80 degrees one week and then drop to the 40s the next week. It’s been anything but normal. A good rule of thumb I go by is not to put away the warm clothes until Mother’s Day. Hope that helps, Jim.