According to our Stylist, Tinsley

I don't know about you, but I live in sweaters around this time of year. Every year when the cold weather starts rolling in, I immediately pull out my sweater boxes and take inventory. Some need a minor repair, or a good shave with the ole’ sweater shaver, and some just never worked for me and need a new home. 

For me, it’s important to add a few new sweaters into the mix every fall and winter because of how delicate knits can be if worn too much over a short amount of time. I treasure the carefully selected collection of sweaters in my closet, and I want to keep them feeling fresh by properly taking care of them and not over-wearing. 

I was thrilled when ABLE introduced more sweaters than ever this season, and I’ve come to the conclusion that these next four sweaters are essential to every woman’s winter wardrobe, including mine!

1) A Cropped Cardigan

Why I love it:

When it comes to classic knits, I’ve sometimes struggled with what to do with the extra length at the bottom. That’s why I often gravitate towards a cropped sweater. I constantly find myself reaching for our Ruth Cable Knit Cropped Cardigan or our Marlene Cropped Cardigan because they’re such easy, yet stylish, throw-on pieces. The design details on the Ruth and Marlene also feel extra luxe, so most of the styling work is already done for me. 

How I wear it:

I like to keep it casual with a tighter tank, like the Lise Ribbed Tank, or looser tee, like the Mae Drapey Tee, underneath and some layered necklaces or bold hoops for added style. The best part about a cardigan is the ability to button or unbutton--the styling options are endless. 

2) A Relaxed Turtleneck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Why I love it:

This one is a classic. Our team of designers here at ABLE made all of my turtleneck dreams come true when they designed the Merle Relaxed Turtleneck Sweater and the Jana Patterned Turtleneck Sweater. The step-hem on both sweaters makes it so easy to tuck in the front when you’re wanting to show off a bit more waist, and the contrast in the neck, cuffs, and hem help to break up the oversized look and create more definition. 

How I wear it:

I love wearing the Merle and the Jana untucked, with a fun pair of pants, like our Mabel Corduroy Cigarette Pant, that are a bit tighter in order to show off the fullness of the sweater. When it comes to wearing a turtleneck, I always like to throw my hair up and add a statement pair of earrings. You’ll look ultra put-together in an instant.

3) A Sporty Zip-Up

Why I love it:

Do you ever feel like you want to dress more comfortably when running errands or working from home, but don’t want to feel totally dressed down? A sporty zip-up sweater is just what you need, trust me! Our team designed the Norma Zip Front Sweater, for all of those times when you’d rather not be caught in a sweatshirt out and about or over Zoom. The zipper on this one feels so unique when compared to the rest of my sweater collection, and I feel so much more elevated than if I were wearing a basic pullover or hoodie. 

How I wear it:

I’m loving that you can zip this one all the way up to really emphasize the dramatic collar, or you can wear it totally unzipped and again with a tighter tank, or looser fitting tee. My favorite way to wear it is unzipped over a looser, graphic tee (hello, Gloria Graphic Tee), with leggings and chunky lug sole boots. It’s all about proportions. 

4) A Polo Pullover

Why I love it:

The Sienna Polo Pullover is the vintage-inspired sweater of my dreams. It feels like putting on your dad’s old sweater that’s been in his closet forever, like a familiar hug. The texture on this one is divine with its sideways rib, ottoman stitch. It’s a silhouette that will be with you for years, with the quality to match. My favorite part is the collar; it's the perfect little hint of class and sass. 

How I wear it:

I feel 10x smarter and more put-together when I put this sweater on. I like to wear it with a great pair of vintage-wash straight leg jeans, like our Chelsie Classic High Rise Straight jeans and a pair of trainers, like our Blake Sneakers in White. 

Not the essential sweaters for you? Check out the rest of our collection here. There’s more where these came from.

Pro tip

Ladies, let’s take care of our sweaters, yes? You’ve just spent your hard-earned dollars on that new sweater that you are so excited about, so let’s keep that “new car smell” feeling for as long as we can. Don’t hang your sweaters; store them in sweater boxes or in drawers. Hanging your knits can result in stretching over time, and that pesky little hanger indent at the shoulder. And, I know how time-consuming this is, but hand wash or wash on the delicate cycle in a delicates laundry bag, and line dry or else you’ll be spending more hard-earned dollars to replace them.

November 21, 2022 — Bridget Minor

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