Beware of Sheer Sweaters

[MK]

I posted this elsewhere but felt it should be stated in a thread of it's own.

I was just given a few "fine marino" sweater vests. They look beautiful on the hanger. I tried to wear a dark tie with a white shirt underneath the red sweater. You could easily see the tie through the vest. Now I know that is considered a trendy look in some men's magazines, but I don't care for it. After auditioning a few other ties with no luck, I gave up and went tieless.

No more sheer sweaters for me.

There is a concept being pushed that shear, flimsy fabic is the bomb. I am thankful that long lasting, robust cloth is looked down on by the masses. It keeps the prices lower for the good stuff. Well...some of it anyway.

Lesson learned: Don't buy shear sweaters.....even if they are considered high quality.

The green one faired better with an ivory shirt and brown tie.

 

[vonwotan]

MK, Thank you. Thinking back on sweaters and sweater vests I have owned, you seem to have identified a challenge that I had never put in words. Part of my preference for waistcoats is that they are opaque and, on me at least, tend to stay in place better. I do very much like the look and would love to find more sweaters to wear in winter.

 

[dhermann1]

Yeah, but that's a REALLY nice sweater. I have another suggestion: a bow tie! A snazzy pattern would look cool with that solid color sweater!

 

[anon`]

Yeah, but that's a REALLY nice sweater. I have another suggestion: a bow tie! A snazzy pattern would look cool with that solid color sweater!

I was thinking the same thing. Fabulously versatile, those bow ties!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Pretty disheartening thinking that something that is so versatile as a style element that provides warmth can be taken down a notch like many other items of clothing made today. It's a sweater and it is supposed to hold in warm air... I don't see why a designer would go for a fabric that is woven loosely enough to be seen through.

One of the challenges I've had with finding sweaters whether they be from Brooks Brothers or Ralph Lauren is that they lack any bulk whatsoever when compared to the stout heavy woven wools of yesteryear. You should feel warm from a sweater, not catch a draft and worry if your tie is showing through or not. Luckily the sweater is red and not white, otherwise colored shirts would dictate the color of the vest.

 

[dhermann1]

Sweater vests

Since my office feels like the north pole most of the time, I rely on sweater vests to keep me warm. I have a very light one, that's 70% merino wool, 20% silk and 10% cashmere, made by Allen Solly, that gives me a moderate amount of warmth, and a heavier one, (in the closet at them moment, so I can't give you details). I find that just a little bit of wool goes a long way in providing an extra layer of warmth. It all depends on how much warmth you need.

 

[MK]

.

I was at Nordstom's this morning. Some of the sweater vests were so sheer that you could read the newspaper though them!

Well.....not quite....but pretty close.

 

[tonyb]

I have a couple of dresser drawers full of sweater vests, most of which were bought quite inexpensively at thrift stores. There seems always to be a plentiful supply of good-as-new (or nearly so) sweater vests at my favorite charity thrifts, which I'm guessing is because so many guys receive so many as gifts and never wear them, for whatever reason.
Anyhoo ... I've found that the merino wool ones don't wear as well as the plain old cotton jobs, and they're also considerably more trouble to clean. Although I have one darkish green, cardigan type in merino wool that's just the greatest thing to wear with a green, gray and black check sport coat, both of which were acquired for next to nothing at a charity thrift shop.

 

[Jovan]

I have a lightweight cardigan (which I've posted pics of before) that can't be seen through, but it really is meant for mild weather. Anything under 50 outside and it won't fare well on its own. Kind of disappointing, but it was drastically reduced in price and gotten with a gift card. [huh]

The thing I notice moreso than sheer fabrics these days on v-necks is height of the opening. They don't want to show a tie, or collar for that matter, very well. That's rather disappointing.

 

[Tomasso]

I think that there's a place for fine gauge sweaters in a gentleman's wardrobe; Spring/Summer up North and Winter down South. I consider them casual wear, best paired with finer shirting like linen, silk and sea island cotton, sans tie. I've no idea why a store in a cold climate would stock them during Winter unless, possibly, as resort/cruise wear.

 

[MK]

.

These were obviously designed thinking that a tie wouldn't be worn.

Here is the tan vest with a burnt orange tie:

It doesn't look too bad because of the dark jacket....but look again sans jacket:

Usually a man doesn't have to be concerned with his clothes being too sheer. That should be for the ladies to worry about.

 

[Fletch]

I recall pix taken in the 20s-40s era of men in light colored sweaters whose ties showed faintly thru.

 

[Paisley]

Some ladies' sweaters are so thin that you cannot even wear them over a shirt--all the folds of the shirt show through and look terrible.

If I want a lighter sweater, I'll wear a cotton one.