The Gre(y)t Sweater Debate | Review

I'm on the hunt for the perfect grey sweater. You know, the sweater you want to wear all the time, for every occasion. The kind of sweater that people may start to wonder if you own any other clothes because you wear it THAT MUCH. (No judging. This is serious stuff, people.) I’m also looking for a sweater (and a brand) that takes a conscious approach to apparel manufacturing. Easy-peasy! :) I have a few other requirements as well, but you can read about those in my post last week if you want to get up to speed.

I found five sweaters that met my criteria and ordered them all.

The Cashmere Crew | Everlane | $125 | Small
.06 Heather Light Grey Lightweight Alpaca Sweater | Zady | $185 - 25% discount = $138.75 | Small
Wool Cashmere Crewneck Sweater | Cuyana | $145 | Small
The Slouchy Cashmere V-Neck | Everlane | $128 | Extra Small
.01 The Sweater – Light Grey | Zady | $160 - 25% discount = $120 | Small

As a point of reference, I'm 5'4", 120 lbs, 34C. I typically wear size 26 denim and size 2, small, or extra small tops. Let's jump into the review!

o p t i o n 1

The Cashmere Crew by Everlane

Color: Quite a bit darker than I was expecting based on the online photo. I would consider this a medium to dark grey.

Fit: Size small fit me well. This felt like a very classic, closet staple. If you plan to do a lot of layering or want a more relaxed fit, however, I would recommend sizing up.

Comfort: SUPER soft. My sensitive skin liked the cashmere material. The neck was fitted but didn't feel restrictive.

Conclusion: Really liked the sweater, but I didn't love the color. If this were to come out in a lighter shade of grey (or olive green?!), I would definitely buy.

o p t i o n 2

.06 Heather Light Grey Lightweight Alpaca Sweater by Zady

Color: Slightly darker than the Everlane crewneck above, but I actually liked it better. The texture and varying shades of grey were flattering.

Fit: I ordered a small and was happy with the fit. It wasn't clingy at all but didn't make me look boxy either. The sweater isn't super heavy, so it would be great for layering or tucking in to skirts/pants.

Comfort: This was my first experience with alpaca, so I had no idea what to expect. It's slightly less soft than cashmere, but not in a bad way. It simply feels less luxurious(?) and more like a comfy t-shirt - which I really liked. It didn't make me feel itchy at all.

Conclusion: I really liked that this sweater felt casual, and I think it could be dressed up quite easily. My only hesitation - the pocket. I like it, but I wonder if I'd be happier long-term with a more simple option. One thing I do know, I'm officially a fan of alpaca!

o p t i o n 3

Wool Cashmere Crewneck Sweater by Cuyana

Color: This was the lightest shade of grey of all five sweaters. I'm naturally drawn to a light grey, so this was right up my alley.

Fit: The size small fit, but it was the most snug of all the sweaters. I was hesitant that it made me look busty, but it didn't feel overly tight. Based on the snug fit, it would likely be difficult to layer this over anything bulky. This isn't the type of sweater you would throw on over just anything, but I do think it looks great on it's own - slimming even. If you want something for layering, I would recommend sizing up.

Comfort: This cashmere isn't as soft as that from Everlane, but I like the texture. The detail down the back is a nice touch, too.

Conclusion: I really like the light grey, but I'm bound to become more and more pale as we approach winter, so something a bit darker may do me favors. Also, while I like how this sweater looks with my jeans and boots, I wonder if it will be versatile enough to throw on all the time.

o p t i o n 4

The Slouchy Cashmere V-Neck by Everlane

Color: Not too dark, not too light. This is what I would consider the perfect shade of grey.

Fit: This is Everlane's "slouchy" sweater, so the fit is much more relaxed. As a result, I ordered an extra small. I actually ordered the small a few weeks ago, but it was just too big. I felt messy. The extra small has plenty of room for layering while laying nicely on it's own. The sleeves felt just a tad bit long and the tag continued to pop out of the back, but nothing to get in a tizzy about.

Comfort: The cashmere from Everlane is just so dang soft. You really can't beat this quality/price ratio. It didn't make me feel even a teeny bit itchy - which is a miracle.

Conclusion: Perfect color, great fit, extremely comfortable. So this must be it, right?! But wait.... do I REALLY want a v-neck? Is it as versatile as a crewneck? Is it too girly? Or does a crewneck make me look like a boy? Oh vey.

o p t i o n 5

.01 The Sweater – Light Grey by Zady

Color: The darkest grey of all five options, but the texture/pattern is AMAZING. Something about this particular color seemed to do good things for my complexion.

Fit: The small was good for me, but the overall fit was much longer than I expected. The arms, the torso - definitely longer than the other options. The shoulders/back seemed slightly wide, too. You can see what I mean in the photos below. I liked that the neck was pretty stretchy though, so I didn't feel quite as boy-ish in this particular style.

Comfort: Wool = Itchy. I just can't do it. I really, really wish I could because this sweater is great, but my skin screams NOOOOO! :( The one good thing is that the outside is much more wool-like than the inside. If I wore a long-sleeved shirt, this sweater would be great. It was the warmest, too.