Don’t sweat it (but maybe in this case, do)
The sweater vest has long surpassed the four walls of the public library
Outfit pictured above: MADRAS CHECK BUCKET HAT by ENGINEERED GARMENTS, GRANDPA COAT (similar) by OLIVER SPENCER, HUGO WOOL BLEND V-NECK by NN07, HEAVY TERRY SWEATPANTS by CDLP and BOSTON by BIRKENSTOCK
With exception to the years when I was still a baby and my mum was my full-time stylist - an era that is thankfully over - I don’t think I’ve ever had a sweater vest moment. Maybe in the past I’ve veered away from them, in fear of channelling the pastiche of a local librarian, but I just haven’t felt they’ve been particularly complimentary to what I gravitate towards. Factoring in the general sentiment of wanting to keep my wardrobe intentionally small, the urge to wear one has been relatively subdued. Enter, NN07. The Danish (first tick in the box) brand is one that’s been on my radar for a while and when they reached out I thought I’d just go for it, on loan of course.
One of the fortunate aspects of this space I hold on the internet is the conversations that often happen behind an e-mail thread and on this occasion, I believe this exchange is worth sharing. This particular case study centres around the Hugo sweater vest. Its contents? Wool and polyamide. My initial reaction was ‘shame’, coupled with a huff, due to the fact this makes a garment near impossible to recycle and biodegrade, but this is where the solutions in fashion are not linear. When Mikkel, PR Manager at NN07, was able to relay from the design team that the reason the vest was made like so was due to structural integrity to ensure it would last longer in a blend form, it got me thinking: is it better for something to have a circular end of life process or is it better to prolong its life while in its stage of wear? It is certainly something to think about and a subject I’ll continue to talk on as I begin to understand more, but knowing that the brand thinks about these things themselves made me go for its fuzzy goodness and from a styling point alone, it was cool to try out.
Deciding to double up on wool, I went with my grandpa coat from Oliver Spencer and its brown houndstooth. While mine is now many seasons old, proudly so, they’ve continued to update the style, most recently adding a belt to the single vent overcoat should you want to go for a more accentuated waist shape or just help retain that body heat during winter.
Just as we feel good when dressing up, I also gain as much satisfaction dressing for comfort. Joggers, though some fear too casual for outside, can be a considered style choice. I think there’s a way you can now wear them, feel good and be socially accepted by denim and trouser wearers among you. Dress codes have come a long way since covid. And certainly, CDLP do them right: heavy loopback, a nice gathering at the cuff and made in organic and recycled cotton. A tip to wearing our much adored fleeced and loopback garments is by wearing a longer coat with them i.e., an overcoat like above or trench. It combats any sort of scruffy remarks from onlookers, not that you need to take note of them. And while on the topic of feeling comfortable, time for another mention for the Birkenstock Boston, with a peep of Rototo sock too. There’s no doubt in my mind that the clog can be worn in any setting, I’ve even wore them with a suit before.
So, it seems this blog post has ended up being a conversation of what we can wear in and out the house, including what we consider best practise for how it’s all made, but one thing is for certain, consider my stance softened on sweater vests.jbicon
Could 2023 be the ultimate year of sustainability for fashion? Probably not, but there are some positive things happening if you look for them.