Feel like the quality of cashmere across the board is so bad now. I must wear my sweaters hard because the pilling is absurd. And I try and use the little cashmere combs to attempt
to improve things. Can’t beat the price of Quince - but mine already look terrible and I bought them this season. As a result they are relegated to weekends and around the house… not suitable for the Real World. I will note that Jenni Kayne’s are the absolute worst in the regard and waaaaaaay too expensive. If anyone has thoughts on the highest quality cashmere, I’d love to hear it! (Merino really is the best in terms of durability.)
@JB, this is something to keep an eye on re: Quince. Appreciate the tip on pilling!! Side note: J.Crew occasionally will have great sale deals on cashmere, but they seem few and far between. Also, as much I love the Crew, a lot of the offerings are a cropped style and that isn't my thing personally.
Nothing feels or looks quite like cashmere, but I agree with JB below that the quality today is terrible. Best I ever bought was an Iris & Ink (The Outnet's "house" brand) grey cashmere v-neckfor $150 twenty years ago. Minimal pilling over the years, all of which is easily removable with a cashmere comb. Still looks new. Been downhill from there. The worst being a $400 navy Equipment boat neck that looked like something the cat dragged in after a handful of wears and Quince, which is at least cheap. J Crew and Everlane are meh. Brochu Walker and Vince are pretty decent. They do eventually pill, but those are easy to remove because they are just that—pills. Low quality cashmere not only pills, but the background fibers become fuzzy in texture, contributing to the ratty look. For these reasons, I'm moving on to merino wool.
Have you tried Naadam? For the price the quality is great. I purchase the womens and mens depending on what shape I am going for. I usually get the original sweater for $100. I have also gotten Lily Silk cashmere which has held up. This year I bought a cashmere roll neck blend from them I wear non stop. https://www.lilysilk.com/us/product/turtleneck-sweater-with-rib-hemline_color-5999.html
Call me crazy but I really like Uniqlo for their very affordable cashmere. Clare Waight Keller’s line for Uniqlo has a great sweater in a more modern, oversized cut if you think the regular sweaters are too basic. I’ve also bought sweaters from the men’s department when I want something more oversized.
Johnstons of Elgin is easily some of the most incredible cashmere around; they’ve been around for nearly 200 years! It’s from Scotland, and it’s thick, and soft, and warm, doesn’t pill, etc. It is Gorgeous. It is not inexpensive, but if you can find it second hand, it’s totally worth it.
Cashmere is a big investment. I am 70, and I have been collecting that since my 20s. Fortunately, I don’t need to purchase anymore. But these are beautiful sweaters. I’ve noticed the quality of cashmere over the years has gotten bad.
has anyone tried the COS chunky turtle or crewnecks? i can’t bring myself to purchase even though i love how cozy they look.
vouching specifically for everlane’s boxy cashmere crew—i wear these on repeat and no pills even after several winters. the arms get baggy but these have been some of my better purchases.
I have the COS chunky turtleneck, and it’s my favorite sweater. I wear the hell out of it, and the quality has held up beautifully. COS is the top of the cashmere game, IMO. I also like Arket cashmere, but they don’t ship to the US yet.
Kim, such great options here! So glad you mentioned Quince--I have found some really lovely, well-priced basics that are in my rotation constantly. For example, the large Italian woven handbag looks a lot like a certain designer we love but not at the price point (if you can't or don't want to spend a ton). Also, the Quince cashmere sweaters I have wash up nicely and lay flat to dry.
Thanks for this. I was super disappointed with nadaam. The quality was terrible and so I won’t go back to that. I’ve been getting some from madewell that are ok though probably not long for this world. I loved my quince cotton sweater from the summer. It was surprisingly great. Guess I need to commit to cos!
This is random but you mentioned on the podcast that you want to get a makeup artist for your mom and I thought I’d recommend someone I follow on Instagram who is in the NY area, Erica Taylor. She really knows mature skin!
Feel like the quality of cashmere across the board is so bad now. I must wear my sweaters hard because the pilling is absurd. And I try and use the little cashmere combs to attempt
to improve things. Can’t beat the price of Quince - but mine already look terrible and I bought them this season. As a result they are relegated to weekends and around the house… not suitable for the Real World. I will note that Jenni Kayne’s are the absolute worst in the regard and waaaaaaay too expensive. If anyone has thoughts on the highest quality cashmere, I’d love to hear it! (Merino really is the best in terms of durability.)
I've had the same issue with Quince cashmere. Was surprised/disappointed about the pilling.
Me too.
Will second merino wool. It's what I'm moving to because cashmere is across the board awful these days.
@JB, this is something to keep an eye on re: Quince. Appreciate the tip on pilling!! Side note: J.Crew occasionally will have great sale deals on cashmere, but they seem few and far between. Also, as much I love the Crew, a lot of the offerings are a cropped style and that isn't my thing personally.
Nothing feels or looks quite like cashmere, but I agree with JB below that the quality today is terrible. Best I ever bought was an Iris & Ink (The Outnet's "house" brand) grey cashmere v-neckfor $150 twenty years ago. Minimal pilling over the years, all of which is easily removable with a cashmere comb. Still looks new. Been downhill from there. The worst being a $400 navy Equipment boat neck that looked like something the cat dragged in after a handful of wears and Quince, which is at least cheap. J Crew and Everlane are meh. Brochu Walker and Vince are pretty decent. They do eventually pill, but those are easy to remove because they are just that—pills. Low quality cashmere not only pills, but the background fibers become fuzzy in texture, contributing to the ratty look. For these reasons, I'm moving on to merino wool.
Have you tried Naadam? For the price the quality is great. I purchase the womens and mens depending on what shape I am going for. I usually get the original sweater for $100. I have also gotten Lily Silk cashmere which has held up. This year I bought a cashmere roll neck blend from them I wear non stop. https://www.lilysilk.com/us/product/turtleneck-sweater-with-rib-hemline_color-5999.html
+1 for Vince. Of all my cashmere sweaters, theirs have held up the best with the least amount of pilling.
Call me crazy but I really like Uniqlo for their very affordable cashmere. Clare Waight Keller’s line for Uniqlo has a great sweater in a more modern, oversized cut if you think the regular sweaters are too basic. I’ve also bought sweaters from the men’s department when I want something more oversized.
Johnstons of Elgin is easily some of the most incredible cashmere around; they’ve been around for nearly 200 years! It’s from Scotland, and it’s thick, and soft, and warm, doesn’t pill, etc. It is Gorgeous. It is not inexpensive, but if you can find it second hand, it’s totally worth it.
Cashmere is a big investment. I am 70, and I have been collecting that since my 20s. Fortunately, I don’t need to purchase anymore. But these are beautiful sweaters. I’ve noticed the quality of cashmere over the years has gotten bad.
I've been happy with the quality of cashmere I've gotten from Garnet Hill over the past few years.
Agreed - but they’ve started to pill a bit too
Interesting. I have become a big fan of their organic cotton tee shirts.
I saw an interview with Amy Poehler in that JCrew polo in bright blue, and now it's on it's way to me. Need some brightness right now!
has anyone tried the COS chunky turtle or crewnecks? i can’t bring myself to purchase even though i love how cozy they look.
vouching specifically for everlane’s boxy cashmere crew—i wear these on repeat and no pills even after several winters. the arms get baggy but these have been some of my better purchases.
I don’t have that specific sweater from COS, but the one I splurged on last Fall has held up well and gets a lot of wear.
I have the COS chunky turtleneck, and it’s my favorite sweater. I wear the hell out of it, and the quality has held up beautifully. COS is the top of the cashmere game, IMO. I also like Arket cashmere, but they don’t ship to the US yet.
Kim, such great options here! So glad you mentioned Quince--I have found some really lovely, well-priced basics that are in my rotation constantly. For example, the large Italian woven handbag looks a lot like a certain designer we love but not at the price point (if you can't or don't want to spend a ton). Also, the Quince cashmere sweaters I have wash up nicely and lay flat to dry.
I just want sweaters that are not boxy, cropped, too long, dropped shoulders. They used to exist. I’ve bought one this year that fits the bill and I wear it at least three times a week. https://www.lilysilk.com/us/product/turtleneck-sweater-with-rib-hemline_color-5999.html
Thanks for this. I was super disappointed with nadaam. The quality was terrible and so I won’t go back to that. I’ve been getting some from madewell that are ok though probably not long for this world. I loved my quince cotton sweater from the summer. It was surprisingly great. Guess I need to commit to cos!
No shortage of color choices on the Naadam. My fave is tomato red.
Great sweaters!
This is random but you mentioned on the podcast that you want to get a makeup artist for your mom and I thought I’d recommend someone I follow on Instagram who is in the NY area, Erica Taylor. She really knows mature skin!
https://www.instagram.com/ericataylor2347?igsh=enJseHM5ZG8yaHVy
Does anyone have experience with Jenni Kayne cashmere, as far as fit and wear?
The Reformation has a great cashmere boyfriend sweater that comes in multiple colors -
If anyone happens to come back here, this was on IG about cheap cashmere and if it’s worth buying.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGRazwcyFD6/?img_index=5&igsh=MXVmYzAxMzRqd3FsdQ==