Is it just me, or is the everyday basic sweater hard to wear? I mean, it’s easy to wear in the sense you just toss it on and go, but when I look in the mirror, the outfit just feels so bland. I always have to throw at least a blazer on top to feel satisfied. You may notice now that I’ve mentioned it, there are very few sweater looks on this blog…I only really wear them when lounging around the house (Uniqlo merino wool has been my latest go-to if you’re curious).
Looking for a sweater that could hold it’s own, I thought a nice marl would be a fun texture to add to my wardrobe, but it’s amazing how many of them are synthetic fabrics and feel overpriced. Then Everlane released what appeared to be the perfect marl collection in an array of 100% merino wools, with the Everlane chunky wool wide neck crew especially catching my eye.
With a heavy drape and seamless shoulder, I found this chunky knit to be surprisingly petite friendly. The merino wool is soft and cozy, the marl is perfect, and the side slits with high-low hem feel very modern. From the style down to the 100% merino wool construction, it feels “perfect”, which is exactly what I hope to find at Everlane. The only thing not “perfect” are the sleeves, which are about 2 inches too long on me, but a simple fold at the cuff is perfectly appropriate for sweaters. In response to last year’s complaints of the Everlane chunky wool pilling excessively, they claim to have fixed the issue with this year’s version. Only time will tell, but I’m hopeful that even if it does pill, the marled pattern will help disguise any flaws.
I’ll also note that if desired, merino wool will most definitely shrink. Without meaning to, my Everlane seed stitch sweater from a few years ago shrank about one full size simply from being run through a gentle wash cycle (in a garment mesh wash bag in cold water and left to air dry). Something to consider if a) you like the current fit of a merino sweater (dry clean or hand wash and be mindful of where you let it air dry, ie…keep it away from a heat source and out of the sun), or b) you’d prefer a slightly smaller fit (I find simply running it through a gentle wash cycle in a mesh wash bag is enough to shrink merino at least a little bit, then let it air dry).
The approximate measurements of size xs (laid flat) are below:
Shoulder: no shoulder seam
Bust: 17″
Waist: 16″
Sleeve: 27″ (from neckline)
Bicep: 5″
Overall length: 22″ (front) 23″ (back)
This sweater also comes in an equally beautiful light grey marl! Other Everlane items I have my eye on include the donegal cashmere which comes in a v-neck and cropped crew. ;)
PS…if you’ve been eyeing the classic Daniel Wellington watch, it’s on great sale right now at Amazon!
— Details —
Sweater Everlane
Jeans Zara (I also ordered these & these to try)
Boots Rag & Bone (also here & here)
Handbag Sophie Hulme (partially thanks to Shopbop)
Watch Daniel Wellington (on sale!) (also here) (thanks to Daniel Wellington)
Hat Rag & Bone (this year’s version – on sale!)
Jewelry Downtown LA & vintage
— Altered —
nothing ;)
Pretty! I love your sweater…. and your boots… and your hat! Love it all!
xx, Elise
http://www.sparkleandslippers.blogspot.com
Thank you, Elise! =)
Good tip to go for marled styles to make pilling less noticeable! I’ve been on the sweater search too! I ordered everlane’s new waffle knit turtleneck because it comes in gray & I love its textured look. Hoping it won’t be too chunky on a petite frame. Being very fair skinned, I’ve found it very difficult to find a sweater that is not black or white AND is edgy, suits petites and is wool or cashmere at a reasonable price :-)
Hi Lorraine! I hear ya. Trying to find a stylish petite-friendly knits in quality fabrics has been surprisingly hard! Let me know how the waffle knit turtleneck works out for you. =)
Thanks for the review on the marled sweater, it looks great. I have tried the Donegal cashmere v-neck in the xs and I thought it was too oversized. It was a beautiful sweater though.
Hi Shannon! Thank you for your thoughts on the cashmere v-neck! I kinda figured it would be too oversized from the product photos. Good to know I can pass on it then. =)
Amazing outfit! And the sweater is so beautiful, it looks so cozy and warm! <3
http://www.vogueetvoyage.com
Thank you, Jeany!
I love the whole shebang. Fun to see you mixing it up in this tasteful sweater, making a nice change from your usual impressive jackets. You are enjoying those boots aren’t you? Hoping the New Year is off to a good start for you Kelly. Regards. Deb
Thank you Deb! Hope 2016 is treating you well. =)
FYI, I recently purchased the same Everlane sweater in black…after two wears it is unfortunately badly pilled and fuzzy all over (perhaps I should’ve purchased the marl to help disguise any issues).
Hi Linda! Thank you for the pilling update! I guess Everlane still has some kinks to work out with these. So far, so good with the marl over here though. We’ll see how it goes!
Love this look!
Thank you Minau! =)
Hi, I was wondering how your sweater was after you wore and washed it– did it shrink? I’m thinking of ordering a size up to maintain the loose boyfriend fit after washes. What would you recommend?
Hi Holly! I’ve worn it a small hand-full of times with no pilling problems (yay!) but haven’t washed it yet. I’ll report back. =)
Just discovered your blog and am delighted to find someone so stylish doing a petite blog (I am 5′ 3″). Since I do not wear any animal products, including leather and wool, I would love to see you feature some animal friendly fashion styling. Pamella
I agree with you. I love sweaters but they can definitely look super blah sometimes. I usually like to dress mine up with a statement jacket or funky accessories but it does take a lot to break that monotony. Love the Everlane and the different shades of gray in it.
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