As the weather starts to cool off, or, if you live north of the Mediterranean, your wardrobe gives up its pullovers, particularly on days off.
And what do you find? Solids, possibly, a fair-isle pattern, sleeveless pullovers and big, hefty crew-necked items suitable for wearing on the deck of a yacht. All of them have their uses, but they do not necessarily go with what you want to be wearing: sport jacket, flannels or chinos, for example.
The pullovers in your wardrobe need to be chosen as carefully as everything else, with an eye to colour, texture and combination.
First, a bit of history: pullovers have their origins in garments knitted by fishermen’s wives on the coasts of Scotland and Ireland. They were knitted of local wool, which had plenty of natural oil, though it was probably pretty rough and scratchy. Treated with oil to make them waterproof, these pullovers were standard wear for sea farers. The patterns were often imaginative, with distinctive patterns. One must remember that back then fishermen’s wives probably had little to do on the long days while they waited for the men to come back from their voyages.
Modern Aran sweaters and their Scots equivalent are not made of the same wool as that used by the ancestors of the current makers. The wool is much finer nowadays and the knitting is more uniform, and consistent, but they still carry some of the same patterns.
Worn by fishermen, hunters, mountaineers and other sportsmen, sweaters did not become standard cool weather attire for city dwellers until the 1920s, when they started to be popular with students and other youngsters, and were adopted by clothing chains. The Prince of Wales made fairisle patterns popular – when people saw the Prince wearing them, they realised that a fair isle was exactly what they needed on the golf course (a quick note on fair isle sweaters – they were originally made on Fair Isle itself, in Scotland, about 200 years ago. They are still made there, and there is a three-year waiting list for them).
Not yet fashion items, sweaters were utility garments for sports and outdoor work. Loose and thick, they served their purpose. During the 1920s and 30s, however, Hollywood films made them popular, and of course they were part of a soldier’s and sailor’s wardrobe during the war.
The cardigan takes its name from Lord Cardigan (he of the charge of the Light Brigade), who wore a knitted waistcoat. Coco Chanel wore them and sold them, and men and women started wearing them.
Third, we have the sleeveless pullover, illustrated above, useful for energetic pursuits. V-necked, often with stripes (for cricket or tennis), it has been a staple of the wardrobe for about a century.
So you have quite a choice. As always, stick to wool and avoid wool blends because the polyester tends to pill easily and give the sweater a ragged look. Wash them by hand periodically, though not too often so that the waist does not droop and bag.
Matching sweaters with jackets is easy: use the same principles that you would with trousers. A solid pattern pullover with a check jacket works; with a blazer, burgundy, light blue or mid green would be a suave combination. But avoid pullovers/ pullover vests with suits. Even the best pullovers never look quite right with a suit, unless the suit is clearly a country / casual suit, e.g., tweed.
One point regarding fit – a pullover adds a couple of inches to your chest, shoulders and waist, so when you have a jacket made and expect to wear a pullover underneath, make sure that your measurements are adjusted accordingly. Tell the tailor that you will be wearing a pullover under the jacket, and he will know what to do.