Shrinking Our Sweaters

Staying warm by reclaiming the waist.

Last Wednesday, as I was waiting for the crosstown bus, a typical New York winter wind repeatedly assaulted my bare torso, blowing up under my big shearling and cozy knit. It was absolutely ridiculous how cold I was considering the layers I was bundled in. It was my seasonal reminder that bigger is not necessarily better, and as the temperatures dip, my sweaters must sit closer to my body for the daily grind, lest a bitter breeze manage to fly beneath my coat.

I love a big cozy cashmere turtle just as much as the next gal but once it’s time for coats and scarves we counterintuitively need to choose knits a bit smaller. So today I’m going to tell you the exact opposite of what I usually do and insist you buy a sweater true to size, if not a size down! As a chronic size-upper, this seasonal shift always takes me a minute. Today, five reasons a smaller knit makes for a better outfit.

Reclaiming The Waist

When you are up to your ears (literally) in layers remembering that you have a body under all that fabric can be helpful. With boots and a wide leg pant or with a skirt that has any volume whatsoever, allowing your sweater to sit on, and cinch slightly at the waist, creates a natural contour without feeling like you need to add a belt.

Obviously you don’t have to go as wacky as me…a full skirt plus black tights and ankle boots (or OTK boots!) are also perfectly great. The point is, my sweatshirt is an XS…as opposed to the Medium I would usually buy, to create this ladylike silhouette. I used a sweatshirt instead of a sweater because I thought the skirt would look a little fresher with something uber-casual: my sweatshirt is faded black, my t-shirt sticking out a little (which we will dive into below.)

If you’ve been reading 5 Things a while you will know this is my oldest and dearest Prada skirt so I will have to leave you with alternates. Totally different but I LOOOOVEtb this and this skirt, both of which could use a little knit to make their waistlines shine. Oh! and this is giving serious Prada vibes too, and maybe slightly less dramatic. Miu Miu sneaks. These are extremely comfortable if you’re looking for the same vibe…I tried them on at friend of 5 Things Sippy’s insistence, and she was not lying. Also though, should we just all do these? At right: The whole thing tamed by a big tailored coat.

Disheveling Our Under Layers

A conundrum we run into when your chosen sweater lays too long for your chosen trousers, is that in order to create a layered look your t-shirt basically needs to become a dress. BUT! If my sweater squeezes my waist, and my average tee just shows itself in the form of a little undone ruffle, then I’m creating something that looks effortlessly tousled, without veering into unkempt. This was something I noticed while shooting all of the looks this week. I kept wanting my white tee to peek out a bit at the bottom.

A sweater (or sweatshirt) hem that sits on the waist is fine on its own of course, but the little bit of tee just adds another place for your eyes to go (provided your dress code is casual.)

The same sweatshirt/t-shirt combo as above but with my winter uniform of white pants and a fun coat. The pants are Khaite, more sizes here. (I also lean on chinos heavily this time of year) with my standard 997s and a new dream of a coat from Rohe that I have been waiting for with bated breath since my preorder many months ago. She’s perfect. I’ve been putting a thin puffer underneath on last week’s coldest days. I paired this with sheer socks to make it “fancy/quirky” for a work coffee but its obviously also great with cashmere too….and cotton, LOL.

Same look but with a kitten heel ballerina!!! I sized down a half size and they are perfect. <3

And Making Room For (Many) Top Layers

Wearing a huge sweater under a blazer is not usually possible. So we use a shrunken sweater to our advantage as it gets colder. It’s the smaller knit makes multiple layers possible. With the smaller knit, we can keep the cozy factor with our “indoor jackets” for those times when we want to look a little more polished.

This…

The Banana Republic sweater I can’t quit. This is a size small. Should I get the green? Yes. And so should you. Similarly excellent is the High Sport cotton sweater. It creates a perfect waistline. If in your budget, it’s worth it.

Easily becomes this….

The blazer is Alex Eagle, I’m sure you’re sick of it at this point. Jeans are Giuliva Heritage (The classic 501 sized up - both in inseam and waist - is also a great wash/shape for this look!) Boots are Lemaire and true to size. And there’s always RM Williams

And then this!!

And ever since Phoebe Philo herself was spotted in a big blazer coming out of a cropped bomber jacket this past year I have wanted to recreate this idea with something utilitarian. All of a sudden, my very banal puffer is not such an afterthought! This is a mens large (I need a large in mens because of the whole hip ratio situation…you might too, don’t be scared of the size.)

Kissing At The Edges

Lower rises are…on the rise??? A smaller sweater gives a visual to this pant style without feeling…exposed. Let those edges rub up against each other. Great with these Brooke Callahan pants, but also with a baggy men’s vintage levi, rolled at the waist and the cuff. I have been on a denim shopping rampage. Maybe we should go over it in next week’s letter? That or a gift guide?? You tell me!

Kule sweater in a size small. (if you are a L or XL I recently spotted this pretty marled number at a great price!) Redone tee. Both layers are the perfect length to graze a lower hemline, Brooke Callahan pants (also into these “peach” colored cords and these Khaite jeans to try this idea!!)

All Fall All At Once

And of course, a shrunken sweater plays best supporting actor to literally everything we have talked about this fall: plaid shirts. collars out. dramatic pants and great boots. wearing brown and navy and red together. 80s shouldered jackets. I could go on, but there are only so many days in the week to get dressed.

Bought this plaid shirt off Etsy all in the name of research and I love her. Our flannels will also work great. Kule sweater again and Callas pants (I sized up to a size 6 because I wanted them to read as super slouchy).

And my thin but voluminous Bally leather jacket becomes a blazer alt. It gently takes the yuppy out of my wool pants and buttoned up look. And could easily fit under a big coat. Also, she is divine, no extra coat required! I just ordered the long version of her after this insane week we had…but maybe I should have gone cropped? GAHHHHH!

Signing off for today. Have a fantastic week filled with too much socializing and a nice handful of holiday cookies! It’s going to be great.

Yours TRULY,

Becky