My Hunt for Our Next Best Sweater Overall

This is a new iteration of Everlane’sClassic Cashmere Crew, which has a slimmer silhouette than the original. The cashmere — which Everlane’s site says is 70 percent recycled — feels slightly less substantial than the earlier iteration. It felt a bit scratchy on, too, though not so much that it would prevent me from wearing it regularly. Still, I’m looking for zero itchiness whatsoever, so my hunt continued.

Merino wool is naturally temperature regulating and often used in cold-weather base layers — you’ll find it in tops and tights for skiing and even long underwear. The breathable merino made this an easy choice for chilly days. This crewneck has dropped shoulders that give it a relaxed fit with a roomy torso. I wasn’t terribly impressed with how the wide hemline sort of bunches at my hips when I wear it with high-waisted pants; it never sits quite right. But the contrast detailing at the cuffs and hem is a nice touch. I haven’t noticed any pilling with this sweater as it’s very smooth to the touch.

I love the balloon sleeves on this sweater from Los Angeles brand Atelier Delphine. I opted for an XS/S (I usually wear a S or M) and found that it was the perfect oversize fit in my arms and shoulders with the hem ending right at the top of my hips. It’s made with baby alpaca wool and polyamide, which I’ve found to be plenty warm — I wore it once on its own to a hockey game and it was just the right weightfor a drafty rink. The draping of the generous sleeves is quite beautiful but because of the inclusion of the polyamide (14 percent to be exact), I wasn’t impressed by the almost-$300 price tag.

I had pretty high expectations for this sweater considering our old winner was from Alex Mill. When I tried it on, my first impression was that the Nottinghill sweater is the sweater you want to have on during the first snowy day of the year. It’s chunky and plenty warm and though its shape also seemed promising, the material blend just didn’t seem worth the price. It’s made of a blend of merino wool, cotton, and, unfortunately, 25 percent recycled nylon. And after the first couple wears, it began to pill quite a bit along the arms. Though that hasn’t necessarily stopped me from wearing it, I had to leave this one behind.

At first, I thought Macy’s cashmere crewneck was a top contender thanks to its soft fabric and simple pullover design, but after a few wears I noticed the cashmere was on the thinner side.I didn’t love the way this sweater fell on my body, either — it was almost too clingy, similar to Everlane’s Cashmere Slim Crew sweater above. The softness of the cashmere was where this one shined, but in the end it seemed too delicate to the point that I genuinely feel like a non-nude bra might show through.

The Janet is a 100 percent cotton sweater that I constantly reached for during the fall when the weather kept flipping back and forth between warm and cool. The boxy crewneck shape with drop shoulders and a clean neckline made this one feel like I was getting closer to a winner — it had the just-boxy-enough silhouette I’d been searching for on this hunt, which was weirdly hard to find. And while it felt like thiscouldbe something I’d wear all year long, I wanted a knit with a bit more heft.

We already named Everlane’sCocoon Crew in alpacaas ourbest pulloverin our guide to the best women’s sweaters. But when I noticed that Everlane introduced a wool-cashmere version in early 2024, I was curious about how it would compare. Wool and cashmere blends are often my favorite because the fabric combination makes for very plush yet dense and durable knits. After wearing it for over three weeks, I noticed that it held its shape well — as in, it didn’t get wrinkly in my sweater storage box between wears. And I loved the relaxed silhouette, round neckline, and the textured knit, which almost felt ribbed. I just wished it fit a tad closer to my body and was slightly softer (I promise, it’s not scratchy unless you’re supersensitive to grittier fabrics).

All of this hunting brings me to C by Bloomingdale’s, the department store’s in-house line of cashmere sweaters, scarves, and loungewear. When I began this search, I wondered if a cashmere sweater was even a realistic contender for the winner. Our previous best overall was 100 percent cotton, and cashmere is known to be tricky to care for — shrinking and fear of moths made me think twice — and a high price point. But, it turned out, it absolutely could be the winner when it was one Bloomingdale’s well-made, reasonably priced knits.

When I tested a few styles from the C by Bloomingdale’s cashmere line, I was immediately impressed by the quality and how warm the sweaters were. Compared to Macy’s cashmere, C by Bloomingdale’s is thicker and hardier. Though I haven’t needed to wash my sweater yet, I’ve noticed no pilling after six weeks of testing and have had no issue preserving its softness withmy lint brush. This crewneck cable style specifically was my favorite because it solved what I was looking for: It’s both relaxed and polished looking, has a round neckline, and is made of 100 percent natural fibers at a price point that reflects the quality. It feels like a style that could suit a wide range of tastes and styles and was one I reached for again and again.

One of the first things I loved about this sweater is that it somehow looks good with just about everything, from jeans and trousers to silk midiskirts. It falls around my hips and the sleeves are plenty long despite my broad shoulders. It has the perfect mid-range weight that makes it a versatile choice for changing seasonsandyear-round warmth: I had it draped over my shoulders earlier this fall, and I wore it under a leather jacket while visiting Stockholm in November. It also layers well with my favorite white long-sleeve or a T-shirt. It’s around $200 full price but is often on sale for around $100, which puts it on par with other sweaters I tested. Better yet, the material is all natural and, honestly, it costs less than what you’d pay for some synthetic-based sweaters. Finally, it comes in over ten colors, including dark brown, red, and ivory.