Second Best no. 2 - fisherman knits
Sweater weather is upon us
Welcome back to another installment of Second Best—where I search secondhand sites high and low for my favorite finds. Today, it’s all about fisherman knit sweaters.
I had two fisherman sweaters from J.Crew for 10+ years that I sadly had to part ways with at the end of last season (one had holes in the cuffs, and the other had threads breaking under the arms). I picked up a Dôen sweater during their warehouse sale over the summer and it’s the perfect replacement.
I’ve been thinking about getting a turtleneck or cardigan fisherman knit and started searching. I haven’t purchased anything yet, but I found so many good options—in a range of sizes!—that I thought I would put a post together.
A quick history lesson: fisherman sweaters date back to the 1950s on the Aran Islands. Many men were fishermen by trade and their wives would knit them thick wool sweaters to fight the cold conditions out at sea. Honestly, I don’t love being far out on a boat on even the most glorious summer day. Absolutely no amount of thick wool knits could save me from being the most insufferable person on a boat in the middle of winter.
The sweaters are broken down by sizes below XS–XXL. Some are mens styles, so be sure to check measurements in the product descriptions.
I browsed for a few hours and only pulled the best (in my humble and very picky opinion). Only 2 sweaters are over the $100 mark, and most are priced around $50. If you want to do some sleuthing of your own, I’ll include search terms at the end of this post!
Alex Mill Merino Wool Crewneck - size xs
I have a few Alex Mill sweaters and the quality (construction and materials) are top notch. I was excited to find one to include in this round up!
Vintage Fisherman Sweater made in Scotland - size xs/s
Sure, it’s a little pilly, but take a fabric shaver or comb to it and it will be as good as new.
Vintage J.Crew Wool Turtleneck - size s
A cold weather closet classic.
Demylee Wool Crewneck Cardigan - size s
It’s giving chic grandma and I’m into it.
Vintage J.Crew Wool Cableknit Cardigan - size m
This is the one that I want for myself. Someone else buy it, please!
L.L.Bean Wool Cableknit Pullover - size m
Half-zips and henleys have been so popular the past few winters. This is a cozy option.
Vintage Gap V-neck - size l
It’s giving old-school varsity striped sweater. Loooove vintage Gap.
Vintage J.Crew Fisherman Crewneck - size l
This kind of has a herringbone knit pattern? How delightful.
Vintage Gap Wool Fisherman Knit V-neck - size xl
This might be the diamond from this search. Like I said above, we love vintage Gap. 100% wool, subtle v-neck, the donegal style adds tiny flecks of texture, oh and it’s $54 (including shipping). Such a gem.
Vintage 1960s Fisherman Sweater - size xl/xxl
Honestly, etsy results for this search weren’t amazing, but it did lead me to finding this stunner. It’s in incredible condition and I love the mock neck.
If you want to do some browsing of your own, here are the search terms I used for eBay and etsy! Most of my searches were vintage because I knew the fiber contents would be close to 100% natural (wool or cotton).
vintage aran sweater
aran sweater
vintage j.crew fisherman sweater
vintage j.crew wool sweater
vintage gap fisherman sweater
vintage gap wool sweater
vintage ll bean fisherman sweater
vintage ll bean wool sweater
vintage handknit wool sweater
If you’re shopping on The Real Real, I’d check out Alex Mill (mens and womens), Demylee, Ann Mashburn, and Dôen.
Good luck!
x C
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