Advice for building a knitwear collection

[Ddubs]

I'm slowly building a knitwear collection and so far I have a navy and a grey cashmere crewneck from Colhay's, but I'm having trouble deciding what to go for next. I find having different weights of knitwear very useful and I also find navy and grey very useful colours. For that reason I'm thinking of picking up some heavier weight lambswool crewnecks also in navy and grey from Rubato. However, it does feel like I'd be buying the same thing even though obviously I'm not. Would you guys recommend getting the same colours in knitwear in a different weight, or should I branch out to different colours or something else?

 

[lockstock]

I have been in a similar situation to you and have found myself buying too much knitwear before reselling some and narrowing down my wardrobe. With that in mind, I think you should start with what you have now:

• How often do you wear the items you already have? Determine which pieces you find yourself wearing often, whether they fit their purpose, and whether there is something that they are lacking, such as durability or applicability.
• In practical terms, what do you need for your day-to-day? Determine if you need more durable items (hence choosing lambswool over cashmere for example), warmer layers for harsher weather (hence choosing cashmere over lambswool for its greater warmth), or if you need items for utility, that would be put through heavier, rougher use (hence choosing cheaper options over more expensive ones).
• How does this fit into your overall style goals? Are you looking to evolve your style, or simply expand on what’s working? If it’s the latter, sticking with navy and grey makes sense. But if you want a fresh feel, trying new colours might add more dimension to your wardrobe.
• In particular regarding colour (as I have fallen into that rabbithole before and still have barely worn knitwear sitting in my wardrobe) - will expanding into more colours of the same or similar item work with the rest of your outfits? Will the different colours make enough of a difference to include them in your rotation or will they feel redundant?

Unless you are going for something on discount, you are not really benefiting from getting more than what you need right now. There is no point in storing timeless knitwear in your home instead of the shop's warehouse. Would it not make greater sense to put that financial resource in clothes in different categories that would widen your outfit options?

 

[DorianGreen]

I'm slowly building a knitwear collection and so far I have a navy and a grey cashmere crewneck from Colhay's, but I'm having trouble deciding what to go for next. I find having different weights of knitwear very useful and I also find navy and grey very useful colours. For that reason I'm thinking of picking up some heavier weight lambswool crewnecks also in navy and grey from Rubato. However, it does feel like I'd be buying the same thing even though obviously I'm not. Would you guys recommend getting the same colours in knitwear in a different weight, or should I branch out to different colours or something else?

You seem to prefer the classic and more understated colours, and I would agree that they are the most basic and versatile. I certainly would also buy different colours though for some variety and also different styles and weights. If you don't like or don't feel comfortable in brighter shades, there are still many subdued ones you could choose from, I think of cream, off-white, camel, beige, dark natural, dark brown, dark olive. You can add some vee-necks, sweaters or cardigans, the best option to go with a shirt and a tie, and roll necks, very practical and versatile, and polo necks, very stylish and distinctive. You can also add some texture, for example with a cable knit. A great classic is a shawl collar cardigan, you will find it in lambswool and in cashmere.

And remember, the more pieces you have, the longer they will last. Try not to wear the same sweater longer than for one day, give the knitwear the time to recover after a wear. This way you will also reduce the need to frequent washing.

 

[breakaway01]

I like @lockstock's advice. You haven't told us anything about what kinds of outfits you envision wearing these new pieces of knitwear with. Never think of a piece of clothing in isolation as you seem to be doing in your question about whether you should get more navy and grey crewnecks.

So -- what outfits or settings?

 

[Ddubs]

I like @lockstock's advice. You haven't told us anything about what kinds of outfits you envision wearing these new pieces of knitwear with. Never think of a piece of clothing in isolation as you seem to be doing in your question about whether you should get more navy and grey crewnecks.

So -- what outfits or settings?

I would say I'm a bit more casual than most here and the mainstays of my outfits tend to be chinos in khaki, brown and off-white, dark selvedge jeans and sometimes lighter washes and off-white. Footwear is usually black or brown loafers, brown boots and white canvas trainers. Shirts tend to be OCBDs in solids and stripes. Then outerwear is usually long balmacaans/overcoats, jungle jacket, overshirts, suede bomber and trucker, denim jacket, Barbour jackets, chore jackets and Harrington. I don't really wear much tailoring. Sometimes a sports coat is currently the extent of things.

As for settings, for work I mainly WFH but attend a very casual office a few times a week and I am pretty much the smartest dressed. Aside from that, weekends are a bit more active/rugged. Usual activities being dancing, walking/hiking, allotment and meeting with friends usually in the closest city for eating out, coffee, cinema etc and sometimes more rural activities.