No undershirt with cashmere shirts & sweaters

[archetypal_yuppie]



My best practices are to stick to the original manufacturers and not overpay based on brand. I'd also stay away from fashion brands for cashmere or anyone that relies on marketing to boost sales.

Out of curiousity, which are your favorite original manufacturers (that still produce)?

I'm a big fan of Cruciani and Loro Piana (though the LP mark-up is huge). I don't know who produces Paul Stuart's Italian or Scottish cashmere. I've heard good things about Lockie on this forum, but I don't know how they fit and am not willing to bother with the hassle of ordering and returning.

 

[bourbonbasted]

I like Lockie a lot, but, full disclosure, their stuff is rather boxy. When it comes to solid knitwear it's pretty easy to get it taken in on the sides or altered to fit. Though I wouldn't trust the operation to a run-of-the-mill seamstress. The spinners that make Lockie stuff are Todd & Duncan. They also spin for many of the remaining higher-end Scottish brands. You can find their yarn at a bargain (granted, single ply) in BB's Scottish knits. Inis Meáin is another spinner that creates great stuff (though I like their wool over their cashmere). You can also check on Johnstons of Elgin, who are likely a notch or two down from T&D in terms of quality, but still quite decent.

In terms of the Italian brands, Cariaggi used to spin for some Cucinelli stuff (though this may have changed). Loro Piana is obviously the most well-known spinner, though they have become a luxury brand in their own right so the prices have risen accordingly. Circa 2006 Avon Celli was using the same spinners now exclusively supplying Hermes (the old name of the mill escapes me), so that was kind of a grail period for their stuff.

In terms of where most of the stuff comes from, the best fibers are harvested in Inner Mongolia. The Erdos Cashmere Group, out of Mongolia, are the chief producers of the raw fibers. From there they are exported to any number of makers to be handled with different treatments/washes.

 

[HughJ]



FWIW, I never wear an undershirt with shirts, but always do if wearing a jumper without a shirt underneath, regardless of maker/material.

I don't really have a logic to explain this difference; it's what I've always done...

Thought I was alone in this odd practice, but with some exceptions.

I don't wear an undershirt beneath my sweater if I've (for example) come home from work and just want to wear something to bomb around the house or unwind in. If I'm wearing the sweater all day, especially after a fresh application of deodorant in the morning, I'll wear an undershirt.

 

[VinnyMac]

I don't wear an "undershirt," but I always wear some type of shirt underneath my sweaters. Usually, a sweater by itself looks strange IMO.

 

[lhuynh]

For me, even the finest cashmere makes me itchy, so I almost always where an undershirt.

 

[archetypal_yuppie]

useful info bourbon, thx. some of my cashmere "sweaters" from cruciani are very thin and light, and even have a polo collar. cashmere shirts might be a better name, but that's not how they're categorized. these lend themselves to wearing as a shirt the most, and definitely don't look strange without a shirt collar underneath.

 

[coloRLOw]

Hope that helps get you started.

you are amazing

Thanks!

 

[coloRLOw]

I like Lockie a lot, but, full disclosure, their stuff is rather boxy. When it comes to solid knitwear it's pretty easy to get it taken in on the sides or altered to fit. Though I wouldn't trust the operation to a run-of-the-mill seamstress. The spinners that make Lockie stuff are Todd & Duncan. They also spin for many of the remaining higher-end Scottish brands. You can find their yarn at a bargain (granted, single ply) in BB's Scottish knits. Inis Meáin is another spinner that creates great stuff (though I like their wool over their cashmere). You can also check on Johnstons of Elgin, who are likely a notch or two down from T&D in terms of quality, but still quite decent.

In terms of the Italian brands, Cariaggi used to spin for some Cucinelli stuff (though this may have changed). Loro Piana is obviously the most well-known spinner, though they have become a luxury brand in their own right so the prices have risen accordingly. Circa 2006 Avon Celli was using the same spinners now exclusively supplying Hermes (the old name of the mill escapes me), so that was kind of a grail period for their stuff.

just have time to finish reading your post, very instructive
im also curious to know how do you collect those interesting information?

 

[coloRLOw]

just googled a 2012.10 news： Chanel buys Hawick cashmere mill Barrie
did this Barrie make high quality cashmere sweater?
and Barrie is this one (the pic is also googled) ?

 

[bourbonbasted]



just have time to finish reading your post, very instructive 
im also curious to know how do you collect those interesting information?

As is the case with learning more about anything: research and reading.

 

[MyOtherLife]



I wear an undershirt all the time.....

I'll see your undershirt and raise you my two shaved armpits.

 

[lullemans72]

Sorry to revive this thread but I have a burning question about cashmere sweaters I'd like to ask.

I recently got myself a mock neck cashmere sweater, and as with all my sweaters, be it v necks or crew necks, I wear them with (an undershirt and) a casual dress shirt underneath. Partly because it allows me to bring in some extra color from the shirt collar, but also to protect the sweaters from sweat and the like.

However, I've noticed that when wearing my mock neck cashmere sweater, the extra shirt layer causes the mock collar to create this slight gap between my neck and the sweater which I find a bit unsightly.

After finding this article, it would seem that wearing only an undershirt and no casual shirt underneath would be the way to go. I'm open to giving this a try, although I've never done it before and it will feel awkward at first, but I'm honestly also worried that the cashmere will get dirty much more easily if I'm only wearing an undershirt, and not an extra shirt to protect collar, sleeves and wrists. I really didn't know cashmere could be worn directly to the skin with only one undershirt underneath.

On a side note, I was shocked to read that some people don't even wear undershirts with their sweaters. Just wow.

 

[coloRLOw]

I'm honestly also worried that the cashmere will get dirty much more easily if I'm only wearing an undershirt, and not an extra shirt to protect collar, sleeves and wrists. I really didn't know cashmere could be worn directly to the skin with only one undershirt underneath.

On a side note, I was shocked to read that some people don't even wear undershirts with their sweaters. Just wow.

i don't have mock neck sweaters,but have some turtleneck ones that i wear without undershirt.

like shoes,i don't wear a sweater once more than one day in around one week.

and the yarn of good sweaters is used long fiber so i think it's not easily to worn away in normal use. and the friction between the sweater and your skin is smaller than that between desk or cloth of coat.

i wash my sweaters once a year when become warm ,and before that those turtlenecks are not too dirty to tolerate for me,haha.

 

[piccolochimico]

I've used to wear undershirt since i was born.
Short sleeves most of times, sleeveless only when it is warmer.
Always 100% cotton (with lycra or other stretchable polymer) for the best fitting.

 

[GBR]



I've used to wear undershirt since i was born.
Short sleeves most of times, sleeveless only when it is warmer.
Always 100% cotton (with lycra or other stretchable polymer) for the best fitting.

Always time to change. My late mother provided for my nourishment after I was born but I changed from that very quickly. Mother's ideas on vests were also thrown out by the time I was seven. She thought I'd die of cold, I thought over heating!