As night falls, my favorite fall piece is always a cashmere sweater. However, year after year I find that the prices keep creeping up, so this time I decided to thoroughly investigate my little luxury item. On a recent trip to London, I had a few hours to spare between meetings, which gave me the perfect opportunity to compare stores and write a detailed cashmere sweater review.

If you’re familiar with central London, you’ll be able to find my route. I started at the Zera flagship store on Oxford Street and then went to several other retailers; Mango, Uniqlo, Zara, Gap and Topshop (where there was no cashmere). I also went to John Lewis and then to Regent Street, where I shopped & OtherStories, Banana Republic, Cos and J Crew.My background in retail made this competitor analysis a natural for me – I stayed focused, scrutinizing the feel of the cashmere while keeping in mind whether the price was reasonable.

The first brands I ruled out were Mango and Zara, whose cashmere didn’t feel durable enough; fast fashion and cashmere don’t go well together, in my opinion. j Crew’s prices were out of my budget, and Zera’s collection this year wasn’t quite as soft and luxurious as it had been in the past. In addition, its color palette was slightly bland. john Lewis didn’t fit the bill either – the styles were too flattering and I found some of the clothes had pilled on the hangers, which doesn’t bode well. Finally, the brand that got me was Uniqlo. They offer a great selection of colors, the cashmere is soft and thick, the styles are simple and exactly what I was looking for, and best of all, it’s by far the most affordable option.

The one downside to the Uniqlo cashmere sweater is that the wash label recommends dry cleaning, which puts me off. However, I’m going to do a little experiment later to verify this. I also wondered how they managed to get such low prices – cold, sheared goats in China came to mind. But after a bit of research, I found a plausible explanation that put my mind at ease.

The Cashmere Review: the Polo Neck

I tried to simplify the photos as much as possible so you can focus on the sweaters themselves. My top pick is this polo neck sweater (what my American friends might call a turtleneck). For clarity, in the UK, a polo neck is a folded turtleneck, while a turtleneck is a single layer turtleneck. Hopefully this clears up any confusion!

Polo collars made of cashmere always ooze luxury, but it’s worth noting that cashmere is three times warmer than other types of wool, so it’s easy to overheat. I love the neckline of Zera’s polo collar – it’s loose enough to be comfortable to wear, but structured enough that it won’t be as prone to shape-shifting as a turtleneck, which can be trickier to style.

Choosing the color was the hardest part. I was torn between a rich cherry red, a warm mink, and a soft blush pink. The colors on the website don’t quite show what they really are – the red is a deep, vibrant cherry red and the mink is an elegant pinkish brown. In the end, I chose blush pink because it’s the trend color of the season and looks great with my gray and camel winter closet.

Cashmere review: alternatives to polo necks

Buying a cashmere sweater was a big decision, and as soon as I got home I started to wonder if I had made the right choice. For inspiration, I looked back at some of the timeless trends from the 2010s that I still love today, such as cozy, high-quality knitwear. If you’d like to revisit some of these classic styles, check out The 2010s Trends I Loved and Left Behind, a nostalgic yet practical fashion guide.

Crew neck pullover and scarf for a better look

Choosing a crew neck sweater with a scarf is a versatile alternative to the classic crew neck. It has the same cozy, sophisticated effect while being easy to layer, making it ideal for anyone who struggles to maintain a comfortable body temperature. While the colors I chose weren’t exactly what I expected (a common downside to online shopping), they’re still very pretty because they’re in the same shade. Interestingly, I later found out that Zera assigns numbers to their online color palettes, which can be very useful if you want to match your outfit more precisely.

At first glance, the scarf seems a little narrow, but it works surprisingly well together. I found it to be a much better fit than the oversized muslin cashmere shawl I initially envisioned. Those large shawls can sometimes feel unmanageable, like wearing a delicate Elizabethan scarf.

Cashmere Crew; Cashmere Scarf
Both of these pieces are timeless must-haves that will elevate any closet.

Cashmere sweater review: the classic v-neck

Of all the cashmere sweaters I own, the one I wear most often is the silver-gray V-neck. It’s perfect on its own during the transitional seasons, and when the weather turns cooler, I like to layer it over a shirt or blouse for a chic yet casual weekend look. However, finding the perfect v-neck shirt isn’t easy.

For a truly elegant casual look, you need:

• A fitted length
• A loose but demure silhouette
• The correct depth of the “V” in the neckline

Some fashionable women favor men’s cashmere sweaters because they elongate the body. However, I’ve found that men’s knitwear often has a neckline that is too high to achieve the desired slimming effect. To test this theory, I contacted Zera and asked them to help test the sizing. They kindly sent me two sweaters – one women’s large and one men’s small – for comparison. The results were as follows:

Women’s Cashmere V-Neck Sweater – Large
The neckline on this sweater is just right. If you prefer to leave it unlined then a deep V-neck will look stylish, but if paired with a shirt then this depth of neckline ensures that the shirt stays flat. The slightly fitted cut adds a feminine touch.

Men’s Cashmere V-Neck Shirt – Small
As expected, the neckline of this men’s sweater is designed to be worn with a shirt and tie and is less suitable for women. This sweater also has a looser fit and although the length is increased by 1 cm, the overall silhouette is less refined.

Verdict: I would recommend opting for the women’s version and choosing a large or extra large for a looser fit.

Is the Zera cashmere sweater washable?

One of the reasons I was hesitant to purchase a Zera cashmere sweater in the past was because the wash label suggested dry cleaning. However, after a bit of research, I found reports of successful hand or machine washing, albeit with few details. To find out, I decided to test the washability of the sweater Zera sent me.

I did the following:

• Turn the sweater inside out.
• Used 20 degree water temperature and 600 rpm on ultra gentle mode
• Wash with Woolite liquid detergent alone (no fabric softener)

Result:
The wool remained soft and the sweater shrunk only slightly in size. The most noticeable changes occurred in the ribbed neckline, cuffs and waistband, which became a little tighter. So while the Zera cashmere sweater can be machine washed with care, it’s worth noting that the wearing effect may change slightly.

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Fall Colors
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