The Garmentor - The Fashion Manual for Style-Minded Men

What’s extremely versatile, can be worn all year long, and will never go out of style? The solid V-neck sweater, of course! That’s why we’ve made it this week’s must-have garment.

As you know, this portion of the website is dedicated to items without which your wardrobe is incomplete. The solid V-neck sweater is one of those items, and if you don’t believe us, allow us this chance to explain why:

It is extremely versatile. Wear it with a pair of faded jeans for a laid-back, around-the-house look. With dark jeans and nice shoes, you’ve got an outfit you can wear to dinner. Want to wear it to work? Pull it over a collared shirt, throw on some khakis, and you’re ready to go. The V-neck sweater can be casual or dressy, whereas a crew-neck sweater can be more difficult to dress up.

It is great for all seasons. In the colder months, it will keep you warm all day, but it’s also great to take off the chill on a brisk spring or summer night. Go for a light material like cashmere or merino wool so that you will be able to layer your sweater with a variety of other garments.

You will wear it for years. The V-neck sweater is a classic and, as such, it does not change much from year to year. We recommend a solid neutral like black, grey, or camel. Why a solid and not a pattern? Because certain patterns go in and out of style. Why a neutral and not something more colorful? Again, colors go in and out of style, but neutrals like black and grey are always going to look great.

A Note on Color

If you’d like a bright, seasonal, or trendy color, we recommend spending less since you’ll also probably get fewer wears out of the sweater. An easy way to save money is by choosing a cotton, merino, or blend over cashmere, which is softer, but significantly more expensive.

We love J.Crew’s cotton-cashmere V-neck sweater for its combination of affordability and quality. As their website says, “you shouldn’t own just one.” We like it in heather camel and heather oatmeal, but if you’re more interested in a bright color, try deep pine, which will look great this spring. For any risk takers, royal violet is sure to make a bold statement. Just make sure you let it do all the talking by pairing it with dark jeans or black pants.

If you’ve got the money to spend, go for J.Crew’s V-neck in 100% cashmere. Cashmere wool is strong, light, extremely soft, and because it’s dry clean only, you’ll be able to wear it over and over again without fading or stretching. Any of the color options will look great, but we particularly like hazelnut and snow.

J.Crew gives you the option to monogram your sweater and we suggest you say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” Personalize your sheets, sure, but not your sweater.

As always, we wanted to give you guys more than a couple options, so we found some other great V-necks from around the Internets. And don’t forget: this garment isn’t optional. It’s a must-have. So grab that Christmas money and get shopping.