The Coziest of Sweaters—The Shawl Collar Cardigan

Years ago, I became obsessed with the shawl collar cardigan after seeing 007 wear one in Quantum of Solace (and to a lesser degree, in Casino Royale). The crisp white shirt, black shawl cardigan over plain white tee with stone chinos and those killer aviators—all Tom Ford—struck a chord deep within me. I even wrote about it in my formative blogging years before beginning this site.

Shawl cardigans aren’t terribly difficult to find, and they weren’t at the time either, but I searched in vain for one that was a close-enough simulacrum of the Tom Ford one Craig wears above.

Of course what made the Tom Ford cardigan worn by Daniel Craig in the film special isn’t only due to its specific fabric and design details. It’s a fitted-but-not-tight, medium weight ribbed cardigan in black; but of course it’s the style 007 exudes in everything he does. He’s fit, muscular, is in Montenegro on a private boat, and posed in just such a way that he looks awesome.

My search revealed that they tend to fall into two categories: Oversized and comfy, or more fitted but with smaller, slimmer details. The former can be found at places like Colhay’s, O’Connell’s, Drake’s, The Armoury, and from makers like William Lockie sold at No Man Walks Alone. The cashmere ones at Drake’s or O’Connell’s are like the ultimate old-man luxury sweater. Beefy, warm, soft, plush, just about everything you want to be wearing when it’s cold out and your crumbling British manor is too drafty for the creaking HVAC to keep up (or, you know, if you keep the thermostat low to save on your energy bill). The latter is what you’ll find at more mainstream places like J.Crew and Banana Republic.

I bought more than one cardigan on my journey before settling on two that were dirt cheap, are made of pill-tastic wool/synthetic blends, but which are warm, soft enough, and stylish; they’re from Abercrombie & Fitch, made a few years ago. They fall more into the cozy, comfortable category, though I sized them so they weren’t too oversized. I settled here because what shawl cardigans really do best is act as a replacement for an outer layer—whether that be a sportcoat, or light to mid weight jacket—and so it should have character and make you warm. It’s most closely associated with lounging by the fireside, so a big, floppy shawl feels right.

I’m glad to say that finally, the cozy, comfy, well-made shawl collar cardigan has filtered down to the Internet brands that make the clothes you want to wear at the prices you can afford. Below are three makers who won’t do you wrong if you don’t want to spend $500+, but also are disappointed by the typical offerings in that price range:

1- Spier & Mackay. Spier’s owner Rick says he sought after the best, anti-pilling merino wool he could and purposefully made the shawl collar giant, floppy and chunky. The price, $198, seems high if you compare it to the mall brands Spier & Mackay more closely price matches with much of the rest of their goods, but is an outstanding deal if they really are as good as the higher end makers like William Lockie, whom he’s competing with in style and quality. Reviews from those who have bought them are so far very good (maybe size down one if you want it a little more fitted, and they’ll stretch to feel comfy). They now have pure cashmere models for much less money than you’d find them from other makers.

2- Kent Wang. Long-time purveyor of stylish basics in a direct to consumer model, Kent Wang’s shawl cardigans have been around for a little while. His have flecks of color reminiscent of donegal wool, giving them additional visual interest in close quarters. Despite being made in Canada, they cost only $195, and he’ll even do one made-to-order if you want a color that he doesn’t stock for only $30 more than the price of the off-the-rack options.

3- eHaberdasher. My first full canvas suit was from eHaberdasher, so I’m a fan of their house brand already. The shawl collar cardigans have been a mainstay for several years, and they’re more pricey than the first two options at $395, but they’re made in Scotland of camel hair, so the provenance and fiber quality explains that jump. They come in tan, bottle green and charcoal—plus one in a denim blue color that’s only made-to-order. The price is the same for all of them.

4- Polo Ralph Lauren—The iconic brand. Instead of the more traditional rib knit, they tend more towards cable knits for the extra preppy look. I have owned one like that in the past (see pic below), and prefer the rib knits. But the cable knit is undoubtedly a classic in its own right.

This article was originally published Oct. 2021.

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