I have been coveting J.Crew’s Shawl collar cardigan in heather graphite since it was released. I did not pull the trigger on it at first because of the $148.00 price tag. Few others seem to have any qualms with the price though because it sold out quickly!

I was not happy but I consoled myself by thinking I could replace it with the Alpaca shawl-collar cardigan . This back up fell through though when I saw the Alpaca cardigan had a horrible zipper on it. Who wants a zipper on a cardigan?? And I read Molly’s Alpaca review, on her blog 40 is the new black (can you say itchy!)

I was over joyed when I saw that the Wool cashmere Shawl-collar cardigan was being re-stocked on the website. I snatched one up in 2 seconds flat and I am so glad I did! The cardigan fits true to size. It is more fitted than I expected, which I love. The arms and shoulders are fitted and the sweater is cut straight through the waist, hitting at the hip. It is quite flattering buttoned, not at all boxy. Since it is fitted, if you want a cardigan that you can throw on without having to fuss with sorting out your long sleeves underneath, you may want to size up. The collar on this sweater is wonderful. It is soft and cozy and because it sits up a bit, it keeps my neck nice and warm when my hair is in a bun.

Most of the time I find myself having to choose between warmth and cute, but with this cardigan I get both. The material on the Shawl-collar cardigan is 90% wool 10% cashmere. It is quite soft (although not as soft as 100% cashmere of course)and not at all itchy. It has been 50-55 degrees here this week and this sweater keeps me cozy with just a tee underneath. The fuzzy texture of the wool yarn may cause a little pilling. I notice one or two fuzz balls on the inside of the arms after wearing the cardi for several hours. I’m usually very unforgiving about fabric pill but since this sweater is not a smooth knit and I haven’t seen any fuzzies any where else on the cardigan, I’m willing to hit it with a sweater trimmer occasionally without bitterness.

Retail Description: Soft, lofty and warm—with a lot of style. Midweight wool/cashmere in a 5-gauge knit. Rib trim at neck, cuffs and hem. Long sleeves. Chest pocket. Hits at hip. Import. Dry clean. Catalog/jcrew.com only.
See this item at JCrew.com

Sizing: TTS, fitted
Overall: ****