Billy Crystal Season
Did Billy Crystal wear the most influential cable knit in pop culture inWhen Harry Met Sally? Maybe an exaggeration but many people do try to recreate the feeling of this lush cream sweater. It’s crisp and classic. The problem? Most sweaters suck. Itchy around the neck, sleeves are too wide, cut is too boxy, fabric pills, the blends don’t breathe and are stifling and sweaty etc. This is my opinion but I feel confident in it because Amanda Mull at The Atlantic wrote a great piece on why the quality of sweaters has plummeted:Your Sweaters Are Garbage.
Obviously everyone wants to blame fast fashion (which is fair) but as Mull points out, even luxury brand sweaters are not what they once were because of cheaper fabrics and poor quality production. It’s all a race to the bottom now. Sure “cashmere” is cheaper, but why? Sweaters are “blended” but with what? This is why vintage resale from brands like J.Crew and Patagonia are so brisk – the quality used to be top notch. The 90s Gap sweaters were excellent.
Perusing the upscale mid-range brands like Alex Mill led me to this greatrollneck sweater. It’s a blend: nylon, wool and mohair. Yes it looks good, but how does it feel to the touch? And do I want to spend $300 to find out?
If you aren’t regularly checking the composition of pieces (don’t ever buy without clicking on this first!) it’s never too late to start. Look under the tabs - Details, Construction, Fabric – those are some of the names for that category. This will tell you what the fabric is made of and how to care for it.
And this isn’t to say blends are outright evil – sometimes fabric blends are great for allergies or wear and washing. But sweaters shouldn’t fall apart in a year or two and the quality should line up with the price tag. A $40 sweater simply can’t be good quality and there’s just no way around that.
I wrote about why it's so hard to buy a good sweater these days. What's currently available in stores really is much worse than what you could find a few decades ago.https://t.co/EpFo0S1rxJ
— Amanda Mull (@amandamull)October 10, 2023
Brie Larson Making Lasagna
Who wants to watch Brie Larson, who has an Oscar and isa Marvel superhero, making a lasagna? It’s buried all the way down inPEOPLE’s videosand there’s not even a social media post on it that I could find.
I received a request for the apron and I do love an apron, it makes me feel really competent even though I’m not. Quite sure this one is fromCrate & Barrel. Last year for Christmas I bought myself the striped apron with a custom monogram and it’s very extra and I regret nothing. (Thanks Lisa!)
Oh and if you like the all-white outfit she’s wearing here, it’s Mango – here’s theshirt. I couldn’t find the exact pants but there are a few linen (blend) options.
Ciara’s Bow Headband
A request came in for Ciara’s super cute hair band (she also has one in black) and my search came up with lots of really cute spa headbands (bows, bunny ears, polka dots) from the A-Z store. If you are trying to avoid contributing to Lauren Sanchez’s future divorce settlement fund, you can find lots on Etsy as well or check a beauty supply store, an H-Mart or a Daiso. Ciara’s skin care line OAM should sell these. (Thanks Lily!)
