I tend to wear sweaters year round, but I will acknowledge that wool sweaters are a treat reserved for specific months of the year. And while most wool sweaters are going to satisfy the job listing—keeping me warm—let’s get into a temptingly textured unsung hero: the Shetland sweater.
If you’re unfamiliar with the name, know that you’re still familiar with the work. Shetland sweaters are softer, shaggier, lighter and less stuffy than their lambswool and virgin wool counterparts. It’s the kind of sweater that melts into a wardrobe, as opposed to taking one over. The great thing about Shetland wool is that even though it’s lightweight and airy, it’s also super warm, which makes it an ideal fiber to wear pretty much anytime the weather decides to drop and become uncomfortably frigid.
Shetland sweaters were originally knit on the Scottish Islands of Shetland roughly 1,100 years ago, when Norse settlers brought some sheep along for the ride and started making some banger sweaters out of the wool. Those sheep ended up producing a very specific type of wool that has some unique properties, chief among them being their weight-to-warmth ratio. And because it doesn’t feel as cumbersome as others, it was a smash hit once it broke the confines of the island. Over a button-up, under a top coat, with a tweed blazer, in place of a sweatshirt… no matter the era, no matter the surrounding cast, the Shetland sweater looks great.
And what was once a sartorial delicacy is now both readily available and, relative to other types of wool, somewhat affordable. For instance, the standard-bearer of the genre is the J. Press Shaggy Dog, which has been on their shelves for 80 years and is made in Scotland by a centuries-old sweater-maker. Sure, it clocks in at a formidable $275, but is also expertly knit in Scotland with 100% Shetland wool, hand-brushed for a super soft feel out the gate and is destined to age beautifully—both stylistically and physically.
If you’re looking for something a little less pricey, Harley of Scotland has also been making sweaters in Scotland for four generations and currently has a lovely flecked option that’s well under $200 and will feel incredibly similar. Same goes for Jamieson’s lights-out iteration, which was knit and hand-linked on the eponymous islands and is flecked with some hypnotizing low-lights.
My personal favorite—and the one that’s been in my rotation for years—is the Howlin’ Birth of the Cool Sweater, which is a crewneck joint that’s also (you guessed it) made in Scotland by folks who’ve been doing it for years. The brand is a bit more irreverent than most options you’ll see in the legacy category. (Howlin’ once named an entire collection using David Bowie tracks, to give you some sense.)
Drake’s, on the other hand, offers 36 different colors of brushed Shetland sweaters and a whole variety of knit patterns, which makes finding one that suits you fairly straightforward. (Although, for my money you should stick to the classic colors. You’ll never regret a navy sweater but arguably the worst time to find out a canary yellow sweater isn’t for you is between the second and fourth time wearing it.) And finally, for anyone who likes to get a bit esoteric with things, the Japanese fabric savants over at Auralee are using a Shetland-Cashmere blend—both striped and solid—that are about as bonkers as they come.
Now, as someone who loves sweaters and hates limitations, I would never say you should buy just one sweater, but you better believe I’m going to be draped in a Shetland sweater all winter.
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