Saturday, October 08, 2016

The Perfect Cardigan

I've been on a quest lately for new cardigans.
There for awhile, I was rich in cardigans -- black, gray, tan.
But  lately, they've gotten misshapen and baggy.

Like this tan one, which has served me so well with its neutral color, going with anything I put on. 
When we traveled to France last year, I bought a warm black cardigan that stretched longer in the front, but unfortunately it has begun to unravel. The buttonholes on a thick gray cardigan  have stretched out so it will no long stay buttoned.
This week, I began my search for a perfect cardigan.
The two important features are buttons and pockets. What's the point of a cardigan if it won't close when I'm cold? That's why I need buttons.
The pockets are a necessity for my cellphone, of course.
And if I find a sweater that has buttons and pockets, then I decide if the material is acceptable. Cotton is my favorite material for sweaters. Sure, it can have some wool or some silk, but cotton is the best. A lot of times, wool sweaters are too hot for me.  And I don't want anything too bulky either.
Today after I finished teaching, I went to a place where I've been very lucky finding cardigans -- the Eddie Bauer outlet.
I found this burgundy sweater with a fashionable button on the left side, but no pockets.
Next, I went to a rack full of sweaters. I found black with fur trim, Aqua with a zipper front. Orange with buttons and no pockets.
Finally, I pulled out a long black and ivory cotton sweater with deep pockets. The only problem, no buttons.
If Eddie Bauer hadn't been having a fabulous sale, 30% off and then 50% off after that, I probably wouldn't have bought it. But, since it was on sale, I brought it home.
I'm not giving up on finding the perfect cardigan though -- at least before we move to France next year.

3 comments:

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Very pretty, I do love the plum color and Eddie Bauer is a favorite store of mine. Well, there and The Loft:)

Anonymous said...

Thought #1: If you are moving to France, where all the clothes are cool (not really, but pretty close), then why not wait until you get here? Plus, you'll fit in better with French clothes!
Thought #2: In answer to #1: Because I myself live in France yet buy 99% of my clothes in the U.S., where they cost about a quarter as much. My shopping choices are very different than when I lived in the U.S., and very different from my American relatives. It's possible to find those basics that will work on both sides of the Atlantic.
Thought #3: Have you seen the belted cardigans that are EXACTLY like the ones I had in high school in the lae '70s? They are everywhere. Pockets! No buttons, but the belt keeps it closed! And the knit is of the kind that isn't going to fall apart.

our life in france said...

Where I live in northern france I am struggling to find a cardigan, I am a larger than life girl so it is even harder, I am now searching for a knitting patterns so that I can knit my own. Good luck

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