Ask Belle: Sweaters for the Office
Sep 15, 2015
Dear Belle,
My business casual office frowns upon employees who dress up too much for work. It’s hard because I came from the NYSE and wore a jacket every day for 10 years. My winter ‘uniform’ tends to be a pair of dress pants and a nice sweater (cashmere or not). Can you help me find some professional looking sweaters? I want something other than basics.
Best, DD
I love a great sweater, but so many winter knits are as boring as could be. Whether you choose a bold color, a cool shape, a dramatic neckline, or unique weaving pattern, selecting a sweater with a little something extra can give your outfit a punch of style. These kind of sweaters jazz up simple trousers, jeans or skirts and are perfect for a business casual environment or spicing up casual attire.
Neiman Marcus Cashmere Sweater ($185)
I posted this sweater once already, but I love the faux wrap. The fitted bottom keeps it from looking too blousy. Comes in four colors.
Free People Boho Wrap Sweater ($88)
I love the bottom of this sweater; it’s very unique. The neckline and the chunky knit are also nice. Also comes in burgundy.
Marina Rinaldi Plus-size Embellished Sweater ($112)
The geometric embellishment is really fun. For something in misses size, try this triangle embellished top in all black from Cynthia Vincent.
Ted Baker Peplum Sweater ($185)
I love a peplum sweater. If they hit you in the right place, they can give you the look of a smaller waist and some femininity. This berry-colored one from CeCe and this affordable v-neck one from Hadley also caught my eye.
Old Navy Cowl Neck Tunic ($33)
Old Navy has a gorgeous cowl sweater in several fall colors, also in plus-size. I love the relaxed shape and chunky knit of this Need Supply sweater and this textured shell pink sweater from ASOS is sublime.
Alice + Olivia Rosalind Sweater ($396)
The embellished collar is an interesting idea. With a fun updo, a pencil skirt, and a pair of t-strap heels, it could be really fun. For something more affordable, try this Oasis sweater in navy.
Thank you for showing a plus piece as part of a regular roundup! #itsthelittlethings
Growing up, we knitted our own sweaters, and there was a lot more variety to be found in patterns, shapes, and colors than there is today. You could find very sophisticated patterns: it might be worth revisiting-Vogue Knitting for example. And not in a “hipster” way, either.
I love knitting (scarves, hats, the occasional pair of gloves) but I can’t imagine knitting a sweater that actually fit and didn’t look ridiculously bulky. Do you have any tips on where to find a good tutorial, especially for the fit? I imagine that fine yarn and small needles would cut the bulk.
To mimic a store bought sweater you do need to use fingering weight yarn/small needles. Amy Hertzog wrote a book called Fit to Flatter and has a custom pattern software called Custom Fit (no affiliation)
How about knit blazers? Still casual + pockets!
I had the same problem. I went from a job where I wore suits and panty hose to a very casual office unless we’re meeting with customers. I often found that wearing a nice jean with heels or boots is a great transition to a more casual work style.
I love Ann Taylor (does that make me a DC stereotype) and there are some great sweaters including: https://www.anntaylor.com/mixed-stitch-sweater/383159?skuId=19513782&defaultColor=&colorExplode=false&catid=cata000011&priceSort=DESC and https://www.anntaylor.com/wrap-sweater/384816?skuId=19509235&defaultColor=&colorExplode=false&catid=cata000011&priceSort=DESC .