The Best Sweaters Are…$1500?

The grift of The Row, and wondering how I can justify buying anything new

A beloved vintage fair isle sweater I found on eBay for $52.

Recently, I’ve come to realize that in this new phase of ‘dressing for myself,’ much of what I reach for in my wardrobe is actually old. Of course, 'old' can mean something different for everyone, especially in a world where we're constantly buying new things. To quote one article I saw recently on how to shop Black Friday sales (yes already) “your closet isn’t going to fill itself.” Sigh.

When I dissected why, I’m reaching for my EMS puffy coat from 15 years ago or the men’s L.L. Bean fisherman sweater I’ve had since 2016, it came down to two things, comfort and quality (of course I like how they look too).

It’s no secret that stuff is actually worse now, and no matter how much we spend, mass production and cheaper materials have made it incredibly difficult to buy well-made products.

We buy, buy, buy, and we’ve been tricked — for far longer than the last decade — into believing that buying more stuff, new stuff is the way. By swapping out slightly used items so frequently, we’re barely pausing to consider if the replacement items are an upgrade, or if we even have the option to repair what we already have.

As

Alicia Kennedy

wrote recently in her must read essay on the intersection of fashion and food:

Fancy sweaters aren’t fancy because the workers are treated well, but because they signify wealth and knowledge of what signifies wealth.

I keep getting sticker shock when I see style round-ups sharing sweaters with a price tag over $1000. One would think at such a cost, you’d at the very least know what you’re getting for that price. You would think a garment made ethically and sustainably, a brand that pays workers a living wage, and that takes extra care to reduce their environmental impact wherever possible, in product, materials and manufacturing. In one instance, a quick search pointed me to Good on You’s rating of The Row (the Olsen twins brand, a favorite among celebrities and fashion elite). The Row’s rating is “very poor.”

There is no evidence it has taken meaningful action to reduce or eliminate hazardous chemicals. There is no evidence it reduces its carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain. There is no evidence it minimizes textile waste.

Its labour rating is 'very poor'. There is no evidence it ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain.

This fall, The Row got funding from several billionaires, including brothers who own Chanel and an heiress to the L’Oreal empire. It’s unclear the amount of the investment, but the funding round is “set to value The Row at $1 billion.” And listen I’m not trying to single out The Row here, but it’s hard to appreciate the cost of their clothes when there’s seemingly no evidence to justify it in the first place.

If I knew spending several hundred dollars on a sweater guaranteed that the people making them were paid a livable wage, maybe it would seem a little less offensive. And trust me The Row is not alone, of the 15 popular high fashion brands I researched to see if I could find anything about their labor and environmental practices and policies, none of them revealed a single thing. Spending more for a garment that’s better quality and made ethically makes sense. But more often than not, the high price is just another way companies trick us into thinking that’s the case.

Ultimately, I’m finding it hard to justify buying any new clothing (with the exception of undergarments). Obviously I’m speaking for myself here, but as I’ve made it through almost an entire year of “buying nothing new” I’m realizing just how little satisfaction it brings me to buy new things. I struggle with the reality that of the absurd number of garments produced annually, “an estimated 15 to 45 billion garments are never actually sold.” The fashion industry has a major overproduction problem, and it’s quite literally destroying the planet.

On the other hand, it is deeply rewarding (and fun) finding something thrifted or vintage. And to dig out those older pieces from my wardrobe that I can now appreciate for their quality and comfort, regardless of how recently I got them or the brand name on the label. Speaking of The Row, you can find their sweaters second-hand for under $200 on sites like The Real Real.

I’ve been on a real treasure hunt as of late (inspired by one of my favorite newsletter writers

Erika Veurink

), curating a long list of vintage Nordic and Icelandic sweaters to share with all of you because they’re just so fun. Many of them are hand knit with 100% wool (and under $100). If you’re afraid of wool being itchy, it’s all about the layers. I live in cotton turtlenecks or mock neck shirts all winter long.

There’s a trending fair isle cardigan by the brand Doen this season for $400, and then there’s at least 20 similar vintage styles for around $50-$100. I’ll let you be the judge.

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Vintage Fair Isle Nordic and Icelandic Sweaters