The stark white or cream cricket/tennis sweater is hyper prep with an ounce of snoot to boot. It’s just tough to be taken seriously in one. Walk down the street and you risk hearing shouts of: “Thurston? THURSTON HOWELL?”
Cable knit with a multi striped collar, usually made of beefy wool or spongy cotton. The rich used to run around in these things swatting at balls of different types, and usually these things are priced for rich… ball swatters.(?)
Anyway, Brooks Brothers, a brand who you’d certainly expect to produce these, has a few options that ratchet the snob down. A little:
- There’s the full priced, grey heather Lambswool vest for $108 (seen above and below left)
- An on-sale, navy with red stripes pima cotton vest for $44.75 (below right)
- And then the darker, blue with grey, lambswool sweater, on sale for a decent $59. (below center)
Can the cricket sweater every be pulled off? Maybe if the colors are darker and the stripes are subtle? Or is the whole damn look of one of these completely outdated and just not worth the risk?
$108, $59, and $44.75. For the record: No, maybe, and no.
It’s a sweater and a smart looking one at that. Who cares if it was associated with snobs or not. There’s a snob for everything these days anyway. Just wear what you like.
If I had guns like Joe’s (pause?), I’d be sporting a sleeveless vest with regularity. Also scratching the opposite shoulder vigorously.
Aw, he’s a tyke.
If only other sports were as well outfitted…
absolutely…classic apparel.
Wouldn’t be my go-to piece but I’d definitely wear one every now & then. I’ve never bought one only because the ones I’ve tried on were just too big & baggy in the sides. I know you can have it block-knitted, but I just didn’t want to bother with it.
The long-sleeved dark version, yeah, I’d wear it. Probably wouldn’t be my favorite, but it could be in the rotation. I’d have to draw the line at vests or a white version.
I would wear the long sleeve version. Actually, I almost bought a similar sweater in white/light beige a few months ago, but it was too big for me.
Am I that weird? I think it looks terrific.
I have a cream colored cricket vest and get a lot of complements on it. Inicdentally, I checked out the sweater above last time I was at Brook Bros. and it looks even better in person. The only reason I didn’t buy it is because I already have a navy cricket sweater (with white striping), but if it goes on sale I may still buy it. As for the snootiness, I would rather be thought of as snooty than a slob or a hipster.
Definitely, really like the long sleeve.
The long sleeve sweater is VERY sharp. I’d wear that in a hummingbird’s heartbeat. Even the vests are nice, though I wouldn’t wear them since I have a tremendous aversion to sweater vests.
I’m the same as you, Joe… no, maybe, and no. Sweater vests don’t do it for me, no matter what sport they’re supposedly associated with. A v-neck with some striped details, however, is pretty tame and perfectly wearable.
It’s already on sale. Probably not going to get much lower.
The Fifth Doctor wore one. Consider me in.
No. I’m an adult, but I’m not an old man. Nor am I Rick Santorum, thank god.
No to all of the above. Snobbery or not, they just don’t appeal to me.
Rich ball swatters!
I think no on all three for me.
Hell yes.
I’ve actually been looking for a place that has these. Thanks for the links!
Most definitely (at least for vests). Who doesn’t like the classic prep-school look, though would wait until the prices dropped on the under $50. At least for me, it’s hard to justify spending that type of cash on something that I can only wear on occasionally on the short winter weekends.
Definitely the middle one. Not big on sweater vests, but otherwise it seems like a pretty simple, classic sweater.
The long sleeved one is sharp. Liking that. Sleeveless, no thanks.
As far as the full sweater goes…I’d wear it in a heartbeat.
In England, outside the city, sure.
i have a Tommy Hilfiger one
Of course. Simple yet well stated.
I purchased the middle sweater on sale two months ago. The fabric is weighty and substantial, and I can’t wait until wintertime to bust it out of my sweater drawer. A very classic look, with subtle yet refined colors. I’m not really a vest guy, but an older gentlemen would certainly look good in them. I’m in my twenties, and it’s a little out-of-place for me.
The middle sweater….yes! In a well-fitting style, of course.