These are most of my fall purchases to date, as I work my way through the checklist on preparing for the chill. Quick and dirty impressions Starting it off:
Uniqlo Selvedge: Regular Fit
I got these guys in regular fit, colour 69. They're quite good. They come out of the box smelling faintly of sulfur, but despite what customer service might tell you, they aren't unsanforized, nor are they unwashed. A dunk in the bathtub in warm water, then machine washing hot, then even machine drying did not take any colour out, nor did it shrink them at all. Uniqlo makes some fine denim, but their standard selvedge is washed. Do not size up.
The material its self is quite dense and sturdy, a hair above what you'd get from Levis, but actually suprisingly soft to the touch. I'm not sure how they managed it. Despite being called a regular fit, they're somewhere between a slim fit and a straight leg. I'd say they're a good option for a man that wants a slim fit, but has a very muscular lower body. Overall I quite like them, and I'd put them ever so slightly higher in quality than Levis. I've only owned them for a few months, so we'll see how they stand up over time. 50 dollars normal, on sale for 40 at the moment.
Uniqlo Sweaters: Extra Fine Merino
It's basically an extra soft longsleeve shirt to tell the truth. The colour is good, and quite vibrant. The material is quite stretchy, and I can actually see through it if I hold it up to the light. Very lightweight, very comfortable, but not really something to wear to get warm. A fashion sweater at its best in this respect.
The cut is very close to the body. Slim fitting, slightly short sleeves, and with a pretty good V on it. If I have one complaint, it's that the sleeves tend to turn a bit on the arm, but otherwise it's hard to ask for more from a 30 dollar sweater. Doesn't come in actual green, because the Japanese have as much trouble with Blue and Green as we used to with Red and Orange. On sale for 30, normally 40.
H&M Sweaters: Fine Merino
Basically the Uniqlo sweater only a bit coarser, a bit thicker, and a bit less stretchy. Feels more substantial, but still doesn't come anywhere close to qualifying as chunky. The colour isn't quite as nice as the Uniqlo sweaters either, though it's perfectly fine if you're looking for a more subdued style. 10 dollars cheaper, down to 17 dollars when they go on sale, so take a look.
H&M Doublebreasted Knit Cardigan
This is actually a fantastic pick for the money. Cotton, a little stretchy, very trim. Not quite chunky, not quite thin, and the grey melange option it is just the right shade. Very soft, somewhat warmer than expected, perfect for a casual top layer in the fall or an insulating layer on mild winter days. 40 dollars normally, 20 dollars on sale at the moment.
JCF Factory Lambswool Sweater
Certainly more substantial than the other two wool sweaters on my list. Not terribly itchy from my perspective, but I can be a bit insensitive to that sort of thing. Also a little baggier in the body than the other two sweaters reviewed, which seemed a little strange to me, but that's just how it came down. Comes in some very vibrant colors, so your options are somewhat limited if you prefer a subdued look. I got mine in pine, which is actually slightly more saturated in person. Definitely the best option of the sweaters I bought if you're looking for something to stay warm with. Not sure how it compares to the cheaper Uniqlo Lambswool, but I have a feeling it'll have the better of it. 30 dollars on sale right now, 60 normally.
Vintage Foxx Knapp Peacoat
Newer is not necessarily better. Purchased online from Champion Vintage, I'm quite pleased with it. Satin lined, 100% wool. Feels to be 32oz. Has the thicker, smoother material you tend to find in older coats compared to the newer melton. Pockets are good, with a stand-up collar rather than the more common convertible. If you come across one from this brand in your thrifting, I highly recommend one. Very trim compared to modern pea coats. I wonder if the current boxiness is similar to the spread of low armholes?
UPDATE: Claiborne V-neck Argyle Sweater (Cotton)
I got this from JCP today for five dollars after haggling a manager into letting me use two coupons on it at once. It's actually a fairly nice piece. Remarkably trim for something from JCP, a nice soft cotton that feels substantial. Still not chunky, but definitely has some weight to it. Comes in a collection of different colours, I found that the Blue/Grey/Black option looks the best. Very neat on the outside, but flipping it inside out reveals some not-fantastic construction. If you buy it, flip it inside out and tie off the IPs, then snip off what's left. Very comfortable for temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees, but it might not be the best choice in cold weather. Retails for 50 dollars which is way, way, way too much for it, but this is JCP, so if you play it smart you can get it for dirt cheap.
Uniqlo Selvedge: Regular Fit
I got these guys in regular fit, colour 69. They're quite good. They come out of the box smelling faintly of sulfur, but despite what customer service might tell you, they aren't unsanforized, nor are they unwashed. A dunk in the bathtub in warm water, then machine washing hot, then even machine drying did not take any colour out, nor did it shrink them at all. Uniqlo makes some fine denim, but their standard selvedge is washed. Do not size up.
The material its self is quite dense and sturdy, a hair above what you'd get from Levis, but actually suprisingly soft to the touch. I'm not sure how they managed it. Despite being called a regular fit, they're somewhere between a slim fit and a straight leg. I'd say they're a good option for a man that wants a slim fit, but has a very muscular lower body. Overall I quite like them, and I'd put them ever so slightly higher in quality than Levis. I've only owned them for a few months, so we'll see how they stand up over time. 50 dollars normal, on sale for 40 at the moment.
Uniqlo Sweaters: Extra Fine Merino
It's basically an extra soft longsleeve shirt to tell the truth. The colour is good, and quite vibrant. The material is quite stretchy, and I can actually see through it if I hold it up to the light. Very lightweight, very comfortable, but not really something to wear to get warm. A fashion sweater at its best in this respect.
The cut is very close to the body. Slim fitting, slightly short sleeves, and with a pretty good V on it. If I have one complaint, it's that the sleeves tend to turn a bit on the arm, but otherwise it's hard to ask for more from a 30 dollar sweater. Doesn't come in actual green, because the Japanese have as much trouble with Blue and Green as we used to with Red and Orange. On sale for 30, normally 40.
H&M Sweaters: Fine Merino
Basically the Uniqlo sweater only a bit coarser, a bit thicker, and a bit less stretchy. Feels more substantial, but still doesn't come anywhere close to qualifying as chunky. The colour isn't quite as nice as the Uniqlo sweaters either, though it's perfectly fine if you're looking for a more subdued style. 10 dollars cheaper, down to 17 dollars when they go on sale, so take a look.
H&M Doublebreasted Knit Cardigan
This is actually a fantastic pick for the money. Cotton, a little stretchy, very trim. Not quite chunky, not quite thin, and the grey melange option it is just the right shade. Very soft, somewhat warmer than expected, perfect for a casual top layer in the fall or an insulating layer on mild winter days. 40 dollars normally, 20 dollars on sale at the moment.
JCF Factory Lambswool Sweater
Certainly more substantial than the other two wool sweaters on my list. Not terribly itchy from my perspective, but I can be a bit insensitive to that sort of thing. Also a little baggier in the body than the other two sweaters reviewed, which seemed a little strange to me, but that's just how it came down. Comes in some very vibrant colors, so your options are somewhat limited if you prefer a subdued look. I got mine in pine, which is actually slightly more saturated in person. Definitely the best option of the sweaters I bought if you're looking for something to stay warm with. Not sure how it compares to the cheaper Uniqlo Lambswool, but I have a feeling it'll have the better of it. 30 dollars on sale right now, 60 normally.
Vintage Foxx Knapp Peacoat
Newer is not necessarily better. Purchased online from Champion Vintage, I'm quite pleased with it. Satin lined, 100% wool. Feels to be 32oz. Has the thicker, smoother material you tend to find in older coats compared to the newer melton. Pockets are good, with a stand-up collar rather than the more common convertible. If you come across one from this brand in your thrifting, I highly recommend one. Very trim compared to modern pea coats. I wonder if the current boxiness is similar to the spread of low armholes?
UPDATE: Claiborne V-neck Argyle Sweater (Cotton)
I got this from JCP today for five dollars after haggling a manager into letting me use two coupons on it at once. It's actually a fairly nice piece. Remarkably trim for something from JCP, a nice soft cotton that feels substantial. Still not chunky, but definitely has some weight to it. Comes in a collection of different colours, I found that the Blue/Grey/Black option looks the best. Very neat on the outside, but flipping it inside out reveals some not-fantastic construction. If you buy it, flip it inside out and tie off the IPs, then snip off what's left. Very comfortable for temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees, but it might not be the best choice in cold weather. Retails for 50 dollars which is way, way, way too much for it, but this is JCP, so if you play it smart you can get it for dirt cheap.
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