Menswear Notes: Sweater Weather Has Arrived

Smart sweaters are in season …

Scandi-brand Arket is quietly becoming one of Dublin’s hottest spots to shop for menswear. The men’s department is packed to the rafters at lunchtime, shoppers queueing patiently. There are easygoing straight-cut corduroy trousers, classic merino and cashmere knitwear, casual jackets and double-faced wool coats – Arket has all the essentials covered for a seasonal wardrobe update at reasonable prices.

As the clouds (and curtains) draw in, a new knit will keep your style spirits up. Labels such as Sunspel, Uniqlo U and Joe Merino are refining old favourites: clean-cut crew-necks, breathable merino wool roll-necks and V-neck sweaters. The V-neck, once relegated to school uniforms and dad fits, is making a comeback: layer over a T-shirt or Oxford shirt. Preppy cardigans are key this winter: Arket and COS have office-appropriate versions in muted tones of charcoal, dark beige and olive. Textured knits are also having a moment. From wool and alpaca mix stripes at Octobre Editions (€135, above) and soft multicoloured mélange wool knits at APC, to next-level knits like Irish label Inis Meáin’s marl cashmere poloneck and Guest in Residence’s intarsia sweaters, a touch of pattern or texture elevates these knits. The bottom line is: this season’s sweaters don’t shout trend, they whisper it.