All season long, I’ve been hung up on the idea of the perfect oversized grey sweater. I’ve seen them pop up all over Pinterest, and every time I see one, a wave of “need” comes over me. Cozy, comfortable, and stylish? Yes, please.
Nesh is an athleisure-focused label; instead of competing with the technical, super-athletic set of fitness brands, they channel a more easy-going, luxe vibe. This past season, they debuted a new cashmere capsule, including their lush ribbed neshneck sweater. I first spotted this little number by Nesh NYC via Bandier and fell in love.
Textured knit? Check. Oversized? Check. Perfect shade of soft grey? Check. Beautiful, effortless drape? Check. I had found the Pinterest-perfect sweater!
I almost bought it when Bandier was having a 15% off deal, but still got trigger shy over the price. My patience paid off when Nesh’s Black Friday deal popped up: half off! For that price, I just had to give it a shot.
(If you’re wondering: yes, this is the sweater I was wearing in my catstronaut pics.)
And man, I am sooo glad I did. This sweater instantly earned itself a privileged status in my wardrobe.
I purchased the sweater in XS. Since it’s an oversized fit, there’s of course a lot of wiggle room in sizing. I wouldn’t want go any bigger than this size, though. Since I’m both petite and small overall, I was worried this would swallow me up, but I think the oversized look worked really well.
A big part of why this silhouette works so nicely is the drape. The fabric always seems to hang just right. I’ve found that when it comes to oversized silhouettes, fabric and construction really make the difference between sloppy and chic.
I love the ribbed knit that Nesh used to create this piece. For my ideal oversized sweater, I didn’t want a flat knit, since I think that can easily make the look turn a bit too sack-like. The ribbing adds just enough texture. Overall, I think they’ve done a great job of pulling off an understated yet undeniably luxe style.
The sweater is fairly lightweight and not super-thick. If you hold your hand behind it, you can see the vague outline of your fingers through the knit. Some brighter colors can also show through a little bit. That said, it was warmer when worn than I expected. I’m a very cold natured person, but I did not need to wear a cardigan on top like I usually do. Even though the fabric isn’t all that bulky, I found it to be a surprisingly good insulator. While it may not be as warm as a heavy-duty, ultra-thick knit wool sweater, it’s certainly warmer than sweaters of a comparable weight.
By the way, another reason I like to wear a tank underneath: the dolman cut of the sleeves means raising your arms up might expose some of your belly. (The sweater did shed a bit on my black tank, though, so watch out for that.)
So far, my go-to combination with this is a pair of black skinnies and boots of pretty much any height. Something about this combo just makes me feel stylish. It’s one of those pieces you can just throw on and it always looks good. I also love that I can throw it on during the weekend just to chill at home. I just can’t get down with high-maintenance, uncomfortable fashion pieces, so this sweater is really the best of both worlds. I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of this for years to come.
Of course, the major downside of the sweater is the price tag: $320. To be totally honest, I haven’t had enough experience buying cashmere to really be able to comment intelligently on the quality of the fabric relative to the price. What I do know is that even half-decent cashmere is NOT cheap, no matter how you slice it. From that perspective, I don’t find the price all that outlandish. Still, it’s a fair amount of money to spend on one piece if that’s not something in your usual budget. Of course, I’m delighted that I got such a good deal on mine! For those who are willing and able to front the cash, I think it’s a great buy.
Oooh that is SO nice! That price is daunting though!
Yeah, I know. :(
I am in love with your new sweater. I wish that coupon was still on. The price is a little more than I want to drop right now. Does your sweater have any pilling? I find some cashmere sweaters have pilling at the armpits or on the arms at friction points.
The more I look at this sweater the more I think I may break down and purchase it. Could you please give me input on pilling?
Hey Angela, I’ve only worn it a handful of times, so I can’t really say for sure how it’ll do over the long haul. So far I don’t notice any pilling spots from the few weeks I’ve had it. Most sweaters do seem to pill eventually, but hopefully it will be later (or not at all) rather than sooner! Hope that helps a little.
Thank you for the info, I really appreciate your wonderful reviews. I have bought some cashmere sweaters in the past that pilled almost right away so this is very helpful for me to make a decision. Have a Merry Christmas!
Love this!! Price tag too steep for me right now but I totally agree cashmere is a great investment and a good classic to return to every year. I will have to keep the eye on this sweater in the warmer months to see if it drops. Good find AA!
Yes, especially because most wool is itchy on me, it means I have to shell out the $$ for cashmere. D: The worst.