Can You Wear a Sweater In Summer? Yes. Should You? Yes
When you think “summer style,” your most immediate thought is probably light, flowing fabrics. Maybe a linen or thin cotton blend. Something, anything, that will prevent you from becoming a damp pool of desperation as you seek out air conditioning during the season's inevitable heat wave.
You almost certainly wouldn’t think of knitted sweaters — I mean, "sweat" is in the name — but hey, everyone makes mistakes. The truth is, you really can wear knitwear as temperatures climb and, in fact, you should. Getting into my Bill Nye the Fabric Guy bag for a second here, knits are made by interlocking loose loops of yarn that allow for both stretch and breathability, two words that should absolutely be on your summer survival guide. And if you don't have a summer knit, you may not be looking hard enough.
Of course, when I say "sweater" or "knitwear," I'm not talking about insulating cotton fleece hoodies and chunky cardigans. I'm talking about loose and airflow-friendly knitted garments of all shapes and sizes.
And of all the brands that specialize in this sort of thing, I'm particularly partial to the small Spanish label babaà (and not just because I dream of being buried in one of their massive, perfectly chunky sweaters). Trust a Spaniard to know how to beat the heat and look good doing it: they offer a breezy selection of tank tops, sleeveless vests, and shorts that live up to their homegrown ethos, crafted from yarn that’s been grown, harvested and spun in the Southern Andalucía region. And, surely, there's nothing better for surviving summer than breathable, knitted, soft tanks and shorts.
Though my heart may be set on babaà, my eyes can’t help but stray to a few other options.
Certified friend of Highsnobiety Lauren Manoogian is a master of the multiseason sweater, with recent standouts including a loosely woven short-sleeve and a knitted T-shirt so fine that you can see through it. Yes, even T-shirts can be knitwear.
Don't pigeonhole cashmere, either — everyone assumes cashmere is a winter fabric, because it usually is. But cashmere is supremely breathable and in thinner weaves, it works well as a warm-weather option. Leave it to the experts to demonstrate: Extreme Cashmere’s conveniently named n°483 june and n°484 july v-neck sweaters signal exactly what months are suitable for wearing these styles, while Naadam’s Cabana Collection offers a Lightweight Cashmere Polo in a lightweight weave perfect for a breezy summer night that’ll silence the “cashmere is a winter knit” haters. Even AURALEE, which is good at everything, does its own variation on summertime cashmere.
Elder Statesman may be out of my tax bracket, splurgers set on shopping its wares have options. The summer collection’s Cashmina Sprinter Short, cut in a blend of cashmere and wool that sounds wintery until you see it, and the wool-silk-linen Lenny Knit Tee pair as perfectly as oysters and a cold martini. Sure, the $990 cashmere Beachball may be ridiculous, but you just know someone will buy it as a laugh while they sip a glass of Dom Pérignon on their new Ferrari boat.
It’s high time you start dreaming bigger than a survival fit of a ratty t-shirt and tiny shorts. There’s a whole world of possibilities out there; all you need to do is take the plunge and become the enlightened summer knitwearer you were meant to be.
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