Vol. 1, No. 2: Let's All Live a Cozy Life
The wonderful world of cashmere is just what you deserve...
No matter where you are in the United States, the fall temperatures have fallen. (And I looked up the current US weather temperature map on the weather channel site to confirm.) These past few days in NYC actually felt more like winter. It has been brutally brick outside, where the air has been super crisp and has made me want to retreat inside and curl up on the couch with my pup, Maya. Instead, I have had to get out in the cold concrete jungle, pounding the pavement, and make the rounds to a plethora of fashion events before the holidays begin. What’s gotten me through the week is being bundled up in an array of the finest cashmere the market has ever seen. And it all got me thinking about my wanting and longing to be cozy (or “cosy” for my British friends) all day long. Because why not? We all work incredibly hard and are met with life’s daily challenges so we should be able to delight ourselves and reward our skin with soft textures and cozy pieces.
Growing up, my sensitive southern skin could not handle cashmere or wool. Even today some wool textures are still too itchy to handle (mostly mohair). But since I’ve been living in NYC, it’s almost like my skin literally became thicker and can now handle it. Or maybe the cashmere options have just gotten better? Which brings me to today’s newsletter on a comprehensive guide to the world of cashmere. We are living in peak times for the world of cozy cashmere. Just in general, more is more; and it seems like in today’s times, people are jumping on the bandwagon to try their hand (literally) in producing some of the most luxurious pieces in the market.
Cashmere, the delicious fiber from goats, reaches back to the 19th century when it was first used for shawls and now we’ve seen so many iterations from sweaters, pants, robes, socks, and many more items. Its ability to regulate the body in both cold and warm temperatures, doesn’t just limit its use to being a material restricted for certain seasons (I personally love a summer cashmere!). When it comes to my go-tos in the world of cashmere there are a few brands I personally love and I think do cashmere very well. In no particular order, I’ve been obsessed with brands like Extreme Cashmere, Soft Goat, Khaite, COS, & Daughter, and Comme Si. Each being brands I’ve found myself constantly going back to. But there’s so many more brands where you can get your cashmere fix.
Here’s some shapes in the cashmere world that I heavily lean on to get me through this time of year…
Cardigans are the best for layering when you're going through a range of temperatures. Khaite’s Scarlet cardigan was made famous a few years ago when seen on Katie Holmes and Rihanna. It’s certainly one of the brand’s most recognizable pieces and has become a core for the brand. What’s great about the Jenni Kayne style is the absolute coziness of it all. It truly is like walking around in a cocoon. And several times throughout today’s post you’ll see me talk about Extreme Cashmere because I am indeed a stan of this brand. Everything is worth it.
The cashmere polo is probably one of my favorite shapes for this time of year (next to turtlenecks). And sadly I don’t think I own enough. The Alex Mill Alice style has been my ultimate favorite for the past few seasons. It’s the softest cashmere composed of a tight gauge, but has the perfect weight to it to not be super thin or extremely chunky. A new brand to the market is Tricot and while I haven’t tried the brand just yet (awaiting the arrival of a polo), I’ve been stalking their Instagram and have fallen in love with what I’ve seen. I want so many pieces, but will start with one. They make sustainable unisex shapes, which is great because I do think it’s nice to have a universal look. (Extreme Cashmere is also unisex too!). I came across People’s Republic of Cashmere, which is a brand out of Copenhagen that’s been around for over 10 years. The quality of the cashmere is top notch, focusing on timeless classic shapes in a great selection of colors.
Two things I love — the color cream and a crewneck. While a crewneck can (and should) be any color, it’s something special about a winter white (or cream) like the ones here. Quince has been slowly becoming a leading brand offering good quality cashmere at an affordable price. I’m not mad at it. But I think Vince has been overlooked in the cashmere market for quite some time. Not sure what the reason is, but let’s change that! This particular crewneck in particular is the softest of its kind and many of the cashmere pieces I’ve owned from Vince offer very minimal pilling. Another semi newcomer in the cashmere world, Guest In Residence, is truly like a brand – if you know, you know. Everytime I visit this appointment, I’m amazed to see the attention to detail and the high quality level each piece offers. Forgive me for reducing GIR to this simple color, because the color palette they produce from season to season is truly a dream. And it’s worth a mention here about this particular shape for Extreme Cashmere because the level of warmness is at an all time high. I also love the neckline for this particular crewneck because it’s superb!
My middle school self would be shocked to know that I would grow up to love a turtleneck. Perhaps it’s just that life’s experiences bring on growth and wisdom, or just living in NYC pushed me to enter into a different era of my life. Regardless, I love a turtleneck! And a cashmere one is the pinnacle. Last year I was given one by Extreme Cashmere and since then, this sweater has truly been my most favorite sweater yet. There’s clearly something to naming a brand “extreme” because it lives up to its name in every sense of the word. It is extremely warm, extremely cozy, and extremely chic. If you’ve noticed the small selection of threads on the edge of the sleeve for any of the pieces, no that is not a mistake, that signifies the colors that are produced that season for that shape. How clever?! And adds a nice touch. I could go on and on, but it brings me to my next favorite brand for the season - Soft Goat. Another brand I was thankful to be introduced through gifting; the Stockholm based brand offers a range of high quality cashmere pieces in a beautiful color palette. Their Girlfriend sweater here is the perfect sweater for every part of life. It’s made with a lower gauge to give the look of heavier and thicker texture. Now COS as a brand is an old faithful when it comes to fellow peers in the industry. I think collectively we all have agreed that the brand does a supreme job in churning out good quality items, but their cashmere takes it to another level.
I’ve always described myself as a t-shirt and jeans kind of gal. But obviously this time of year doesn’t lend to being able to just be in a single layer of a cotton tee (unless you’re somewhere in the Caribbean – in which I am jealous). So here’s a thought – a cashmere tee is so much nicer. I remember when I met Alejandra of Frances de Lourdes years ago (pre-pandemic), and I was blown away by her brand. Frances de Lourdes has always represented that type of quiet luxury we talk about, but I’d rather not be quiet about it. The brand has stayed true to their core offering amazing quality basics that you’ll never want to take off. The t-shirts are just absolutely stellar and I challenge you to try a few! In one of &Daughter’s collections earlier this year, they released these amazing cashmere t-shirts in the best colors, that go perfectly underneath one of those cardigans I mentioned above. I’ve enjoyed wearing mine this season because, while they’re on the thin side compared to other sweaters offered by the brand, it’s an insanely genius piece to own because they still keep you warm.
I imagine this post could have several iterations because the world of the cashmere is quite endless. (*how could I ever forget to include Uniqlo, who’s cashmere is always reliable.) However good cashmere at “affordable” and “justifiable” prices is really the conversation. This edit of extra bits (because more is more) are from brands that I love and find interesting. From the socks by Comme Si and Lafayette148 – each very, very different, but necessary. Calle Del Mar is known for their crochet, but semi recently added cashmere into the mix and it’s so soft and plush. This robe by Olivia von Halle is a true dream. She’s known for her beautiful use of silk and makes the best pajamas and robes with fun prints and colors. But the cashmere robe is just extra special. Lisa Yang has made it her signature with the use of brushed cashmere and it’s great to see cashmere have a different texture. It’s also incredibly warm.
Life’s too short to not give yourself the best. You deserve it! Until next time, stay cozy!
xo Kia
P.S - Today’s post turned out to be way longer than I ever would have anticipated and I don’t imagine posts in the future to be this long, but I hope you will have found it helpful and service-y. Let me know what your favorite cashmere brands are! Can’t wait to hear what you like.
Oooo I want to get a polo so bad and maybe I’m sold on Alex mill now. Guest in residence has been on my list too. Shameless plug but I wore the staud tee and cardigans all last week and I’m hooked
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