PUT ON A SWEATER

If mid-January isn’t sweater weather in much of the Northern Hemisphere, you’re probably not getting any this year. And at this point in the season, there are few people of any gender who aren’t getting plenty of wear from a favorite fuzzy topper. But sweaters weren’t always a beloved wardrobe piece, especially for women.
Knitted garments are nothing new: archaeologists have found them in Ancient Egyptian tombs. But the first real, recognizable sweaters date from the fifteenth century, in the English Channel islands of Guernsey and Jersey. Initially, fishermen’s wives knitted thick wool sweaters to keep their men warm while they worked.
It’s no surprise the garments, which looked a lot like the Irish Aran sweaters we see to this day, gradually spread though the cool parts of Europe: they’re practical and very, very warm. Also no surprise that people started calling them “Guernseys,” or “Jerseys.” Even now, “jersey” is still a British term for sweater, though “jumper” is more common.
From fishermen, it was a short jump to sailors, and Lord Nelson made the Guernsey standard equipment in the British Navy in the early 19th century. From the navy, they spread to the rowing sculls and the sports fields, as favored warm-up gear. When they arrived in the States, they got a new name, referring to their use: sweaters.
All these sweaters, of course, are big, heavy, masculine affairs of thick wool.
Women started borrowing them in the late 19th century, just as they borrowed other male sports gear, and for a while, women only wore sweaters for outdoor activities requiring serious warmth. Adorable Victorian prints show women in heavy sweaters with coordinating hats and scarves ice-skating or throwing snowballs.
Women didn’t really start making the sweater their own until the turn of the 20th century and beyond. The first couture sweater was made by Lanvin in 1926, but Coco Chanel is far better known for making them a key part of her clean, modern style.
By the 1930s, the “twin set” we all know and love was invented. The combination of short-sleeve or sleeveless shell and cardigan was an almost instant classic. Simple, comfortable, and versatile, it was a look that went with just about anything. Better, it could be made in expensive cashmere, serviceable cotton, or something in between, so it was within reach for many, if not most, women.
During World War II, more women made their own sweaters because of wartime rationing, and they often needed them to stay warm! After the war, though, ladies’ sweaters blossomed with the prosperity, and girly femininity of the time. This was the era of beads and bows and sequins. If your grandmother was kind enough to leave hers to you, treat them well and save them forever – they are quite literally priceless now.
Sweaters went through Pop Art and bohemian phases in the 1960s and 1970s, and the less said about 1980s neon the better…but they were very definitely here to stay. Whether it’s the classic cashmere twinset (your own or Grandma’s!) or the fuzzy house sweater that got you through the lockdown, everybody has their favorite. And some of us are even skilled enough to knit our own – or lucky enough to have a loved one who does.
And I’m wearing my favorite one right now!

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