I'm Simultaneously Cold and Sweaty So I Bought This Sweater

Never in my life have I ever worn a sweater two full days in a row without it being a laundry emergency, and yet I am on day four of wearing the Smartwool Shadow Pine Colorblock Sweater. I fell in love with it recently and, while I maybe already have one or two sweaters, decided to make this one mine as a present for surviving the heat waves this summer.

I wore it on the very first day it was below sixty degrees in the morning and was very impressed with the softness of the Merino wool, expecting the notoriously scratchy texture of your classic wool sweater (I have sensitive skin and don’t like a lot of clothing textures, but this one passed my comfort test). Merino wool is thinner and more breathable than other wool, too. Unlike cotton or synthetics, when you sweat in Merino, it transports sweat away from your body while also insulating. It also looks professional but not stuffy, too which makes me feel put together in Zoom meetings or while bopping around town.

Smartwool Shadow Pine Color Block Sweater

Buy at Amazon$95

A huge win for me, though, was that it resists odors. Not only did it keep me from pitting out, but it also stayed smelling and looking fresh after several years, making it good for travel and for me being too lazy to do laundry until necessary. When I wash it, I lay it flat to dry and it looks good as new.

Also, I’m personally trying to own fewer clothes as a minimalist thing (or maybe it’s that my closet and dresser can only hold so much). I was getting sick of having to “rebuy” clothes every year because they were wearing out, ripping, or fading. The sustainable, high-quality material of Smartwool products is a choice the company makes for creating a smaller carbon footprint, but it also means the clothes last longer in my repertoire. The company also promotes racial equity in its practices, which I appreciate as someone who doesn’t want to put money in the pockets of people who don’t align with my values.

I wonder how many days I can wear this same sweater before I need to wash it again. More likely, my kids will get sick of seeing me in the same old thing and will put their cute, grubby hands all over it. Either way, you’ll be seeing me in a bunch of Smartwool this year.

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