The Cricket Sweater
Words by, Igee Okafor
Photographed by, Maisie Coulbert | Retouched by, Gina Palermo
Like crew neck sweaters, The cricket sweater is a staple piece associated most with classic, preppy style. Think of movies like, "The Great Gatsby", "The Aviator", "The Wolf of Wallstreet", and "Man from U.N.C.L.E". If there is one thing that those movies have taught, it is the fact that the cricket sweater is indeed, an archetypal piece of clothing recognized by its degree of fineness, and quality.
With the intentions of showing off its features as stated above, I went for a more simplistic, and straightforward styling choice with the oxford shirt, chinos, loafers, and black banded wrist watch. Here's why:
1. Oxford Shirt
Typically, the cricket sweater works with any collared shirt depending on its design, and silhouette. Excluding my nepotism for white, and blue shirts, the decision of the white oxford shirt pairing happened as a result of not wanting to distract from, and/or overdress the cricket sweater. Besides, the white oxford shirt is versatile, and the easiest to work with in most cases if you're typically time conscious. Staying along the lines of placing the cricket sweater as the focus, I opted for an unbuttoned collar instead of a tie for a more casual look.
2. Chinos
One of the great things about wearing chinos, is that even though it was created to be a casual piece, it is able to translate into various elements of menswear. You can dress it down, you can dress it up. A well fitted chino makes for an accustomed preppy look. When choosing a pair to style the cricket sweater with, it is important that the chino of choice compliments the color palette on the cricket sweater.
3. Loafers
Everyone has a pair of shoes they label as their "comfort shoe". This is a shoe that you go to as a first choice with comfort as the priority. For me, they are loafers, and luckily enough, loafers are also a driving force in preppy menswear. For those who prefer other shoe choices, Brogue, and Boat shoes often work well.
I consider accessories a great way to finish any outfit. It just so happens, I made the choice of a black banded wrist watch to align with the classic look of the cricket sweater.
Cricket Sweater / Lands End . Shirt / J. Crew . Chinos / H&M . Loafers / Jay Butler . Wrist Watch / Shore Projects
Thank you for reading!