WHY WE LOVE SWEATERS

Everyone gets chilly from time to time, whether the sun is shining, the leaves are falling, or the forecast calls for snow.
It doesn’t matter the time of year, there will be a day when you experience a chill run through your body, unexplained and unreasoned, but it will send a shiver up your spine. And that’s why we have sweaters.

Spring, fall and the dead of winter can bring on a chill, but even when the temperature dips in the summer months, it can happen, usually when you least expect it. A sweater is often a constant companion even in the throes of a heatwave; hey, some of those restaurants really crank up the AC.

When you get a chill, you need to get warm and fast. Moms and dads have been telling their children and loved ones for years, ‘put on a sweater if you’re cold.’ Well, it’s time for that sweater.

Sweaters can be found at the bottom of your clothes closet, rumpled and rolled into a ball, neatly tucked in a drawer or hanging in that long-forgotten downstairs storage room. Whatever kind of sweater you have, it will bring comfort on a cold day. It can be a bit baggy, frayed cuffs and the odd food stain, but guaranteed it will do its job. And that’s why we love sweaters. 

But sweaters today are more than the full-on wool unit your grandmother spent days or weeks or months knitting, you know, the one where your head doesn’t quite fit through the neckband. Not exactly comfortable, but it sure was warm.

Today you’re more likely to grab a Canadian hoodie, something warm, find a place to snuggle and create a heat dome for yourself. Canadian-made clothing knows how to combat the cold and is an expert at conquering the chill. 

A sweater, whether it’s a traditional look or a multitude of makes and styles, a Canadian hoodie or Canadian sweater, you need warmth, comfort, a hug on a cold day. That’s a sweater’s job; that’s how they find their place in your world.

Warmth, coziness and snuggles are where a sweater makes its bones. But there’s more to a sweater than that; sweaters can also make a fashion statement. Yes, a fashion statement, yes, a sweater.

Our Canadian-made crewnecks and hoodies are not your grandmother’s sweater, not that there was anything wrong with grandma’s work. These Canadian-made fashion statements provide the leading edge in style and, you guessed it, keep you warm.

Heck, our hoodies and crewnecks can find their way into any casual Friday lineup; these sweaters look good no matter what you’re wearing. Hoodies and sweatshirts were never really considered part of the fashionably conscious, but cutting edge is cutting edge, and they do their job.

Even more importantly, they provide cover against the cold, the winter chill of restaurant air conditioning, sub-Arctic temperatures at the office or even your own home’s aggressive AC. Whatever you wear on the lower half, whether it’s dress slacks, skirt, tights, leggings or even a pair of shorts, a crew neck can always be dressed up with a nice collared shirt underneath. If that doesn’t say Friday casual nothing does.

Now, sweaters also provide a bit of cover for those of us who may, just may, have packed on a few added pounds, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Some prefer a form-fitting sweater, very fashionable, others like a bit of room to, you know, cover things up a bit. 

Here’s what’s really important, a sweater will never judge you, wouldn’t dream of it. So, if at Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas Eve spread, you throw on an oversized sweater and your stretchy pants, no one will be the wiser, only you and your sweater and your sweater isn't talking.

So if you want an extra helping of mashed potatoes and gravy, no problem. Pie for dessert? Don’t mind if I do? ‘Do you have any ice cream?’ And if you happen to get a drop or two on your much-loved sweater, no worries, all the better, actually. Oh, and a sweater will never hold you to your New Year’s resolution, probably can’t remember it anyways.

A sweater will never abandon you even when you, ahem, temporarily might misplace it in a drawer, corner of your closet, on the floor of your vehicle or hidden in couch pillows; a sweater is always, always there for you. And you will need it eventually. It will always provide warmth and comfort, and security. It will be there with you when you want to sit on that park bench in the middle of an icy wind storm because things may not be going your way and you just need time to yourself no matter the weather. A sweater will do that for you.

Your sweater can also provide that comfort for a friend; they like to spread their love around; it’s what sweaters do. If someone’s down, ‘here’s my sweater, put it on, it will make you feel better.’ And just like that, your friend will start to feel at home. Sweaters are magical.

If you think you own too many sweaters for whatever reason, you’re wrong; you simply can’t have enough. It’s doubtful you will ever look back on your life and say, ‘man, I owned too many sweaters,’ that’s simply not possible. Create extra space for your sweaters, wear them two at a time, who cares, loan them out, they will always return, maybe.

Remember, no two sweaters are the same; even if they look alike, they’re not. They’re unique to you. All sweaters fit differently, learn their shape from you, know when you’re feeling down and need a hug, provide warmth when there’s a chill in the air and understand when you just want to be you. Believe it or not, a sweater can do all that. A sweater just makes everything better.