Men's Style Holiday Gifts 2012: The Crew Neck Sweater

Stylish Holiday Gifts for Him - #9 of 10: The Crew Neck Sweater

With Christmas just a week away we decided to release our final two daily style gift ideas ahead of schedule. Earlier this morning we featured the Cardigan as the perfect gift. Right along with this clothing piece comes another sweater style, the Crew Neck, that we decided to feature as our 9th gift idea. Crew necks are truly timeless. They are a classic clothing piece adding warmth and style at the same time. Because it is such a versatile piece, we decided to feature it on our Top10 gift series. Here are all the things you need to know about shopping for the perfect men's crew neck sweater this Holiday season.

What to Look For
There are more than a few things you’ll want to be thinking about when shopping for a crew neck sweater, some of which often get overlooked. The three main things you should look for are: fabric, fit, and color. In terms of fabric, choose a natural material such as cashmere or merino wool. Both give warmth without adding extra bulk. Natural fabrics are more expensive than synthetics - a well-worth-it investment, when considering their comfort and warmth. When it comes to fit, think about his physique. The tightness of the collar, for example, must be taken into consideration if the person you’re shopping for has anything but a skinny neck. Fit is everything, also; some crew necks are "fitted" which are unflattering on men with a belly or stocky built. Last but not least think about color. Simple, solid colored crew-necks made from quality natural fabrics are best. Especially dark blues, grays, brownish earth-tones, charcoal, and black are most versatile.

Best Piece of 2012
With so many different pieces to choose from in 2012, it’s not exactly easy to come up with one piece that stands dramatically apart from the rest. Still, J.Crew's cashmere crew neck sweater is a perfect choice. It is simple, classic, versatile, and elegant. It also comes in four colors (black, charcoal, navy, and the red color shown on the top). Please keep in mind that this sweater has a fitted cut which is most flattering on men that don't have a belly. Maybe this could be the trick to get him to burn off the pounds he put on over the Holidays...

Crew Neck Sweater Style Tips
Crew neck sweaters are relatively easy to incorporate into ensembles, as they are typically inoffensive and don’t tend to stand out. A simple layer of a t-shirt underneath can be effective, and these sweaters look great when paired with khaki pants and dress shoes. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that crew neck sweaters can clash with pants when the color combinations are wrong. As a result, you’ll want to always be sure that the colors chosen do not clash; avoid those which are close in shade to one another, as clashing often occurs in such a scenario.

Other Style Gift Suggestions for Him:
Style Gift #8 of 10: The Cardigan Sweater
Style Gift #7 of 10: The Dress Wrist Watch

Your Cheap-Neckties.com Team