sky turned snowflake
i am particular about hats and wear them well. i find many berets to be skimpy...too tight and bereft of the flow a proper amount of fabric gives. and this fabric is so airy and light...not a heavy insulating hat. but the alpaca is so fine that it weaves a wispy warmth about your locks... delicate and so soft! the nature motif is evident and so pleasing. i get a lot of compliments when i don this truly azure topper!
Very well made in Ireland; a classic!
This is a classic sweater in the button up cardigan style, made in Ireland by Carraig Donn, a highly regarded maker of Aran sweaters and other wool garments. It's highly versatile: It can be worn with a dress shirt and tie in all but formal business environments, yet it looks equally good with a black T-shirt and jeans. The sweater is 100% wool. As such, it has the best properties of wool, such as warmth and moisture-wicking. I find it ideal for use in the 35-55 degree Farenheit range, with no jacket on top of the sweater. (For lower temperatures, a jacket over it would work fine). Note that it does not have any man-made fibers such as acrylic or nylon; some makers make their sweaters with 10-20% of these fibers to lower costs, but they also can have the advantage of adding strength or helping a sweater keep its form. Bottom line: Very high quality, made with nothing but pure new wool -- but you do have to treat it nicely (dry cleaning is best, as is keeping it folded and away from moths!) The only (minor) negatives about this item are: Because it's 100% new wool, it is a bit itchy against exposed skin - but not a problem at all so long as you wear long sleeves underneath. Also, the buttoms are resin. Hardwood would make it a real classic, but also much more expensive and the resin buttons are almost indistinguishable from hardwood unless you examine them closely. All in all, a very nice item that you won't easily find unless you travel to Ireland. It's worth the price, as it will probably last 10 or 15 years if you take care of it.
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