How to Get Snuggled

It's COLD! Seriously cold, which doesn't happen all that often around here. We've got ice & freezing temps. So in honor of the cold weather, a few words on sweaters. This post is actually one for the fellas...

Guys, do you want people to pet you? Casually stroke your arm as they speak to you, hug you more frequently than is strictly necessary, perhaps rub a cheek against your shoulder as you stand in line to buy movie tickets? Wear cashmere. For those of you uninitiated to the Wonders of Cashmere, let me assure you that it's worth it. Once you go cashmere, you never go back.

My dad used to always buy snuggly clothes for my mom. All my life, Mom would open her presents from Dad to find something soft -- velvet robes, flannel jammies, fluffy sweaters. He'd say, "Oh, your mom likes all that soft stuff." Then one day I noticed Dad hugging Mom while she was wearing one of her snuggly things, running his hands over her back. That's when it dawned on me -- it's not so much that Mom liked the soft things, it's that Dad liked them. The next Christmas I got him a cashmere sweater, which he loved.

Cashmere is warm without being heavy, is not itchy, looks luxurious & rich... and did I mention the petting? And this is the time of year to shop for it, because there are lots of great sales. (The sweater photos are all links, by the way.)

I happen to love argyle. This one is especially un-dorky.

This is a little more Fashion-Boy than some. The cut of this is quite European (which means close to the body), so do take that into consideration. If that v-neck is too deep for you, there's no reason you couldn't throw a t-shirt under it. And the color is fantastic. I love seeing men in color.

Cable knit is another of my favorites. This gives a little extra interest through texture as opposed to pattern or color.

Classic v-neck. Just please don't stand like that.

Hard to tell from this photo, but this is waffle-knit like a thermal shirt, which is youthful and hip. Again, love the texture. Nice & slouchy -- if you have a girlfriend you're going to have to hide this from her.

The classic cardi. I know a lot of you look at cardigans and think "Mr. Rogers," but I love guys in cardis. What you need under this is a patterned shirt in a happenin' color scheme:

Too much? Okay, how about this:

Still too much? All right, I can even go for this:

The point is, if you wear a less-conservative shirt with your cardigan, you won't look like your high school science teacher. Add a loosely-knotted tie, some (clean, not filled with holes) jeans and good shoes (I'm thinking a nice brown lace-up -- NOT sneakers!) and you are good to go.

A couple of things:
1. No. You can't toss it into the washer. And before you moan & groan about what a pain in the ass that is, let me just say one thing: Grow Up. A well-dressed (or even just adequately-dressed) adult male needs to have a couple of things in his wardrobe that are going to require a little care. You can have cashmere dry-cleaned, although I honestly don't recommend it because the chemicals tend to ruin the finish. The best way to clean cashmere (which you won't actually have to do all that often if you wear a shirt or t-shirt under your sweater and let it air out after you wear it) is to fill your sink with warm (not hot) water & a little shampoo, swish it around a bit then let it soak, then take the thing into the shower with you to rinse it out. (Again, water not too hot.) Make sure you dry it flat and don't wring it -- squeeze it to get the water out. Here are some other tips on cashmere care.

2. Yes, cashmere is more expensive than a sweatshirt. Because it's better. And if you take care of it, it will last you for many years. A good cashmere sweater is an investment piece. But if you start trolling the department stores around this time of year, you should be able to find great deals. I've seen nice sweaters going for as little as 40 or 50 bucks during Presidents' Day sales.

So go. Get snuggled. I promise to snuggle you myself if I see you.