As a fervent knitter, Gabriela Tilevitz has, as she said, “a lifelong relationship with sweaters.”
Those who has worn Mrs. Tilevitz, a 33-year-old sex therapist in New York City, are woolly, thick and extremely extra big characteristics that are shared by many sweaters that she recently noticed with a growing number of women, she said.
Most styles swallow torsos and hide each view of the waist. Some are so exaggerated that their shoulder seams touch halfway through the biceps. They have silhouettes that may have been considered sloppy, but are now increasingly considered fashionable.
Often made from natural fibers such as alpaca, cashmere, mohair and other wool, these body-obscuring sweaters have been embraced by brands of all sizes and price points: from chains such as H&M and COS to a number of independent labels. Among them are Cordera, a Spanish brand that is known for its downy mohair -melanges; Oound, who sells pieces made in Uruguay; And Lauren Manoogian, a label in New York that offers sweaters in various warm neutrals.
Some bustling brands, such as Navygrey, & Daughter and Babaà, who offer most of his wavy sweaters in one size that says it fits different body types, have made the look popular with a serious presence on social media. And not all specialized in Woolens: Aliya Wanek, a designer in the Bay Area, makes the knits of her namesake with a heavy (and less itching) cotton.
Many of the sweaters are made with the help of insorous wool – which, just like the animals it comes, vary in color from warm ecru to dark brown – and some remind us of maritime or rural woolen, styles that are historically associated with men’s clothing. Their generous proportions call from sweaters on that Phoebe Philo designed for Celine during her almost decade as creative director of the label, which still influences the way in which women dress herself after her tenure ended in 2017 ended.
Mrs. Tilevitz, the sex therapist, said that a certain trust can be obtained by wearing generous sweaters. “There is a sexiness that women can feel internally when they wear something with which they can disappear from someone else,” she said, comparing the clothing with a security blanket.
At a time when women in America have lost rights of their physical autonomy, sweaters that “the body hides” can also serve as a kind of armor, said Kat Henning, 37, a senior shoe designer at Tory Burch in New York. “You feel a bit attacked and you are designed in a beautiful knit that you completely covered, not available as a sex object, makes women feel better,” said Mrs. Henning, whose knits of Lauren Manoogian and Wool Hide, a brand, A brand in Philadelphia.
Kelsey Keith, 40, a creative director in Berkeley, California, who bought Figure-Shrouding-Stijlen from & Daughter and the French brand Le Tricoteur, described their attraction in this way: “It’s about dressing on your own conditions. The male gaze is not even a consideration. “
To keep track of the demand for large sweaters, the Old Stone Trade website has recently raised its inventory of styles made in places known for traditional knitted clothing, such as Vermont and the Aran Island of Ireland, said Melissa Ventosa Martin , the founder of the site.
“The feedback I get is:” I feel so cozy and safe and warm, “she said.” I think women are shopping for their own comfort and safety. “
The broader interest in large, extensive sweaters is encouraging for Zoe Latta, a founder of the Eckhaus Latta brand, who has offered them for years. “Leaving these priorities of your hip, waist and bus measurement as a symbol of how attractive you are is liberating,” she said.
Anna Wallack, a founder of Misha & Puff, a brand with locations in Brooklyn and NewburyPort, Massachusetts, said that her label was usually sold out of his oversized sweaters this year – and noticed that spacious styles have a lasting attraction.
“It is one of those things you can wear and feel good about wherever you are on your journey with your body,” she said. “A huge sweater is a bit of a ‘f you’ atmosphere, which I find incredibly sexy.”
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