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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fashion Bomb 101: Cashmere

One of the things I look forward to most about fall is the chance to wear cashmere. It’s the perfect fabric: luxuriously soft, warm, and incredibly light. Here are some tips to help you find great cashmere and maintain it:

CASHMERE 101
WHY: Cashmere is an investment piece that lasts years (that's why it costs $150-$200 for a good sweater). The wool actually becomes softer with time, doesn’t wrinkle (great for travel), and is warm in winter, cool in spring. Also: all of the warmth and none of the bulk of a big sweater.

WHERE: Lots of off-price retailers, including Century 21, Loehmann’s, and Marshalls sell quality cashmere at a fraction of department store prices. Tip: Bloomingdales holds *the best* annual cashmere sale—expect stylish pieces at deep discounts, like this one from last year's sale:
HOW: The Stretch Test: As delicately as possible, pull and let go of the sides of the sweater. A well-knit sweater will resume its normal shape, while a poorly constructed one will not. The softer the cashmere feels, the better quality it is. 2-ply (twin layers) sweaters are considered premium.

DON'T FORGET: As one writer says, treat cashmere like your hair. Unless the care label says otherwise, hand wash it in warm water with a mild detergent (baby shampoo, Woolite, or Cashmere Wash), reshape it on a flat surface, and allow it to air dry.
Here are some fantastic cashmere finds for all wallets:

1. Old Navy Striped Cashmere Gloves, $20 2. Kashmere Red Buffalo Plaid Cashmere Scarf, $90 3, 4, 5. Missoni Cashmere Hats, $156 6. Hayden 2-ply Cashmere Tunic, $156 7. Robert Rodriguez Dolman Cardigan, $270
What other 101s (leather, makeup, vintage shopping) are you interested in getting? Leave feedback or e-mail thefashionbombintern@gmail.com!
Adriana
Photos courtesy of Squidoo, Supplierlit, and Style Phox.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great post Adriana!

Cashmere seems like a great investment... I'd be interested in vintage shoppping; like vintage jewelry and high-end bags

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this!! Can we have a denim 101? With all these kinds of jeans out here, sometimes I don't know what to buy...

Anonymous said...

PLEASSSSE have a leather shopping post!! I am desperately looking for a cute waist-length, reasonably priced leather jacket. Thanks in advance!! :)

Anonymous said...

all of the above, leather, vintage and makeup!!

Fashion Guru said...

great tips

Anonymous said...

After rinsing, you can also gently roll it up in a towel to squeeze the excess water out before laying it out to dry. Speeds up the drying process a bit.