Styling the Fisherman’s Sweater
This year, I’m aiming to master wearing items that skilfully incorporate beige and brown, alongside my usual denim-centric approach. The cashmere fisherman’s sweater featured here, whilst white, leans closer to beige than what you’d call off-white. Its relaxed, perfectly balanced colour makes it incredibly versatile and a real workhorse in my wardrobe.
It’s difficult to convey in photos, but Boncoura’s fisherman sweater features a dense knit and is quite thick for a knitwear piece. This means I can comfortably wear just my underwear and the fisherman sweater when temperatures are around 10°C. In such conditions, I enjoy pairing it with beige trousers or Boncoura’s khaki chino trousers.
Once I start wearing beige trousers or chinos, my John Lobb shoes, which I wouldn’t pair with denim, come into their own. I own three pairs of John Lobb leather derbies and one pair of suede boots. One derby is the tobacco-coloured Barros, and the suede boot is the dark brown Rawry. The other two pairs of derbies are black, so I wear them with suits or slightly more formal creased trousers.
This time, I’ve paired the bottoms with John Lobb’s Barros and Rawry. Balance-wise, the Barros is just right, but the Rawry’s smart shape, combined with the suede toning down the shoe’s presence, also has an undeniable charm.
- The key to styling a fisherman’s sweater lies in wearing it comfortably at temperatures where it suffices on its own. In colder conditions requiring an outer layer, you must consider the sweater’s thickness and bulk, which makes styling slightly more challenging.
- Personally, when it’s too cold for just the fisherman’s sweater and I need to layer another outer garment, I often opt for an M65. This is largely because the M65’s armholes are wide enough that the fisherman’s sweater’s thick sleeves don’t restrict movement. I’d like to share some styles pairing the M65 with it when the opportunity arises.
Below are a few photos showing how it can be worn. I’m afraid I’m no model, so they may not be particularly helpful, but I trust you’ll get a sense of the style.
Wearing example.
Coordinating the entire outfit in beige tones creates an exceptionally refined look. I’ve paired slim-fit cotton trousers made from Visvim’s German corduroy – a fabric seeing frequent use this year – with John Lobb’s Barros shoes. Though I’m not wearing an overcoat, this ensemble is perfectly adequate down to around 10 degrees Celsius; it’s warm enough that I work up a light sweat when moving around.
I’m pairing them with Boncourra chinos. The colour and texture of Boncourra’s chinos are exquisite, making this combination the most wearable, if understated. The brown Jhon Lobb Barros shoes, matched to the trousers, provide just the right accent.
Boncoura’s chino trousers are sold ready-made without hem alterations, yet the length is just right. Even when crossing your legs, only a hint of sock shows through, never revealing any skin.
I’m pairing items from Boncoura’s upper and lower, and this creates the most cohesive style. The chino trousers are 32 inches, one size larger than my standard 30 inches, but they aren’t overly wide and create a clean silhouette.
I’ll try swapping the bottoms for John Lobb’s classic Chelsea boot, the Rawry in dark brown suede. The suede’s matte texture tones down the statement made by the footwear, lending a more refined feel.
The length of these chino trousers is just right, ensuring no skin shows even when crossing your legs. The beige, khaki, and matte dark brown colour palette exudes a sophisticated, grown-up feel. This aesthetic is a style I haven’t embraced before, but one I’d like to gradually incorporate going forward.
My usual size is 38, but as the Fisherman has a generous fit, I opted for a 36 and wear it slightly snug.
Details.
- Cashmere Fisherman Sweater: 100% Cashmere
- Shetland Fisherman Sweater: 100% Shetland Wool
- Single Raglan Sleeve
Both sweaters are luxuriously knitted with a dense stitch using generous amounts of wool.
Combinations.
- Cashmere fisherman sweater : Boncoura
- Shetland fisherman sweater : Boncoura
- Chino trousers : Boncoura
- 5-pocket cotton trousers : Visvim
- Hat (grey) : LEUCHTFEUE
- Sunglasses black : 999.9
- Sunglasses (Brown): Ray-Ban Wayfarer 90’s (BAUSCH+LAMB)
- Belt: Hender Scheme
- Shoes (Dark Brown Chelsea Suede Boots): John Lobb Rawry
- Shoes (Brown U-Tip): John Lobb Barros
Conclusion.
Though a much-loved item, I rarely found occasion to wear my fisherman’s sweater. However, a shift in my own approach to clothing has led to increased opportunities to wear it. While there are various reasons for this, I believe the most significant factor is a certain pragmatism: simply enjoying the garment at the temperature it suits best. (One might also call it choosing clothing appropriate to the temperature.)
Personally, I also seek a certain versatility in how I dress. This versatility means choosing garments suitable for a midwinter morning, daytime, or late night. However, attempting to select clothing that copes with environments where the temperature can vary by 5 degrees, or sometimes over 10 degrees, inevitably leads to dressing for the lowest temperature – the early morning chill.
Choosing clothes based on the lowest temperature means warm outerwear becomes fundamental. This approach to dressing is a staple of the autumn-winter season and is certainly not wrong.
However, this approach leaves little room for voluminous pieces like fisherman sweaters, which aren’t typically designed with outerwear in mind.
I purchased Boncoura’s fisherman sweater for its design and texture, but because my winter wardrobe philosophy centred on the versatility mentioned above, I didn’t wear it much after buying it.
This year, as a reaction to previously neglecting clothing due to environmental changes, I’ve developed a mindset to enjoy dressing a little more. Having taken some time away has shifted my perspective on clothing.
I now enjoy clothes with a different awareness – considering where and with whom I’ll meet when choosing outfits, and not solely basing selections on minimum or maximum temperatures, provided the clothing suits the environment.
This shift in mindset has meant my fisherman’s sweater, which had seen little wear, is now getting plenty of use.
At the core of Boncoura’s approach to clothing is a strong emphasis not just on the quality when new, but on nurturing the garment over time after purchase. This is evident not only in their denim but also in the fisherman’s sweater featured here. Personally, I take good care of items I’ve bought over the years, and I still regularly wear quite a few pieces purchased over 20 years ago.
The items Boncoura produces are splendid to wear now, but I also believe they will develop incredibly attractive ageing after about twenty years.
I hadn’t worn my fisherman’s sweater much for about five years after buying it, but due to a shift in my mindset, I’ve suddenly started wearing it more often. It’s inherently very robust and has been cherished by people for centuries (historically speaking, it has a longer history than denim). I expect there will be cycles where I wear it frequently and others where I take a break, but I believe it will provide enjoyment over an exceptionally long period.
Shop
The Boncoura Fisherman Sweater introduced this time are purchased at Post78.
Post78 is a shop that handles many high-quality, long-lasting items that the owner, who loves clothes, is particular about, and I often shop here. I also enjoy discussing fashion with the owner, who loves clothes, when I shop there.
“Post78” Global shipping is not supported. Come to the shop when you come to Japan.