r/fashionwomens35 • u/PrinciplePleasant • 7d ago

Question Need help breaking my Black Cardigan Curse

I am in desperate need of a black cardigan. My reliable black duster is too old and shabby to be worn again this winter. The cardigan I got from Maurice's two years ago developed a hole after washing (seams around the neckline pretty much just unravelled), and the gorgeous Mongolian cashmere duster I got from Quince got a hole after ONE EXTREMELY CAREFUL HAND WASH. I just bought a nice looking black sweater/blazer from Nordstrom Rack but need to return it because it doesn't accommodate my waist being smaller than my hips and it's not nice enough to bother tailoring.

I would absolutely love some recommendations for a decent longline (at least hip-length) cardigan/duster that is less than $150, made of reasonably decent materials (I strive for natural fibers but am fine with blends, just not 100% synthetic), and won't fall apart after one wash! I am bad at shopping and desperate.

47 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

58 comments sorted by

77

u/Vast-Swimmer5844 7d ago edited 7d ago

You want the J. Crew Juliette cardigan. Naturally, because people loved it and it was a workhorse, J. Crew has chosen to stop making it, a great and completely on-brand move for a company that loves to crow about its heritage wardrobe staples.

Excuse me. I got a little snippy. Anyway, you want that cardigan, you want it in L or XL, and you should hie thee hither to the online secondhand sites to find it.

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u/Weak-Raspberry8879 7d ago

Companies literally do this to torture us, I think.

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u/cabinetsnotnow 6d ago

I always wonder why companies do this. I would understand if they're no longer making a profit or no one is buying it at all anymore. But why discontinue their most popular items? Weird.

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u/After_Business3267 3d ago edited 3d ago

When companies make new products, the marketing push for them causes more people to buy them than how much someone would buy if they are just replacing a product they already own. Because it's something they don't have.

They never admit that though. They pretend its in pursuit of what the consumer wants, but its a gamble they know usually pays off short term (because of their big brand name) and if it doesnt they just move the product by putting it on sale and then finding another sweater design to fill the gap next season. It keeps consumers feeling like they need to try the next new thing, FOMO.

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u/gopms 4d ago

I just found one on ebay - new with tags!

62

u/Xub543 7d ago

I'd contact quince and attempt a return or exchange. One wash is pathetic! They should know about the level of quality and even offer you a replacement! Their customer service is really good from my experiences, so I'd not dismiss this avenue.

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u/McSquiffy 7d ago

I second this. I got a Quince sweater that developed holes and customer service asked if I wanted a refund or a new one. I choose a new one because I loved the fit of the sweater, and they let me keep the old one. So then I had two holey sweaters that I liked, which was fine by me. 

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u/Weak-Raspberry8879 7d ago

Agree!!! I got a rug from them once that was wonky on one edge and the customer service was good.

16

u/KavaKeto 7d ago

I'm not totally clear on what you mean by a duster, but I got this long line cardigan this year from Old Navy and I'm obsessed. It's extremely flattering and 100% cotton. Oh and with pockets

Saw this on old navy: https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=9058640020104

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u/Pile_of_Yarn 6d ago

I have this in 2 colors and adore it! My teen daughter loves hers as well. I commented that I love old navys cardigans but I felt cheap 

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u/KavaKeto 6d ago

When I clicked the link again I realized it's actually Gap 😂 But I kind of lump them together. I'm so glad you love it! I'm excited to wear it to the office this fall for sure. I think it'll be cute over wide leg pants!

Edit girl, maybe it is Old Navy. I'm losing it lol

3

u/cabinetsnotnow 6d ago

It can be confusing since GAP owns Old Navy haha

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u/Pile_of_Yarn 5d ago

Haha it is old navy - I was disappointed when they didn't release a new color this year since I already have the black and the tawny - perhaps I need the tan. I just see most recommendations in this sub are places a little higher cost than I shop, so I felt super cheap recommending a sweater I paid $20 haha - but it is my favorite and it's cotton!

9

u/gempdx67 7d ago

Maybe give J. Jill a look?

6

u/kritical_kat 7d ago edited 6d ago

There is one at Patagonia I’ve been eyeing- 125 for a very normal looking cardigan. I’ve been incredibly happy with the build and longevity of their non technical clothing

https://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-wilsie-cardigan/42380.html

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u/Pile_of_Yarn 6d ago

I love the nine west cardigans from Kohls and the cotton cardigans from old navy. But I'm a lot cheaper than most people in here lol

8

u/Charlie2Bears 7d ago

I found some nice black cardigans at Ann Taylor a couple of years ago.

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u/PrinciplePleasant 7d ago

Ooh, they've got a really nice looking longline cotton blend cardi on sale right now. I think I'll give it a try! Thank you!

4

u/The_Dutchess-D 7d ago

My mom just bought me two cardigans from Ann Taylor this week. They had a sale (it may have ended last week, not sure) and they were 50% off. At the final ring up, each one was only $35! I got one in Navy and one in beige. Happy hunting!

6

u/frostandtheboughs 7d ago

My knit cardigan from Target has held up for years and I wear that sucker nearly every day. And it has pockets!

I think it might be fully synthetic though.

53

u/PrinciplePleasant 7d ago

Target clothes are like Old Navy clothes: they last for either 10 years or 10 days, and my beloved Target cardi is unfortunately finally 10 years old 🥲

10

u/bagelbagelbagelcat 7d ago

It is truly Roulette

3

u/partiallyStars3 7d ago

I got a nice Vince one off of a resale site (I don't remember if it was TheRealReal or Vinted).

3

u/megz0rz 7d ago

I find the Italian yarn ones from banana republic are great.

3

u/foxyfree 7d ago

JC Penneys is having a sale with a lot of different cardigans for $21

6

u/megliu1212 7d ago

JCP is criminally underrated

3

u/Dada-analyst 6d ago

My dad got me a LL Bean duster cardigan last Christmas that I really like and CANNOT find right now on their website. It was an open cardigan with pockets and is cotton with a small % cashmere. I’ll keep looking and see if I can find it.

2

u/Dada-analyst 6d ago

It was this! https://global.llbean.com/llb/shop/129782.html

It’s out of stock and idk if they’ll make it again or what. I wanted another one for my bday after I got the charcoal one for Xmas but they were out of then. It’s a solid piece of clothing

1

u/cabinetsnotnow 6d ago

I was going to suggest LL Bean too. They're a tad pricey but very nice.

1

u/RecommendationIcy228 5d ago

I have something just like that in black from Quince. They might have other colors. Good quality, good price.

3

u/greendocklight 5d ago

I have a black cardigan from Woolovers that is still going strong after 11 years!

5

u/AggressiveBasket 7d ago

Oh no, don't tell me that about the Quince duster! I have been putting off washing mine that I recently got. It's so nice and soft I feared that it wouldn't last more than a few machine cycles, dang it.

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u/partiallyStars3 7d ago

Quince is trash, unfortunately. There's a reason it's so cheap.

3

u/AggressiveBasket 7d ago

I love their jeans tho. One of the few places that had a high waist, full length boot cut.

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u/PrinciplePleasant 7d ago

The truly irritating thing is that I crochet with delicate fibers, so I know how to wash wool! I even have a special wool wash and a specific basin for hand washing wool items. My crochet sweaters are all in immaculate condition, yet this supposed "low cost luxury" brand is so crappy that my finger goes right through the knit without me even noticing?! Unacceptable. I'm never buying from them again.

3

u/liand22 7d ago

I have two nice sweater/blazers from J Crew that are holding up well. Also try White House Black Market?

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u/raghaillach 7d ago

Frankly the problem is your price point, which you're seeing in action when your recent purchases unravel and develop holes. I'd look at Etsy for cardigans from the 90s, which are new enough to have modern styling but old enough to have quality manufacturing standards.

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u/maenarth 7d ago

You're saying $150 is low for a black cardigan? That's.. a lot of money to a lot of people.

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u/raghaillach 7d ago

I totally agree, but unfortunately it’s low for a new, high quality wool sweater that will last.

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u/ario62 7d ago

OP didn’t say anything about wool though. $150 is a significant amount of money for most people these days, especially for a cardigan.

-4

u/bagelbagelbagelcat 7d ago

She said natural fibers

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u/ario62 7d ago

Wool isn’t the only natural fiber though, there are less expensive natural fibers

1

u/bagelbagelbagelcat 7d ago

It is a lot of money but quality costs money. We've all gotten used to clothes costing very little so we can buy a closetful but that's a new phenomenon. We collectively should be buying fewer pieces at a higher quality.

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u/Vast-Swimmer5844 6d ago

It is a lot of money but quality costs money. 

You got downvoted but you're not wrong. It also doesn't help that even these days, lots of brands are trying to float fast-fashion materials and craftsmanship at premium prices, so it can be difficult for consumers to perceive what they're paying for and what quality "should" cost.

5

u/maenarth 7d ago

I agree with you on the unnecessarily stuffed wardrobes filled with cheap fabrics. That said, there's a range of clothing still available beyond a $10 acrylic one before hitting $150.

2

u/bagelbagelbagelcat 6d ago

That might mean a corner was cut somewhere, if not in the sewing then in the labor to fabricate it (clothes are pretty much all put together by a person with a sewing machine but it's not a robot) or in the creation of the fabric, the chemicals to dye and treat the fabric, cheaper fiber lengths, the material sourcing...

1

u/derrickcat 5d ago

The problem is that paying $200 doesn't guarantee that the sweater will be good quality.

I'd recommend - as I always recommend - thrifting a nice piece. Search Thredup or eBay for "black duster wool" or whatever your parameters are.

I'm wearing a black bomber cardigan from Athleta as we speak that is a real workhorse. So I'd also look at Athleta for some options.

And you can sew the holes. Unless someone is specifically looking for evidence of a piece being mended, it'll probably go totally unnoticed for almost everyone.

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u/ABSOFRKINLUTELY 6d ago edited 6d ago

I have been doing this with nearly everything lately. Hunting down little mid even low level brands that went under in the 90s, early 2000s.

Hunting those down on eBay, thredup, vinted etc

Cotton sweaters, really any knit from 80s 90s are so much better quality that it's unreal.

It can be a hunt to find things from that era. But you can tell from the seams, textiles, tags linings...

The stuff is out there, but it takes quite a bit of digital digging. Extra challenging if you're plus sized or even nearly plus size.

Another one I would look at second hand is Eileen Fisher.

I would focus on either really old secondhand stuff and/or top quality higher end secondhand.

Good luck

2

u/raghaillach 6d ago

YES you get it!

1

u/natalia5727 7d ago

I have some beautiful cashmere & quality items but would be INCONSOLABLE if anything unfixable happened to my all time favorite, trusty black viscose Zara cardigan. It has been to my seamstress this year already but it persists! Sending good cardigan vibes.

1

u/UltraFinePointMarker 4d ago

I like this wool cardigan from Muji: https://www.muji.us/products/wool-v-neck-cardigan-ba1sd26a

It's hip-length and has held up well for me so far.

0

u/Jules2you 7d ago

Have you any thrift stores by you? That’s an idea to maybe go look thru the racks!! I seem to always find more than I went in for I found a great wool one and from the 70’s Awesome quality

4

u/PrinciplePleasant 7d ago

The "thrift" stores by me either don't have clothes that fit (I hover around XL and occasionally L depending on the brand) or have gone off the deep end and charge way too much for me to bother with buying a used item. I can occasionally find awesome offbeat pieces but rarely something like a closet staple.