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Oversized Sweaters

Oversized sweaters, cardigans, and roomy knitwear for women and men from independent boutiques.

An oversized sweater drops the shoulder seam past the arm socket and cuts extra room through the chest, draping weight down the torso rather than clinging to the frame.

Cotton fleece, wool and mohair give these pieces weight in black, grey and navy. Roomy tops sit well over straight trousers or raw denim. Grunge, which began in Seattle in the eighties, made loose thrift store clothes popular by the middle of the nineties.

Represent, the streetwear label from Greater Manchester, cuts its Owners Club hoodies from heavy fleece with dropped shoulders. Undercover is the Tokyo label of Jun Takahashi, who sang in a Sex Pistols cover band. Due West in Toronto brings most of this wall, from Represent hoodies to cropped wool sweaters by COOR. WDLT117 in Toronto adds knitwear from Song for the Mute, UJOH, Undercover and MM6 Maison Margiela, and Utopia adds Chrome Hearts and Essentials.

Common questions

How should an oversized sweater fit on the body?
The shoulder seam rests past the natural shoulder line while the chest and sleeves fall loose without bunching. Length stays near the hip or covers the waistband so the proportions stay balanced over straight trousers.
What pants pair best with an oversized sweater?
Straight leg denim and tailored wool trousers give structure underneath the wide torso. Narrow shoes or heavy boots ground the wide hem.
Which materials hold the shape of an oversized sweater best?
Heavyweight cotton fleece keeps a structured barrel shape around the ribs. Spun wool and brushed mohair add loft and surface texture without collapsing flat.