Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need long sweaters for leggings?

Not always, though longer is the classic move when leggings are standing in for pants. In Who What Wear (updated October 2020), Anna LaPlaca says the trick with long sweaters for leggings is a knit that hits about mid-thigh, because the leggings' body-hugging shape needs some length for balance. Meghan Blalock, also writing for Who What Wear (updated June 2020), calls leggings perfect for a giant sweater and says the chunkier and longer, the better. Here, the Striped Nude plus size style is cut as a cozy oversized knit with a ribbed hem, while the Comfy Fringe pink, the plaid pullover and the Nude Natural crewneck each name leggings in their own styling notes.

What sweater style is most flattering?

The one that steers the eye where you want it, and the neckline does most of that work. In PureWow (September 2023), Rachel Bowie interviewed Los Angeles wardrobe stylist Katie Collins, who suggests a V-neck sweater or boatneck to draw attention up to the shoulders, neck and face, a fitted silhouette, mock turtleneck or classic crewneck for a larger bust, and an off-the-shoulder or asymmetrical neckline for a smaller chest. Who What Wear's Emma Hargadon (updated August 2018) adds that a more fitted crew-neck is the most flattering version and suggests tucking a boxier one to show the waist. On this page, the two gray, the white and the light blue colorblock plus size styles all have v-necks, the lantern sleeve pair wears a mock neck, and Leyla plus the gray, camel and black plus size knits cover the bare-shoulder side.

What is the difference between a hoodie and a sweatshirt?

A hood, mostly. Wikipedia's sweatshirt entry defines a sweatshirt as a long-sleeved pullover shirt or jacket made of thick, usually cotton cloth, credits Alabama football player Benjamin Russell Jr. with the idea in 1920, and notes that a sweatshirt with a hood is now usually called a hoodie. Its hoodie entry traces the style to Champion in the 1930s, when it was marketed to laborers working in freezing temperatures in upstate New York, and mentions the drawstring that adjusts the hood opening. Of the hoodies for women on this page, the Glitter Print black style has a double-lined drawstring hood and the Letter Embroidery off-white style adds a zipper, while the Leather Print and TGC x Reaction styles are hoodless crewnecks.

Is an acrylic sweater as warm as a wool sweater?

Close when dry, and wool pulls ahead when wet. Wikipedia's acrylic fiber entry describes acrylic as lightweight, soft and warm with a wool-like feel, says it is often used for sweaters, and notes it is not as warm when wet as alternatives like wool; the same entry warns that some acrylic fabrics fuzz or pill easily. Wikipedia's clothing material entry explains that wool, with its lanolin oil, is not very absorbent and keeps its insulation well when wet, unlike cotton. Most of the plus size knits on this page are soft acrylic, and the Comfy Fringe pink is the one blended with wool, alongside acrylic and poly, for a little of both.

How do you wash a knit sweater without stretching it?

By hand in cool water, then flat to dry. The Art of Manliness guide by Brett and Kate McKay (updated May 2021) says to soak the sweater for ten minutes in cool water with about a teaspoon of mild detergent, rinse until the soap is gone, never wring it, and roll it in a towel before laying it flat on a dry towel to reshape. The McKays warn against hanging a wet sweater, because the weight of the water pulls the fabric down and stretches it. The labels here agree: Leyla and most of the plus size styles say hand wash cold and lay flat to dry, while the plaid pullover is machine washable and the Autumn Harmony colorblock takes a gentle cycle before drying flat.

How should an oversized sweater fit?

Big on purpose, with the rest of the outfit keeping it in check. In Marie Claire (January 2023), Emma Childs quotes stylist Heather Newberger, who says oversized styles almost exclusively lower their shoulder lines so they look deliberately large, and who uses a French tuck to give cozy oversized pieces some shape. The same piece suggests balancing top and bottom so they are in conversation, not competition, with straight-leg jeans, wide-leg pants or a fuller midi skirt. On this page, the Striped Nude plus size style is the knit described as oversized, in XL to 3XL, and its own styling notes point to jeans or skirts.

What colors go with a gray sweater?

Nearly all of them, because gray plays neutral. Who What Wear's Bianca Nieves (updated July 2020) calls gray the forgotten neutral that keeps ending up with black and white, then pairs it with red, yellow, pink, navy and green, including a neon pink knit toned down with gray jeans. In PureWow (September 2023), stylist Katie Collins recommends a neutral palette of black, gray, cream, navy or beige so pieces mix easily. For the gray side, pick the plus size v-necks or off-the-shoulder knits, or Brunch With Me in silver gray, then borrow the pink trick with the Comfy Fringe pink.

What should you look for in a women's sweatshirt?

Softness first, then fabric and weight. Bustle's guide by Andrea Hannah (updated April 2023) puts soft and comfortable at the top of the list, recommends 100% cotton, a cotton blend or one with spandex for stretch, and gives bonus points to a mid-weight style with a fleece layer that helps lock in heat. Hannah adds that polyester tends to offer less airflow, while rayon and cotton suit anyone who runs warm. The TGC x Reaction styles mix airlume combed and ring-spun cotton with poly fleece, and the Leather Print crewneck pairs a cotton-feel face with a brushed fleece interior and 3% elastane, in XS to 3XL.

Sweaters

First frosty morning of the season, and somebody is already asking where you got that. Good. Consider this the end of your women's clothing sweater hunt: soft knits, fleece that hugs back and a couple of hoods with opinions, all chosen so getting dressed in the cold feels like a flex instead of a punishment.

Family dinner, concert line, a Sunday table where your eyeliner could cut glass? Every plan on your calendar has a sweater here waiting for it. Pick by mood, grab your size and act casual when the compliments start.

Shoulders out, chill handled

Showing a little skin in knitwear season is a power move, and off-the-shoulder sweaters pull it off without leaving you cold. Leyla leads the pack with a cozy knit, long sleeves, ribbed athletic trim and a neckline that drops right off the shoulders, so your earrings finally get the attention they deserve.

Snow-day photos call for her as a white sweater, and the concert line wants her darker. Sizes run S to L. Need more room? The plus range repeats the bare-shoulder trick in gray, camel and a black sweater with athletic trim, all in XL to 3XL.

Pullovers with places to be

Some mornings deserve one pull and done, and our knitted pullovers start with a soft crew neck sweater in viscose and polyester that layers with jeans, leggings or pants. Call it the pullover sweater women reach for on work days, vacations and every lazy Sunday in between.

Craving pattern? Grab the plaid one, a knitted pullover sweater with an O-neck and criss-cross detail in khaki, black or sky blue. It is light enough to slide under a coat and machine washable when brunch gets messy.

Then comes the one built for photos. Brunch With Me is a round-neck knit with frilled ruffles and open-elbow cut-outs on long sleeves, in a soft viscose blend. Silver gray, black, off-white or ginger, sizes S and M. Wear it once and the table asks for the name.

Pink on the brain? Fringe swings from the sleeves of our pink sweater, a one-size O-neck blended from wool, acrylic and poly that feels as soft as it looks. For crisp autumn days, the Autumn Harmony ribbed colorblock mixes neutral and warm tones in its black colorway, sits at the hip with a relaxed fit and runs S to XL.

XL to 3XL and fully in charge

Curves deserve choices, so our plus size sweaters come as a whole lineup, each one sized XL to 3XL in soft knit with ribbed trim. V-neck fans get two gray styles, a white one with a timeless neckline and a light blue colorblock stripe.

Want drama at the wrists? The lantern sleeve pair adds a mock-neck collar, in black or as a brown sweater that makes every camel coat look smug. Into lines? Pick a striped sweater with a nude half-zip stand collar you wear open or zipped.

Then meet the beige and brown stripe in varying widths, a cozy oversized knit with a ribbed neckline, cuffs and hem. Anyone hunting oversized plus size sweaters can stop scrolling. Pair it with jeans or a skirt and practice your humble face.

Hoods up, standards higher

Hoodie season has a dress code now. Our glitter print style is a black hoodie that feels like cotton outside, hides brushed fleece inside and tops it all with a double-lined drawstring hood printed on both sides, sized XS to 3XL. Its relaxed shape makes it an oversized sweatshirt with room to layer and enough sparkle for the movie line.

Zipper people, this one is yours. Letter embroidery and a blue plush inner color turn this white hoodie into the oversized zip up hoodie your weekend errands keep begging for, in S to L. Cute and comfy is the whole pitch, and nobody turns down a cute hooded sweatshirt that zips.

Ever notice how many zip up hoodies look like a race-day giveaway? This one reads as a streetwear sweatshirt with a soft inside and a sharp outside. Add it to your short list of sweatshirts for women with zipper fronts, right beside the oversized hoodies that survive every closet purge. Two sweatshirt hoodies, zero boring days and one comfy hoodie habit you will not be breaking.

Weekends written in pencil

No fixed plans? Grab a sweatshirt. The leather print style is a blue crewneck sweatshirt with a bold faux-leather-print design, a brushed fleece interior and a relaxed fit in XS to 3XL, ready for jeans, leggings or lounge pants. Anyone collecting stylish sweatshirts for women should start right here.

Five crewnecks, five moods: the TGC x Reaction styles come in black, navy blue, light blue, orange and a pink sweatshirt for anyone whose favorite color is a personality trait. Ribbing trims the neck and wrists, the shoulders drop, the raw hem stops short, and the fabric mixes ring-spun cotton with poly fleece, from S to L. The black one is soft, comfortable and relaxed for all-day wear, the comfort sweatshirt for those marathon days.

Building the rest of the look? Browse every top for women, show some midriff with our crop tops, find a fresh pair of pants to go underneath, or explore the full curvy edit.