Cream Knit Season

A white or cream sweater makes every darker piece around it look richer. Put one with brown trousers, dark jeans or a black skirt and the whole outfit looks lighter and more expensive.

Ivory and cream are softer than bright white, so they work on more skin tones and feel cozy in cold weather. Bright white looks crisp under a navy or black coat.

I split the edit into two groups: easy crew and V neck pullovers first, then turtlenecks, high necks and half zips for colder days.

These are the sweaters you will reach for the most. The relaxed V necks look great tucked loosely into jeans, the collared V neck adds a little preppy feel, and the cashmere crews feel soft enough to wear right against your skin.

If you want texture, the cable crew neck and the chunky ribbed pullovers look cozy without being bulky.

My fitting room test: hold it up to a window. A good cream knit should not be see through, so you can wear it without a cami. What I would skip: very fuzzy yarns that pill fast at the elbows.

When it gets colder, a white neck sweater looks clean under a coat and keeps you warm. The slim cashmere and cotton turtlenecks layer well under blazers, and the pointelle high neck feels delicate and pretty with a skirt.

The half zips and the cropped cable turtleneck are the more casual picks for weekends with wide jeans and sneakers.

What I check: the neck. It should fold down without sagging or feeling tight. What I would skip: thick turtlenecks if you plan to wear a lot of necklaces or a scarf.

Wash it by hand or on a gentle cycle in cold water, lay it flat to dry and store it folded, never on a hanger.

I wear mine with chocolate brown trousers, a camel coat and gold jewelry, or with dark jeans and black loafers.