Vintage Deals on eBay: Sweaters for the Fall! (Part 2)

I really appreciate the positive response to my posts on sourcing vintage deals on eBay! My first post was on [MiUSA shirts]( and the second was on [good value sweaters](https://www.reddit.com/r/frugalmalefashion/comments/1nfidou/vintage_deals_on_ebay_sweaters_for_the_fall_part_1/). See below for Part 2 of the sweater series. Before diving into the sweater picks, I’m excited to share that I’ve created a [new subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageMenswearDeals/) 100% focused on this kind of stuff! **New Sub:** r/VintageMenswearDeals If you’ve enjoyed these posts so far, please check out r/VintageMenswearDeals. I’ve never created or moderated a subreddit before, so this is all still very much a work in progress. But the current plan is to do something like the following: * **Cross-Posts** * Same as the roundups I’ll still be putting up on r/frugalmalefashion, but with additional links to curated lists of items on eBay that I thought looked pretty good. * My current goal is to put up one of these round-up posts every week or so, depending on interest level and how things go. * I’ve got tons of ideas for potential posts, but please do let me know if there’s anything you’d specifically like to see covered! * **Deep Dives** * Lots more info on some of the specific pieces that were covered in the round-up posts, including additional history, alternate options, and some of the more collectible/pricey versions of the item. * [Deep dives so far:](https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageMenswearDeals/) 1. Vintage Woolrich Shirts, 2. Rugby Shirts * More to come, with a plan to put up about one of these per week as well. * **Brand Overviews** * History & details for brands that provide good value when sourcing vintage. * I’ll be putting up one on these soon on LL Bean, I'm just waiting on some old LL Bean photo books to arrive first! * And expect posts in the future on brands like Eddie Bauer, Pendleton, Polo Ralph Lauren, Woolrich, Lands’ End, Brooks Brothers, defunct workwear brands, 70s mountaineering brands, and more. Suggestions welcome! * **Strategy & Advice** * I haven’t put up anything up in this category so far, but expect to see posts about how to best use eBay searches & filters, how to clean & store vintage clothing, how to shop in-person at thrift stores & vintage shops, etc. * **Questions & Answers** * Have a category you want to know more about? Got a question about a brand or an item? Make a recent purchase you want to share? Please create a post on the sub! * I’ll do my best to get the discussion started on the question being asked, but would love to see others chime in with additional thoughts. * I’m currently planning to leave post creation totally open to everyone, rather than doing weekly Q&A posts or anything like that.  Thanks again for all the interest. Now on to the sweaters! **Pick** \#**1: Shetland Sweaters** I didn’t own a ton of clothes growing up, and my closet was mostly hand me downs from my older brothers until I outgrew them. But at some point in late middle school my parents got me this green crewneck sweater from J.Crew. It had a fuzzy texture and a deep, rich color. And I wore it all the time. Sometimes as an outermost layer on those crisp fall days. Or as a warm insulating layer under a jacket in the winter. It was even nice enough to wear to family gatherings on holidays and the like. Unfortunately at some point in high school the sweater ended up getting mixed in with the regular laundry. After that hot wash and dry it was never the same again, and I probably gave it away in college after never wearing it much anymore. Such is life. https://preview.redd.it/9il79zzd55qf1.png?width=308&format=png&auto=webp&s=59e6b990728499734f2ceaf5229057089a8eb98e It was only until I started paying attention to clothing/menswear/fashion that I understood what I’d been wearing: a fuzzy Shetland-style sweater, which Derek Guy has aptly called [“The Most Versatile Sweater”](https://putthison.com/the-most-versatile-sweater/). https://preview.redd.it/nszpgqig55qf1.png?width=2094&format=png&auto=webp&s=bdd2d23cd3651326feb422943287b4447863f0c7 So what is a Shetland sweater? “True” Shetland sweaters are made with something like the following formula: 1. Wool from the Shetland breed of sheep, 2. Sheep raised in the Shetland Isles off the coast of Scotland, 3. Wool spun into yarn in Scotland, 4. Yarn knitted into a sweater in Scotland. But even sweaters that deviate from this formula are often called “Shetlands” or “Shetland-style”, as long as they have a similar look to the classic Scottish Shetland sweaters. Shetland sweaters are generally on the thinner side of what you might call “medium weight” for a sweater. Most are made from two strands of yarn plied together (2-ply), though you will sometimes see very thin 1-ply versions or thicker 4-ply versions. (Note: There’s actually a lot more to a sweater’s “heaviness” than just the ply of the yarn. Do some searching on yarn twist, knit tightness/looseness, and the various ways to measure the linear weight of yarn and you’ll start to realize how complicated clothing production can get…) Whatever the weight, Shetland wool has a lovely texture and takes color really well. They are definitely scratchier than sweaters made with the finer fibers of merino wool or cashmere, so many people prefer to wear a long sleeve tee or button-up shirt under them. Shetlands are often brushed as a finishing step, making them softer and giving them an even fuzzier/shaggier texture, such as in J Press’ classic [Shaggy Dogs](https://jpressonline.com/collections/shaggy-dog). They can come in a bunch of different styles (v-neck, cardigan, turtleneck, etc.), though the classic version is a very simple crewneck. https://preview.redd.it/50vasz1m55qf1.png?width=2112&format=png&auto=webp&s=37122e5103be28cf392753491406f47936e83f48 For more details, history, and styling advice, definitely check out that [Derek Guy post](https://putthison.com/the-most-versatile-sweater/) for an awesome overview, plus his additional coverage [here](https://www.putthison.com/a-basic-guide-to-useful-knitwear/), [here](https://www.putthison.com/its-on-sale-shetland-sweaters/), and [here](https://putthison.com/shetland-sweaters-for-fall-there-was-some/). Permanent Style has an excellent two part deep dive on Shetlands [here](https://www.permanentstyle.com/2021/12/the-guide-to-shetland-sweaters-part-one.html) & [here](https://www.permanentstyle.com/2021/12/the-guide-to-shetland-sweaters-part-one.html). Bruce Boyer wrote about Shetlands for Drake’s [here](https://us.drakes.com/blogs/news/bruce-boyer-drakes-brushed-shetland-crewneck-jumper). There are also some good Reddit threads you can search for, including on [MaleFashionAdvice](https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/search/?q=shetland) & [NavyBlazer](https://www.reddit.com/r/NavyBlazer/search/?q=shetland). (I was hoping there was a 300+ page Styleforum thread on Shetlands like they have for [“Cashmere Sweater Hierarchy”,](https://www.styleforum.net/threads/cashmere-sweater-hierarchy.218492/) but alas the Shetland discussion on StyleForum is a bit more spread out…) **Now For Some Bad News** True Scottish Shetland sweaters have become quite expensive. O’Connell’s shetlands are [$225](https://oconnellsclothing.com/oconnells-essentials/shetland-sweaters.html). J Press’ Shaggy Dogs are [$275](https://jpressonline.com/collections/shaggy-dog). The ones from Drake’s are [$345](https://us.drakes.com/collections/shetland-jumpers). Howlin’s Birth of the Cool is [over $200](https://morrison.be/collections/birth-of-the-cool-1). Etc, etc. There used to be a few sources to be able to buy sweaters directly from Scotland for a delivered price to the US of $120-140 or so (e.g. [Harley/Bosie](https://bosie.co/collections/mens-shetland-lambswool-sweaters-and-cardigans), [Jamieson’s](https://www.jamiesonsknitwear.co.uk), & [Genuine Scottish Knits](https://www.genuinescottishknits.com)). But shipping costs, tariffs, and the end of de minimus have messed that all up. Delivered prices are definitely higher now, if they’re even willing to ship to you at all. Saying that, you can still find some deals on NWT Shetland sweaters for $100-120 in spring & summer if you’re willing to be patient and not be as picky on color. I’d specifically recommend looking for Jamieson’s, Harley/Bosie, & Howlin’ on clearance, or really any NWT auctions/deals on eBay for the larger set of quality brands. Harley/Bosie & Howlin’ are my personal favorites (w/ the Howlin’ ones in fact being made by Harley), so I’ve grabbed a few for $90-110 when they’ve popped up. But other makers may fit better for your body since they all vary a bit in dimension/shape. So what’s the frugal man to do when needing a sweater very soon? More on vintage/used options below, but for buying new, there are two decent options that are frequently <$75, though neither of them are “true” Shetland sweaters from Scotland. *Option 1: Spier & Mackay* Spier & Mackay sells “Shetland Crewnecks” which last year were $88 MSRP for the regular version or [$98 MSRP](https://us.spierandmackay.com/product/heathered-brown-brushed-shetland-crewneck-10273-bsh-cnk) for the brushed. (This year’s versions haven’t been released yet, so TBD on pricing.) Sweaters from Spier regularly go on sale for 20-30% off in-season and as much as 50% off out of season. I’ve [recommended these sweaters before](https://www.reddit.com/r/frugalmalefashion/comments/1imh3vg/spier_mackay_shetland_crewneck_sweaters_58_for/), and have liked the ones I’ve owned well enough. But there are two caveats: 1. It’s not clear if Spier is actually using true Shetland wool. The exact wording used on the site is a bit inconclusive and inconsistent on the source of the wool. And they are knitted in China from what I recall. 2. The construction is a “cut and sew” style, where sections of knit fabric are cut apart and then sewn together using thread. This is in contrast to a sweater being a) “fully fashioned”, where pieces are knit together using the same yarn as the sweater itself, resulting in a minimal seam, or b) “seamless”, where either the main body or even the whole garment itself is knit as a single piece. Fully fashioned and seamless sweaters are more elegant, but they also more expensive to manufacture. Spier’s sweaters hit a nice price point, but the manufacturing method they use makes the details of the sweater a bit more chunky and less refined than the more expensive methods. Saying that, I think the Spier ones are plenty good for the price, particularly if you want to try out the style and wait until they are on full clearance / 50% off. *Option 2: J.Crew* The other NWT option I’ve picked up in the past few years are the [“Brushed Wool Crewneck”](https://www.jcrew.com/p/mens/categories/clothing/sweaters/crewneck/brushed-wool-crewneck-sweater/BI848) sweaters from J.Crew. (These are also almost certainly the modern version of the J.Crew sweater that my parents got for me back in the 90s.) The J.Crew ones are also decent, though you certainly shouldn’t buy them at the \~$140 MSRP. I got mine in Dec 2023 for <$60, so you’ll definitely want to play the typical 40-60% off J.Crew MSRP game. They don’t seem to have released this year’s versions yet, but I do expect there will be a price increase given everything that’s been going on. **Now For Some Even Worse News!** Unlike with some of the items that I’ve covered previously in this series, there doesn’t appear to be anything like the following available on eBay for Shetland sweaters: * Large supply (i.e. dozens to hundreds of examples in each size) * Made in Scotland * Cheaper than buying the Spier or J.Crew versions I expect that “Shetland” is simply a popular enough search term that the cheap ones are grabbed up quickly, thus keeping supply pretty low and prices pretty high. So you’ll have to do a bit of searching, browsing, and hunting across different brands and eras to find a sweater that might work for you. Saying all that, I do have a suggestion for some brands that have somewhat decent supply and typically sell in the $40-60 range: 1. Brooks Brothers (Made In Scotland) 2. Land’s End (Made in Scotland) 3. Pendleton (Made in USA) https://preview.redd.it/x5mqhmlr55qf1.png?width=2068&format=png&auto=webp&s=006d08dbc5a9845a3821db301f820c85815e40b6 Here are two searches that will find these three brands: * [Using the Scotland/USA Country Filters](https://www.ebay.com/sch/11484/i.html?_oaa=1&_dcat=11484&_fsrp=1&rt=nc&_from=R40&_nkw=(shetland%2C+brushed%2C+brush%2C+fuzz%2C+fuzzy%2C+shag%2C+shaggy%2C+texture%2C+textured%2C+donegal)+(brooks+brothers%2C+brook%27s+brothers%2C+brook+brother%2C+brooks+brother%2C+brook+brothers%2C+brooks+brother%27s%2C+brook%27s+brother%27s%2C+land+end%2C+lands%27+end%2C+land%27s+end%2C+lands+end%2C+pendleton%2C+pendelton)&_sacat=11484&Material=Alpaca%7CAngora%7CCashmere%7C!%7CWool%7CMohair&LH_TitleDesc=1&LH_PrefLoc=1&Country%252FRegion%2520of%2520Manufacture=United%2520States%7CUnited%2520Kingdom&Sleeve%2520Length=Long%2520Sleeve%7C!) * [Searching for Scotland or USA in the Title/Description](https://www.ebay.com/sch/11484/i.html?_dcat=11484&_fsrp=1&rt=nc&_from=R40&_nkw=(shetland%2C+brushed%2C+brush%2C+fuzz%2C+fuzzy%2C+shag%2C+shaggy%2C+texture%2C+textured%2C+donegal)+(brooks+brothers%2C+brook%27s+brothers%2C+brooks+brother%27s%2C+brook%27s+brother%27s%2C+land+end%2C+lands%27+end%2C+land%27s+end%2C+lands+end%2C+pendleton%2C+pendelton)+(uk%2C+united+kingdom%2C+scotland%2C+scottish%2C+scotch%2C+usa%2C+miusa)&_sacat=11484&Material=Wool%7C!%7CAnimal%2520Hair%7CAngora%7CCashmere%7CAlpaca%7CMohair&Style=Pullover%7C!&Country%252FRegion%2520of%2520Manufacture=United%2520Kingdom%7CUnited%2520States%7C!&LH_PrefLoc=1&LH_TitleDesc=1&Brand=Brooks%2520Brothers%7CLands%2527%2520End%7CPendleton%7C!%7CShetland%7CUnbranded) I’ve also curated a selection of options as part of the version of this post over on r/VintageMenswearDeals, including some additional options I found beyond just the brands above. Final suggestion: I recommend searching from time to time for the higher end brands such as Jamieson’s, Harley/Bosie, J Press, O’Connell’s, etc. Good deals on these brands do pop up from time to time, but you’ll typically have to move quickly to grab one. Try [this search](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_dcat=11484&_fsrp=1&Country%252FRegion%2520of%2520Manufacture=United%2520Kingdom%7CUnited%2520States%7C!%7CIreland%7CItaly&rt=nc&_from=R40&LH_TitleDesc=1&LH_PrefLoc=1&_nkw=(shetland%2C+brushed%2C+brush%2C+fuzz%2C+fuzzy%2C+shag%2C+shaggy%2C+texture%2C+textured%2C+donegal)+(drake%27s%2C+drakes%2C+oconnells%2C+o%27connell%27s%2C+o%27connell%2C+o%27connell%2C+jpress%2C+j+press%2C+j.press%2C+howlin%2C+harley%2C+bosie%2C+jamieson%2C+jamiesons%2C+jamieson%27s%2C+anderson+sheppard%2C+crabtree%2C+laurence+smith%2C+odie%2C+%22shaggy+dog%22)&_sacat=11484&_udhi=200&Sleeve%2520Length=Long%2520Sleeve%7C!&Material=Alpaca%7CCashmere%7CMohair%7CWool%7C!) for a starting point. **Pick 2: LL Bean Cotton Sweaters** I was originally planning to include a section on vintage Fair Isle sweaters as part of this post. But two things changed that plan: 1. It turns out there are a lot of really ugly Fair Isle sweaters on eBay! The nicer looking ones (e.g. similar to what [Bosie/Harley](https://bosie.co/collections/mens-fair-isle-scottish-knitwear) currently sells) are unfortunately rather few and far between. I’ll still try to cover Fair Isle (and similar) sweaters at a later point, but it’s going to take a bit more research and curation to be useful. 2. The L.L. Bean cotton henley sweater that I picked up while researching the [previous sweater post](https://www.reddit.com/r/frugalmalefashion/comments/1nfidou/vintage_deals_on_ebay_sweaters_for_the_fall_part_1/) finally arrived, and I really, really like this thing. It’s got a nice medium tight knit, the detailing is really cool, and the quality for the \~$30 version I got is basically like new. I’m not in general a huge fan of cotton sweaters given that many don’t hold their shape very well. But that vintage L.L. Bean cotton henley sweater is a perfect transitional sweater for these early fall days. I’ll be wearing it a ton over the next two months for sure. So I did some searching to see if there were similar Made In USA cotton sweaters that I could recommend. And I was happy to find that there are a few options, once again from L.L. Bean. In my opinion, the best looking of the bunch are the crewneck versions with a raglan/saddle shoulder and a vertical rib texture. I’m not sure whether the knitting is [a half-fisherman or a Shaker-knit](https://dieworkwear.com/2021/01/14/a-soft-history-of-american-radicals-revolutionaries-and-christians/), but either way I think it looks excellent. The overall design reminds me of [J.Crew’s](https://www.jcrew.com/m/mens/categories/clothing/sweaters/pullover/MP443) “Heritage cotton crewneck sweater”. The J.Crew crewneck is currently on sale for 50% off the $98 MSRP, though in previous years the MSRP was $89 and you could easily grab them on sale for <$40. The J.Crew ones are totally fine at that price point, but you should be able to grab the L.L Bean ones for even cheaper, just $20-40 based on recent eBay sale comps. https://preview.redd.it/qkfq89hx55qf1.png?width=2134&format=png&auto=webp&s=21727c819d02c8a94a5c02f6aa3a8b440556e38c There are also MiUSA L.L. Bean cotton sweaters in a few additional styles as well, including v-neck, striped, diamond-textured, zipper (both full and half zip), and even some really nice looking versions that are clearly inspired by [Guernsey/Gansey fisherman sweaters](https://x.com/dieworkwear/status/1725631316505538585). https://preview.redd.it/yjlkst8065qf1.png?width=2152&format=png&auto=webp&s=f34088c1e184cf454d90f69e0725626399c4eaca The various sweaters pictured above are actually a bit difficult to search for on eBay since the henley/button ones are super common and make up roughly half of the vintage MiUSA inventory for L.L. Bean sweaters. However, by using the “minus” operator in eBay search (i.e. -henley -button) and a bunch of filters you can start to narrow things down. Here are two searches to get started: * [Using the MiUSA Filter](https://www.ebay.com/sch/11484/i.html?_dcat=11484&_fsrp=1&rt=nc&_from=R40&_nkw=bean+-henley+-button&_sacat=11484&LH_TitleDesc=1&LH_PrefLoc=1&LH_ItemCondition=3000&Brand=L%252EL%252E%2520Bean&Country%252FRegion%2520of%2520Manufacture=United%2520States&Material=!%7CCotton%7CCotton%2520Blend&Style=Cardigan%7CFull%2520Zip%7CPullover%7CVest%7C!) * [Searching for USA or MiUSA in the Title/Description](https://www.ebay.com/sch/11484/i.html?_dcat=11484&_fsrp=1&rt=nc&_from=R40&_nkw=bean+-henley+-button+(usa%2C+miusa)&_sacat=11484&LH_TitleDesc=1&LH_PrefLoc=1&LH_ItemCondition=3000&Country%252FRegion%2520of%2520Manufacture=United%2520States%7C!&Sleeve%2520Length=Long%2520Sleeve%7C!&Brand=L%252EL%252E%2520Bean&Material=Cotton%7CCotton%2520Blend%7C!) I’ve also put up a selection of different good looking options as part of the version of this post on the [new sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/VintageMenswearDeals/). Cheers!