Some sweaters make you reach for a jacket. This one makes you want to skip the jacket and just wear the sweater.
The sweater in front of us
This is the Polo Ralph Lauren Aviator Crewneck Wool Sweater in Aviator Brown. It is a men’s size XXL, and it is new with tags. Our price is $348. The tags are still attached, which tells you it was never worn out of the house, never washed and never stretched out by a season of use.
Right now we have exactly one in the shop, so there is no second size to swap into and no color to choose between.
Where it comes from
Polo Ralph Lauren is one of the best-known American clothing brands, and the pony logo is recognized almost anywhere you go. The label is closely tied to a classic, heritage-minded look, built around knitwear, oxford shirts and outerwear. A crewneck wool sweater is right in that tradition. The Aviator name nods to the old flight-jacket look, and the brown here is a deep, warm shade that fits that story.
What it is built for
Going by the listing, this is a wool crewneck sweater. That means a round neckline with no collar and no zipper, which makes it simple to layer under a coat or wear on its own. Wool is the fiber most people reach for when the weather turns cold, and a crewneck is the shape most people already know how to wear.
Three ways to wear it
- With dark denim and boots. Brown wool looks good next to indigo jeans, and it takes a pair of leather boots well.
- Over a collared shirt. Let the collar peek out at the neckline for a sharper look at work or dinner.
- Under a barn jacket or parka. The crewneck keeps the neckline clean so nothing bunches up under your outer layer. If you are building a cold-weather closet, our post on building a fall wardrobe secondhand has more layering ideas.
What to check before you buy this secondhand
This one is new with tags, so most of the usual worries do not apply. Still, here is what we would look over on any wool sweater, new or used:
- Tags attached and readable, including the size and fiber content.
- Seams along the shoulders and underarms, to confirm nothing is loose or pulled.
- Ribbing at the neck, cuffs and hem, which should snap back when you stretch it.
- Any pilling, snags or small holes, which are easy to spot in good light.
- Smell. Wool that has been stored badly can pick up a musty odor.
For a fuller walkthrough, read our 7-point inspection. And if you want to know which labels hold up best on the used market, see which brands are worth buying used.
The details
- Brand: Polo Ralph Lauren
- Item: Aviator Crewneck Wool Sweater
- Color: Aviator Brown
- Size: Men’s XXL
- Condition: New with tags
- Price: $348
Steal this: Before you commit to any big knit, hold it up and look at how it hangs. Lay it flat and check that the shoulders sit square and the sleeves are even. A sweater that hangs right on a table will almost always hang right on you, and it takes ten seconds. Since XXL is a big size and fit varies by cut, measure a sweater you already love and compare the chest and length to the listing before you buy.
If a dark brown wool crewneck sounds like your kind of cold-weather layer, the Polo Ralph Lauren Aviator Brown sweater is waiting in our shop at $348. While you are there, browse the rest of what we have in, since new pieces land all the time.