Worth It: Baby, It's Cold Outside And Cashmere Is Your Friend

Much unlike many a magazine editor who recommends you buy all sorts of crap that they most likely got for free, your Jezebel staff doesn’t get jack shit (other than books, unsolicited). And that’s how it should be. But on our own time, in our personal lives, we still buy stuff. So this is Worth It, our daily recommendation of random things that we’ve actually spent our own money on. These are the things we buy regularly or really like, things we’d actually tell our friends about. And now we’re telling you.

Although I have lived in New York City since I was seven years old, I really hate cold weather. Actually, scratch that: I hate being cold. Walking around on crisp, sunny fall and winter days can be great, but only if you’re not shivering or wiggling frozen toes to make sure they haven’t fallen off. Cashmere can help with that.

Before I owned anything cashmere, I thought of it as an elitist material solely reserved for rich people as way to remind the rest of us that their stuff is better than our stuff. A sweater is a sweater, I thought. A sock is a sock. The only reason you Rockefellers out there are buying cashmere is because it’s expensive. Then my aunt gave me a cashmere sweater one Christmas. My world was changed! And I realized why cashmere is so desirable: Because it is so damn warm. Is it also expensive? Yes. But there are affordable ways to go. For instance: I bought a black cashmere cardigan from LL Bean. At $129, it costs more than I would pay for a regular sweater. But in the winter I wear it almost every day. With everything. Over party dresses, under coats, with tanks and jeans. It doesn’t pill, it goes with everything, and it’s so warm that I have to be careful under which coats I layer it — if the weather’s not cold enough, I start to sweat. That sweater is honestly one of the best investments I have ever made, since I turn to it four months out of the year. Cashmere cardigans are perfect for traveling, too; plane airconditioning is unforgiving. I wore mine in climates like Hong Kong and Cuzco, where it gets chilly but you don’t want a bulky coat or jacket. If you do get too warm, it’s so light that it’s not a big deal fold it up and put it in your bag. (It won’t wrinkle!)

Of course, there are other (more inexpensive) ways to infuse cashmere into your wardrobe: Cashmere-blend socks can be found for under $20. If your feet are always cold, like mine, a whole new world warmly welcomes you. Cashmere might cost a little bit more — definitely shop around for great prices — but I think keeping my core and extremities feeling toasty when the temperature drops makes the few extra bucks worth it.

Classic Cashmere Sweater, Button-Front Cardigan, $129, LLBean.com; Women’s Wool/Cashmere Knee Socks, $18.95, Sahalie.com

Worth It only features things we paid for ourselves and actually like. Don’t send us stuff.