I’m in Love With This Faherty Waffle Crew and I Don’t Care Who Knows It

The new gold standard of long-sleeve layering

Faherty Essential Waffle Crew

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Anytime I get a new shirt, the first few weeks generally involve a “honeymoon period,” during which I’ll wear the shirt multiple times a week, take great pains to avoid ketchup or other staining agents, and shamelessly angle for compliments. Eventually, a new shirt will come along, and I’ll start the process all over again. The previous shirt will then join “the rotation,” and hold on for as long as it can, until it’s swallowed by that black hole behind the dryer.

This time though, I think I’ve found the one. Earlier this month, I visited Faherty Brand’s shop on Bleecker Street in the West Village, and left with the cream-hued iteration of their Essential Waffle Crew. At first glance, it’s nothing too crazy — just a crewneck sweater with a honeycomb weave. The collar and cuffs are ribbed, the cotton is Peruvian, and the fit is athletic.

But wearing this thing has been an absolute delight, and I’m trying to figure out why. It’s buttery, for one. I made my editor Mike Conklin give it a feel the other day (when I was sporting the sweater for the second time in six days), and he agreed that it was absurdly soft, before telling me to never ask him to touch my clothing again. I like the tight cuffs at the end of the sleeve. With non-cuffed sleeves, I usually have to keep the sleeves rolled up, which can be annoying. But either method works well here, and if you’re wearing a watch or other form of wrist accouterment, you can tuck that cuff right under it.

I like the hem, too, which is long enough to hang with a flannel, but not too long that it makes a bomber jacket look silly. I like the “basicness” of this sweater, and I don’t mean that in the VSCO girl way. It’s an all-around trooper, sort of an overgrown, meaty undershirt, and I’ve worn it under shackets, pea coats, and waxed truckers alike. When the restaurant is a little too stuffy, and this is your base, you can take off those top layers and let this guy fly. The waffle texture, in my opinion, has as much (if not more) character than a henley or a V-neck.

Which is all to say — I’m immediately eloping with this sweater, and probably never coming back. We’re headed to find the site of the Faherty logo, wherever it is on this planet, and we’ll be unconscionably soft while doing so. If you’re looking to spice up your life and closet, I wholeheartedly suggest you do the same. Head to Faherty now and choose between four colors: Natural, Olive, Navy, and Black. At $98, the sweater will qualify you for free shipping. It’s super thoughtful like that.

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