Archival Review: Left Field Ivy Crew

Bing Crosby wearing a wide crew neck sweatshirt in Going My Way (1944)

In November, friend and AC supporter Bradley Bennett of CWAC emailed to see if we'd like to field test a Left Field Ivy Style wide crew neck sweater. Like our own Skookum shawl collar sweaters, the Left Field Crew is knit, cut and sewn in a single facility in the U.S.

While the Left Field crew is marketed to gents, it's trim fitting enough that the women of AC were able to handle the review. Our test sweater came in size 36, the smallest available. Petite women and slim gents might petition Left Field for a size 34.
Here's a detail view of the sweater's most visually arresting feature -- its vintage-style, wide crew collar. Wool and knitting expert Erin noted that the raglan sleeves were mostly likely seamed together with a sewn-on ribbed collar which she identifies as "very old-school athletic wear construction."

Red stitching from the garment tag shows through the back of the sweater. Given our own history with red thread, I like this detail.

In addition to the vintage collar detail, the Left Field crew is most notable for its soft merino wool. The sweater is made from a worsted, Canadian merino yarn in a heavier than average gauge. Left Field no doubt sourced merino for its soft, itch free properties. Although I love feel of a soft merino, I do worry about its potential for pilling. My own preference is for a longer stapled wool yarns that exhibit both durability and softness.
Tester Sara wore the Left Field sweater to work over a Made in USA Splendid turtleneck. She deemed the sweater "cozy" and liked the fit, especially the long slim arms with ribbed cuffs. Coworkers admired the crew neck collar.

At Archival, we endorse clothing that is well made, best quality, locally manufactured and reasonably priced. The Left Field crew is currently on sale for $148 through the Left Field web shop. This is a good deal for a domestically produced, heritage sweater. I hope to see future editions of the Ivy crew made available in a more robust yarn. And our female testers would like to see the sweater offered down to a size 34 or 32. Otherwise, this sweater is a nearly perfect reissue of a classic style.