While cashmere sweaters are a common long-sleeved garment to wear in cold environments and seasons, some products, depending on their design, may serve the wearer better during lighter chills rather than in more extreme conditions. To this end, Christmas sweaters can vary in material and thickness; those with a tighter knit/thread pattern are often warmer (though loose-knit ugly Christmas sweaters work well when layering clothing), just as those with thicker fabrics and/or additional linings will often provide more heat than thinner fabrics. In many environments, warmer sweaters for men are suitable for winter and early spring while thin/loose-knit products are suitable for late spring and fall when there is only a slight breeze. In general, sweaters for women also work in settings that are either casual or somewhat formal, such as in cold offices.
Cardigan sweaters feature buttons or a zipper on the front so that the wearer may wear the garment open or closed. One advantage of this design is that it works well with abstract and/or graphic shirts that the wearer might want to show off for a burst of style. They are also easier to put on and remove because they don’t require pulling over the entire torso, which some people might prefer in a hurry.
These maintain the standard design in the chest/torso area but have open holes at the shoulder rather than full sleeves. This works especially well with layering, because the lack of sleeves makes it easier to put on a blazer or coat over the ugly sweater vest and long-sleeved shirt below.
Turtlenecks are those that have additional fabric that covers the wearer’s neck like a sleeve. This design functions similarly to a scarf, providing additional warmth. Aside from the extension at the neck, these are generally designed in the same manner as typical long-sleeved sweaters.