Nantucket Brand’s Half-Zip Sweater

The tiny but enchanting island of Nantucket has long been a magnet for lifestyle and aspirational brands.  The handsomely rugged location and windswept geography, combined with the island’s historically East Coast patrician aesthetic, make for an irresistible backdrop.

Apart from the Kennedy compound-ish positioning that often accompanies Nantucket themed marketing or product shoots, the island has a deeper and more appealing personality that we really admire: hardiness.  While there is certainly an ever growing contingent of millionaire and billionaire residents snapping up prime land for their Gatsby-worthy estates, as far as we are concerned, the time-worn functionality of everyday hard working essentials holds far more character and style.

And, for that reason, OTC is particularly fond of Nantucket Brand’s navy half-zip pima cotton sweater.  It is a classic layering sweater in the best of ways.  Simple and well-made, functional, pragmatically stylish, and it works with a variety of outfits in different seasons.

We’ll be the first to say to that the website’s pictures do not really do it justice, which is a shame.  However, once in hand, it quickly became a favorite and has been regularly put to use in both dressy and casual situations.  We like to pair it with jeans and a simple tee shirt or khakis and an oxford cloth button down.

The soft cotton has a mid-weight sweatshirt quality to it while the unique rounded standing collar, worn up or folder down, provides a signature and somewhat vintage feature.  The self colored YKK zipper seems to disappear into the sweater and in doing so gives it a cleaner, simpler look.

The Nantucket Brand company was founded in 2005, and built on a family history with ties to Nantucket stretching back to 1945.  In addition to the website, the company has three Nantucket-based shops and product ships from either the island itself or the equally charming and historic New Bedford, Massachusetts.