Reviews

Get your turtle on: Classic knitwear from Realm & Empire

By nick
02/10/2015
2 Comments

Some guys have a real thing about knitwear. A real thing, as in they will go on and on about all the “knits” they have and the “knits” they need. I’m not there at all. Give me a good sweater and I’ll wear it, a lot, but I don’t obsess about it. That’s not to imply I don’t appreciate a nice piece of knitted wool though, as I most surely do.

Like this roll neck bit of wooly Merino goodness from Realm & Empire. They call it the “Harris Commando Roll Neck”, others would call it a wool turtleneck sweater and I call it a very classic garment indeed. As history has it the legendary British polar explorer, Sire Ernest Shackleton, was something of a roll neck aficionado, to such a degree that many will think more of wooly sweaters than heroic yet ill-fated Arctic expeditions when they hear his name. An let’s not forget that a warm roll neck sweater was an essential part of the kit issued to members of the Royal Navy for patrolling the icy Atlantic seas during WW2.

So, a traditional design in 100% ecru colour Merino wool and made in England as well. Machine knitted, for sure, but with proper ribbing at all entrance and exit points. Traditional and rugged, and with the Merino wool there is no itching either. Itchiness being a major point on a roll neck, it separates misery from bliss, believe me.

Every garment from Realm & Empire has it’s own issue number, in the style of vintage army gear.

And remarkably for something made in England the Harris Commando Roll Neck is reasonably priced as well at 130 pounds. In fact, through to the 21st there is even a discount code (Welldressed20) that saves you 20% on the entire new collection.