Sweater: Aran Cable
History by Lynne: The Aran cable sweater–also known as the fisherman’s sweater–was invented on the Aran islands off the coast of Ireland as early as 1900. They first were exported from the west of Ireland to the United States in the early 1950s. Before that, cable sweaters were available only if they were personally handknit. In my previous jobs at Michael Kors and Derek Lam, I did a lot of Aran cable research, as we were always interested in referencing authentic hand-knit garments. I always wondered if the patterns had any significance, and it turns out that they all do! All the patterns have a traditional interpretation and are supposedly fashioned by ancient patterns that have been found on many megaliths around Europe. The honeycomb is a reminder of the hard working bee. It’s also said to be a lucky stitch, signifying a good catch for the day. The cable is said to symbolize fisherman’s ropes. The diamond is a wish of success, wealth and treasure. The diamond also represents the shape of the fishing net. The basket stitch represents the fisherman’s basket, a hope for catches abundant. I never realized how symbolic all the stitches were, and now I can never look at a cable again without thinking of everything it represents.

Buy: Vanessa Bruno Cable Dress, LaGarconne.com
It’s cool and refreshing to see this cable pattern made into an easy tee dress. I covet this dress because I can wear it layered, or belted and it’s so soft! Vanessa also did an unusual cable pattern so it’s not as traditional but it’s really flattering. I also love that she did it in an alpaca blend yarn, which is an nontraditional yarn for an aran cable.