After reviewing my experience with Lauren Manoogian’s 100% alpaca sweater (my first time trying anything 100% alpaca) a lot of readers recommended I try Cuyana’s 100% alpaca oversized sweater. Side note: if you want to learn all the benefits of alpaca over wool or cashmere, you can find it in my Everlane alpaca review (which was my first time trying anything made with alpaca though it’s not 100% alpaca). But since I had just declared my new year’s resolution that I would only add one item to my closet a month (and also because I was getting more and more pregnant) I decided not to buy this. Luckily I was able to arrange a clothing swap with a fellow ethical clothing enthusiast in my neighborhood. So I was able to try it without buying it (I also got to try out her Vetta sweater for a month which I loved! I reviewed that here).
The version of the Cuyana alpaca sweater that she had was a limited edition red one that also came in the petite size, which is what I’m wearing here. They weren’t joking about it being oversized. I’m 8+ months pregnant and the petite size was just right, so I can imagine how big the normal sizes are (and actually that’s one of the common comments about this alpaca sweater that I’ve heard from people who’ve bought it). There are only two size options XS/S and M/L and I think even the XS/S would be a bit too large for my 5’4” frame. The petite would work best for me, though unfortunately they don’t make that size anymore (though you can sometimes find it on the RealReal here).
And how is the alpaca quality? The Cuyana alpaca sweater is much thinner than the alpaca sweater I tried from Lauren Manoogian. But that is actually a good thing, especially for California, since alpaca fibers are so warm to begin with. The Cuyana alpaca sweater will definitely keep you toasty even though it is short sleeved and looks more like a top than a sweater. Like the Lauren Manoogian sweater, there’s no itch to alpaca fibers and it’s super lightweight but keeps you extra warm.
I would consider this sweater if it came in the petite size in one of the neutral colors. But seeing as how big the XS/S size is, it’s not something I would buy right now (also since spring is right around the corner so I’m going to hold off on purchasing any cold weather clothing now). But if you’re on the tall side, live in a cold climate and are looking for a warm and high quality 100% alpaca sweater I would highly recommend considering adding this to your winter wardrobe.