Cozy pink sweater

I have a cozy pink sweater. I got it less than six months ago, which I can't believe. It feels like it's always been mine.

I'm a serial monogamist when it comes to cozy house-sweaters. Some call them "housecoats," which makes me think of something like this and makes me feel like an 80-year-old lady. The truth is, in the wintertime, I'm pretty much always cold. Because I'm neither a millionaire nor an earth-killing asshole, I don't turn the heat up to what would be comfortable for me, which would probably be like 78. As I've mentioned, I'm also not one of those psycho New Englanders who keeps it at 55. That means that for, oh, six or seven months out of the year, I have a cozy thing that I wear most of the time in the house. At times it's been a fleece. For years, it was this grey button-up thing that I randomly bought at a J.Crew sale on the Cape. It was not beautiful, but it was warm.

As with many relationships in these modern times, this sweater and I met online. One day last fall my friend who is on top of these things sent me a link to an L.L. Bean cardigan. It was on some kind of special one-day sale. It was normally $60 but was marked down to like $25. It was hip-length (for a normal person; for me, upper-thigh length). It buttoned up the front. It had a hood (I love hoods). It had pockets. The only one they had left was size extra small (which in L.L. Bean sizes is definitely my size, as they're not exactly Urban Outfitters with the form-fitting sizing) and pink (a color I sometimes love and sometimes hate, but in this shade, love). The shipping was free. It seemed to be calling my name. I thought, why not.

As it happened, I was leaving three days later for a long weekend in Maine at the house of this very same friend. Friday after work I got home, ready to grab my stuff and start driving. SURPRISE! A package from L.L. Bean was on my doorstep. I had NOT expected it to come that fast, since the shipping was free and it was their super deal thing. But there it was. I opened the bag and tried it on. OH, IT WAS GLORIOUS. It was warm and cozy. It snuggled me like a big pink bear. I put on the hood to make sure it didn't make me look ridiculous and it didn't (much). I didn't really have room to pack it, since it's so huge, so I just wore it in the car (and brought my coat). I pretty much wore it all weekend, so our initial bonding occurred at a beautiful Maine house by a lake in the fall, which is just where you want to wear a cozy L.L. Bean sweater, ideally while listening to Gordon Lightfoot.

Since then, this sweater and I have been inseparable. When I get home from work, I tend to put on my pajamas right away unless I'm going somewhere else, because changing into something else for a few hours seems silly. It's not like they're footie pajamas or anything; I wear yoga pants and a t-shirt under a v-neck. If I put a bra and shoes on I could get away with going to the grocery store. Over that I put my cozy pink sweater. Putting it on is like drinking a cool glass of water in summer, or getting under the covers in winter. I'm immediately more relaxed. On weekend mornings I get out of bed and put it on. I'm wearing it now as I'm typing this post. I have to do laundry today and it needs a wash, and like a clingy girl who freaks out when her boyfriend goes to the dentist and texts "I MISS U :(" every ten seconds until he returns, I'm already hand-wringing about having to get through a few hours without it. It has nice big fat buttons. It has long enough sleeves that I can stick my hands in them. It has pockets for chapstick and Kleenex. If I'm really cold I can pull up the hood and button the top button. Ahhh.

I don't know why this sweater is so magically warm. According to the L.L. Bean site it's an "acrylic/wool/cotton/polyester/nylon/spandex blend." That doesn't sound particularly magical, though maybe it's a secret recipe à la the 11 herbs and spices. But it's my faithful companion, and I imagine it will be so for years to come. When summer gets here I'll put it away -- not far away, but I'll hang it on a hook and forget about it. When fall comes again I'll be chilly and then I'll think "MY SWEATER" and I'll rediscover it, like I do my equally beloved slippers every year, and it will keep me warm all winter.

L.L. Bean seems to have this sweater for sale pretty consistently. Colors vary (right now it's only available in brown and tan -- to be honest, I probably would have gotten the brown had it been available then), but it seems like a staple of their catalog, which I'm glad about because I'm sure someday I'll want another one. I already gave my mom the slightly less frumpy cousin for Christmas. I nearly went crazy and gave it to everyone I know for Christmas, but I restrained myself. If you're looking for a cozy house-sweater, though, I promise you that it is awesome. Gordon Lightfoot, while not required, is recommended.