If you could only have one sweater in your wardrobe, the perfect choice would be an Aran, or fisherman’s sweater.

It has all-season versatility (ok, maybe not all summer), and is classic yet fashionable. Luckily, since it will probably last your lifetime, it never really goes out of style.

It is a sweater that is as practical and looks as appropriate on a celebrity as it does on a fisherman.

You’ll find pictures with classic stars such as Steve McQueen, Ryan O’Neal, Robert Redford, Ralph Lauren, and Steven Spielberg, as well as younger stars such as Robert Patterson, Chris Evans, and Paul Rudd wearing them.

They have been featured on the cover of Vogue twice, once on Grace Kelly in 1950, and Taylor Swift wore one on the cover of her Folklore album. 

In fact, if you wanted to own an item of clothing that is has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art, an Aran sweater is your chance.

A 1940’s Irish sweater was chosen as one of 112 pieces to be part of their “Is Fashion Modern” exhibit which explored what has influenced fashion over the past 100 years.

What Makes Aran Sweaters Unique?

Aran sweaters (or Geanai Arran in Gaelic) were the work clothing of the farmers and fishermen that populated the Aran Islands situated off the west coast of Ireland.

The three islands (Inishmore, Inishmann and Inisheer) are the western most point of Ireland located at the mouth of the Galway Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. 

Aran sweaters, whether original hand-knitted, or contemporary machine-made, are easy to distinguish by their color, pattern, and type of wool.

Color

Most sweaters are kept in their natural color – báinin – although it is possible to find Aran sweaters in other colors today that reflect the Irish countryside. 

Type of Wool

Originally, all Aran sweaters were made with unscoured wool. This is wool that retains its natural oils and lanolin. This makes the wool water-resistant. In fact, it can absorb 30% of its weight in water before beginning to feel wet.