http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=22786&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&parentCategory=502853&cat4=502810

Last year I started out on an odyssey to replace a couple of plain grey sweatshirts that were worn out. I thought that an hour spent on a journey to a sporting goods store would take care of it, but to my amazement everything had the name of an athletic team or a manufacturer's logo on it. That seemed to be a bit like destroying a fine painting to me. Why add superfluous details to perfection?
After a couple of hours and many stops, I finally gave up and went home to the Internet. The only source that I could find was LL Bean - And there it was: The Classic. No adornment, and the old triangle detail at the base of the neck.
I bought two, and have a grey one on back order. Apparently there must be other purists out there in the world if demand is exceeding supply for these things. LL Bean have a number of colors, but plain grey is really THE classic option.

The classic sweatshirt is probably one of the most versatile items you could ever own. Perfect just for hanging around the house in, paired with a good pair of cords and some LL Bean Blucher moccasins. It's a relaxed look, but you don't look like you're homeless when you're out wearing it on errands! Also the sweatshirt is sturdy enough to wear when walking the dog out in the mud with the security of knowing that a short spell in the washing machine will completely restore it back to full health on your bedraggled return home.

It the unlikely event that you might wonder how this seemingly lowly item ever became a part of traditional Americana and a component of the off-duty Ivy League style of dress then let me tell you how it happened:

Long before athletic uniforms in spandex came along we used to be issued with plain 100% cotton sweatshirts and pants. I'm talking about back in the 1950's now. The sweatshirts got heavy when wet and got really grubby out on the field, but the college staff could wash them easily and so many of us took to the standard issue grey sweatshirts as a part of everyday campus wear.  We moved them from the athletic field to the class room just because they were so convenient.
Another thing worthy of note is that all of this started back in the days before school names, etc., were plastered all over athletic wear because back then no school could justify that extra expense, ergo the plain classic grey.

Sometimes the logo which says the most is no logo at all.

So here's to the functional simplicity and classic style of the right sweatshirt.

Last edited by Russell_Street (2008-09-10 06:16:14)