The Joy of a Family Heirloom
Why hanging on to special pieces can have its rewards
We’ve all experienced it—those “special” pieces that get handed down with a tale of their significance and how important it is to make them your own: the homemade grandma sweater, the vintage mod dress, grandpa’s jacket from the war. And usually, when these musty items are floating around our homes, we share much less excitement than those passing them down.
I’ve turned my nose up a few times at pieces I couldn’t ever envision wearing, but I have come to appreciate a unique heirloom piece that makes its way on a style list and holds meaning.
Exhibit A: my family’s beloved red Angora sweater.
When my mom, a determined 12-year-old girl, was learning how to knit, she saved all of her weekly allowance for the entire summer to produce a very special item.
For her inaugural project, she set out to make a red Angora boatneck 3/4 sleeve sweater. There were just a few glaring issues with this selection:
Angora was very, very difficult to work with, and it was costly
At 11 years old, she had a weekly allowance of 75 cents
So, it took her months to get enough Angora to make that sweater—and months to make it under the kind tutelage of her friend. Upon completion, she wore it to school once, but 11-year-olds didn’t necessarily appreciate such fine, bespoke knits, so it was never to be worn again…
That is, until my sister discovered it in the cedar chest in high school. She first wore it to the winter ball and then again for senior pictures.
Several years later, what should appear on the cover of Vogue but a model wearing a red Angora sweater…almost exactly like the version my mom made years earlier.
The sweater was eventually passed down to me, and after many decades of this red wonder, I’m finally starting to come around.
And then came J.Crew’s fall collection launch this year, which prominently featured—you guessed it—a red Angora sweater. I couldn’t believe the striking resemblance to the beauty my mom created in the ’60s, so I dug it out and tried it on…thinking it would be a 2024 holiday staple!
And now, in true heirloom fashion, the legacy of the red Angora sweater lives on. And what would my story be without featuring a series of Angora-ish sweaters available today at all different price points. With J.Crew’s latest collection debuting its take on this timeless piece, it’s clear that some styles never go out of fashion.
Whether you’re digging through your own cedar chest or eyeing a new version for this year’s holiday season, there’s no doubt that red Angora dreams are here to stay. Below are a few of my favorite modern Angora-inspired pieces, ranging from high to low, so you can add a touch of timeless elegance to your wardrobe today.
There are several morals to this story: never underestimate the determination of a young fashionista, hang on to the good stuff, and red Angora dreams will always be around!
Thanks for sharing an important story of my young life!