Pick Of The Knits

Maybe it was the preppie passion for Shetland crew-necks and cable-stitched cardigans that got the ball rolling, but in any case, sweater designers have run with it and come up this season with a variety of looks that are practically art forms unto themselves. The major thrust is toward highly unusual--though not outlandish--colors and subtle patterns that add up to warm, hand-crafted creations. Styles come in a broad range from pullovers (with crew-necks more in evidence this season than V-necks) to sweater jackets that can be worn as an alternative to a sports coat or layered over another sweater. Many are being offered with matching or coordinating scarves. (The wool knit striped and fringed muffler by Modigliani included in this feature is an exceptionally attractive example.) If the Eighties is the decade of new romanticism, then sweaters are among the most appropriate gear. Soft to the touch, warm to the body, they are natural conveyers of a mood and a trend away from the hard-edged and the uptight. Relax, sweater men; it's time for some knit picking.