You Might Wear a Black Turtleneck Sweater Dress More Than You Think

The secret to not always defaulting to your jeans, sweater, and boots uniform is to have a few grab-and-go outfits on hand. And this time of year, a sweater dress might just be the workhorse you need.

It’s an easy option for the colder months, especially when your calendar starts filling up with holiday gatherings, dinners, and the everyday running around in between. But before you buy one, there are two things I want you to keep in mind.

First, not everything in your closet needs to be styled three or four different ways to be a good purchase. We talk a lot about versatility and cost per wear, but sometimes a single piece is the whole outfit. You put on your sweater dress, add your favorite boots, and you’re done. You might wear that exact same combination to lunch with friends, a holiday gathering, or dinner with your husband.

And if you wear it regularly, you’re getting plenty of value out of it. Cost per wear isn’t the same thing as versatility. It’s about how often you actually reach for something, not how many different outfits you can build around it.

Second, make sure you have what you need to wear it. A sweater dress is a perfect example of something that can hang in your closet unworn because you’re missing one or two key pieces.

In this case, I’m talking about black tights and black boots. If you don’t already own them, you’ll need to factor those into the purchase. Otherwise, you end up with a beautiful dress and nothing to wear with it, which is exactly the kind of wardrobe frustration we’re trying to avoid.

For this week’s Splurge, Spend, Save, I found three black turtleneck sweater dresses with a similar relaxed silhouette, at three very different prices. I went with black so you can compare the three side by side, but if another color works better with what’s already in your closet, go with that.

Splurge: Banana Republic Lightweight Cashmere Turtleneck Mini Dress

The Banana Republic Lightweight Cashmere Turtleneck Mini Dress is 100% cashmere, cut as a relaxed shift with long sleeves and a classic turtleneck. I especially like how simple it is. There isn’t anything extra going on, so it’s the kind of dress you could wear year after year without it feeling dated.

Lightweight cashmere means a finer, less bulky knit than a chunky sweater dress, which makes it easier to wear to an indoor dinner or a holiday party when you don’t want to be bundled up. It’s dry clean only.

One detail I particularly appreciate is that it comes in regular, petite, and tall. At 5’10”, I pay attention to that because a sweater dress can go from perfectly wearable to much too short pretty quickly. The regular measures 31 inches long and the tall is 32.5 inches, both on a size small.

If you prefer natural fibers and you know you’ll wear a sweater dress on repeat all winter, this is where cost per wear works in your favor.

Shop Banana Republic | $280 | Sizes XXS–XXL in regular, petite, and tall

Spend: Gap Oversized Turtleneck Mini Dress

I really like this one, and for most women, I think it might be the sweet spot. The Gap Oversized Turtleneck Mini Dress has a very similar look to the Banana Republic dress, with a loose, oversized fit, dropped shoulders, and ribbed cuffs and hem.

The biggest difference is the fabric. It’s 60% cotton, 30% nylon, and 10% wool, which is a nice example of why I don’t automatically dismiss a blend. The cotton keeps it soft and easy to wear, and the nylon and wool are there for structure and a little warmth. It also goes in the washing machine on cold (you lay it flat to dry).

Because it’s oversized, I’d pay attention to the proportions. You want that relaxed shape without so much extra fabric that it overwhelms you. If you’d like a closer fit, you can go down one or two sizes, but I wouldn’t do that automatically, especially if you’re tall or need room through the hips. It also comes in petite, regular, and tall.

Shop Gap | $99.95 | Sizes XXS–XXL in regular, petite, and tall

Save: Style & Co. LuxSoft Long-Sleeve Turtleneck Sweater Dress

For our Save, the Style & Co. LuxSoft Long-Sleeve Turtleneck Sweater Dress is a Macy’s exclusive with the same basic appeal as the other two: a turtleneck, long sleeves, and a simple black knit (the color is called Deep Black) that you can dress up or down. It’s on sale for $39.75 right now, half its regular $79.50, which makes it an easy way to try a sweater dress if you don’t wear dresses all that often.

It’s also a little different from the other two. The knit is ribbed all over and cut a bit closer to the body. At about 35 inches long, it’s longer than the Banana Republic regular, and there’s no tall option, though it does come in petite.

With a more affordable sweater dress, my biggest consideration is always the weight of the knit. You want enough substance that it falls nicely over the body without clinging or revealing every line underneath. This one is 63% polyester, 32% acrylic, and 5% spandex, so it has some stretch, and it’s machine washable.

What I like about this option is that it doesn’t need anything complicated to make it work. Add black tights and boots, or wear it with a long coat and a pretty pair of earrings. (Note, I hate how the product image is styled.)

Shop Macy’s | $39.75 on sale, regularly $79.50 | Sizes XS–XXL, petite PXS–PXL

Which Would I Choose?

I’m personally going with Banana Republic. I like the looser fit, and the cashmere is worth the extra investment to me, especially for a dress I can see myself wearing all winter.

That said, I think Gap offers a really nice balance of style and price, particularly if you prefer a more relaxed fit. And Style & Co. makes a strong case for itself at under $40. It’s an affordable way to get the look without committing to a more expensive piece.

A black sweater dress is one of those wardrobe staples where you really don’t need to spend a fortune, but if you love the feel of cashmere and know you’ll wear it often, I think the splurge can make sense.