Ode to The Sweater

February 15, 2010 is a day that will live in wardrobe infamy for me....it's the day my beloved cashmere sweater disappeared.

This was not just any sweater, it was The Sweater. Ladies, you know what I mean. That clothing item you'd run back to rescue if your house was on fire. It's irreplacable.

The description I entered into the online lost'n'found for Atlanta-Hartsfield International airport (Yes, I reported it missing. I'll never give up hope of being reunited with The Sweater) reads: "black long-sleeved cashmere sweater with one hook-and-eye closure and a Nordstrom tag." But it was so much more.

The Sweater was one of the first really expensive garments I bought when I got my first "good job." One of the most classy and versatile items I owned, it became a centerpiece in my wardrobe around which all my other outfits rotated...that sweater could complement anything. In the winter it doubled over a camisole as a top, and worked with skirts or jeans. In the summer it kept me cozy in frigid movie theaters and restraunts. It was soft, kept it's shape, and NEVER itched or pilled. I'm sure I'll never find another sweater like it.

I don't know exactly what happened to it, but the last time I remember having it was on the airplane to Atlanta. In my darker moments, I imagine that it may have fallen into the hands of the lady involved in the Coke vs. Arizona Tea disaster, or the klutzy flight attendant (instigator of said incident). But I prefer to imagine that The Sweater found it's way onto the back of someone really worthy of it, such as Victoria Beckham, the future winner of Project Runway, or at the very least, a fellow fashionista who appreciates good cashmere.

Goodbye, beloved Sweater. I must attempt to replace you, but I will never forget you.