A Definitive Guide to Sweaters That Are as Cozy as They Look

Stocking up on fall sweaters is a seasonal delight unlike any other. Moments like sipping pumpkin spice lattes, lighting cinnamon apple candles and switching from rosé to red wine are undeniably magical, but they’ve got nothing on the promise of comfort and sartorial rejuvenation a new fall sweater brings.

The issue is, sometimes fall sweaters don’t deliver on that promise. If you’re an avid online shopper, you don’t get the luxury of interacting with a knit before committing to it. It’s not until the sweater arrives on your doorstep—or until a few hours into your first wear—that you realize just how rough, scratchy and all-around uncomfortable it actually is.

MORE: 26 Anything-but-Average Denim Jackets to Power Your Fall Wardrobe

It can be tempting to cling to knits you’ve already invested in. Maybe you’ve already taken the price tag off. Maybe you don’t have the energy to run to the post office and deal with shipping. Maybe you don’t feel like finding another sweater to replace a tried-and-true basic, no matter how scratchy it is.

I get it—obstacles abound. But these inconveniences are small compared with the grating experience of wearing an itchy sweater for hours on end.

I finally accepted this truth last year and traded all my frustrating sweaters for verifiably softer options. I carefully inspected the details of any sweater I saw online, paying special attention to the fabric makeup. Wool-acrylic blends got a hard pass from me, and I started favoring chenilles and cashmeres.

MORE: Excuse Us While We Wear Socks with Stilettos for the Rest of the Year

In the spirit of swearing off frustrating fall fabrics, I’ve created a comprehensive guide to cozy sweater shopping. Here, you’ll find 55 fall sweaters that are genuinely as soft, comfortable and welcoming as they look—plus, they’re sorted by type.

Whether you’re looking for a boxy turtleneck or chunky colorful knit, you’ll find it in the below slideshow (and you won’t be disappointed when you slip into it for the first time).