Knit Madness Day 1: Cables

Yesterday, I launched Knit Madness, a 64-bracket tournament to determine the Best Cinematic Sweater across film and TV. And now, let the chaos begin.

You can find a detailed rundown of Knit Madness here.

Today’s Matchups

Matchup: (1) Knives Out vs (16) Friday the 13th

(1) Knives Out

Sweater: A purposely distressed white Aran pullover with a level of organic internet virality Lionsgate could’ve never bought.

Who Wore It: Professional shit-stirrer Hugh “Ransom” Drysdale (Chris Evans), who is an affront to sweater care.

Replica: Yes

Notes: Interviewed costume designer Jenny Eagan about it in 2019. This is the only sweater I’ve banned from being selected for Knitwear of the Week—and one several people made sure I included on the list.

(16) Friday the 13th

Sweater: A light gray cable-knit sweater fit for a bit of murder.

Who Wore It: Mrs. Voorhees (Betsy Palmer), the real antagonist of the first film.

Replica: Yes

Notes: Having never seen any of the Friday the 13th films—unless Freddy vs. Jason counts—I had no idea Mrs. Voorhees was 1) a character; and 2) such a big part of the first film.

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (2) Titanic vs (15) Derry Girls season 3

(2) Titanic

The Sweater: A grayish-brown honeycomb cable-knit sweater perfect for deep-oceanic exploration in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Who Wore It: Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton), the roguishly charming pirate treasure hunter whose discovery of a safe in the wreckage of the Titanic kicks off the entire movie.

Replica: No

Notes: A previous recipient of Knitwear of the Week. Bill Paxton has never looked hotter.

(15) Derry Girls (3×06, “Halloween,” and 3×07, “The Agreement”)

Sweater: A classically Irish white honeycomb Aran sweater.

Who Wore It: Sister Michael (Siobhán McSweeney), Derry’s most over-it-all nun with great taste in film.

Replica: No

Notes: Previous Knitwear of the Week recipient. Not the only Aran in a nearly perfect season of television. (Watch Derry Girls ASAP.)

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (3) When Harry Met Sally… vs (14) The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

(3) When Harry Met Sally…

Sweater: A chunky white Aran sweater.

Who Wore It: Harry Burns (Billy Crystal), one-half of one of the rom-com genre’s greatest slow-burns and fully in his divorcé era.

Replica: No

Notes: This sweater was Knit(ting) Flicks’ first-ever Knitwear of the Week, and it’s so iconic that nobody can replicate it, not even Billy Crystal—and he tried!

(14) The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

Sweater: A cozy white Aran sweater.

Who Wore It: The titular Thomas Crown (Steve McQueen), a bored millionaire businessman in the midst of conning an insurance agent.

Replica: Yes

Notes: He was the coolest to ever wear it—even though he was apparently a giant asshole IRL.

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (4) Firefly season 1 vs (13) Let’s Make Love

(4) Firefly (1×08, “Out of Gas,” and 1×12, “The Message”)

Sweater: A yellowish-brown cable-knit sweater.

Who Wore It: Hoban "Wash" Washburne (Alan Tudyk), the Serenity’s resident wife guy.

Replica: Yes

Notes: A cozy knit makes a fan-favorite even cozier.

(13) Let’s Make Love

Sweater: A purple cable-knit sweater fit for an in-movie Broadway number.

Who Wore It: Aspiring actress Amanda Dell (Marilyn Monroe)

Replica: Yes

Notes: Let’s Make Love is almost universally considered one of Monroe’s lesser films, but there’s no denying how culturally significant that sweater was for the rise of Arans as a status symbol.

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (5) Gilmore Girls season 1 vs (12) Local Hero

(5) Gilmore Girls (1×01, “Pilot”)

Sweater: An oversized white Aran sweater.

Who Wore It: High schooler Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), who’s clearly drowning in it.

Replica: Yes

Notes: An Aran sweater in an idyllic fictional Connecticut town? A likely place for it to be.

(12) Local Hero

Sweater: A brown twisted cable sweater.

Who Wore It: "Mac" MacIntyre (Peter Riegert), an aspiring oil company executive tasked with purchasing a town in Scotland. (I’m guessing he doesn’t buy the town by the film's end.)

Replica: No

Notes: I’ve never seen Local Hero, but it’s now on the list after this sweater was recommended as a contender to me on Bluesky.

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (6) Star Trek: Picard season 1 vs (11) Anatomy of a Fall

(6) Star Trek: Picard (1×01, “Remembrance”)

Sweater: An olive green cable-knit sweater complete with ribbed shoulder pads.

Who Wore It: Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), the U.S.S. Enterprise captain who just wants to enjoy his damn retirement in peace.

Replica: Yes

Notes: Granted, I’m not a huge Star Trek person, but a show where an older Picard hangs out on a vineyard with his dog and gets to relax sounds like a fun one-off.

(11) Anatomy of a Fall

Sweater: A chunky white Aran sweater fit for living in a remote French chalet.

Who Wore It: Sandra (Sandra Hüller), a writer who may or may not have killed her husband over a steel bass drum cover of “P.I.M.P.” (and some other significant factors).

Replica: No

Notes: Previously reviewed—and a great sweater movie.

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (7) The Devil Wears Prada vs (10) Love Story (1970)

(7) The Devil Wears Prada

Sweater: A light blue twisted cable sweater.

Who Wore It: Andrea “Andy” Sachs (Anne Hathaway), who’s having a disastrous first day at Runway.

Replica: No

Notes: Miranda Priestley might smite me for thinking it, but I don’t think this sweater is the disaster everyone at that magazine thinks it is!

(10) Love Story (1970)

Sweater: A chunky white Aran so warm that no coat is required.

Who Wore It: Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O’Neal), a WASP who comes from old money and falls in love with a working-class Italian American woman. Which, in the time/place that this movie takes place in, is pretty frowned upon.

Replica: No

Notes: A film that almost definitely contributed to the preppy reputation sweaters have nowadays.

Who has the better sweater?

Matchup: (8) House of Gucci vs (9) The Mandalorian season 2

(8) House of Gucci

Sweater: A white Aran sweater fit for skiing in the Alps.

Who Wore It: Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver) on a holiday while on the lam from the Italian authorities.

Replica: Yes

Notes: Previously reviewed. Interviewed costume designer Janty Yates. An a stark difference between how viral it went and how long it’s actually in the film.

(9) The Mandalorian (2×03, “The Heiress”)

Sweater: A teal cable-knit sweater getting used how it was historically meant to be.

Who Wore It: A Mon Cala Dock Worker (Frank Ippolito) who just wants to do his job in peace.

Replica: No

Notes: For a galaxy rife with lavish costumes, there was very little knitwear in it before this episode aired.

Who has the better sweater?

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