I like the look of this sweater. The deep navy color, ribbed wool, and patches at the shoulders and elbows give it a handsome, practical appearance. It’s a vintage men’s Citadel commando sweater, made in Great Britain, with a V-neck and buttoned epaulettes with a USAF certification label inside.
This style belongs to the military knitwear tradition often called the “woolly pully.” British knitwear manufacturer T W Kempton supplies Woolly Pully sweaters and other knitted garments to the British Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy. That helps explain the style’s British military associations, although it doesn’t tell us who manufactured this particular Citadel.
The American Air Force connection comes from the certification label. Its wording describes a sample inspected against an Air Force specification, with the manufacturer certifying that the garment meets the approved sample’s quality. All-wool blue pullovers were part of the U.S. Air Force uniform wardrobe. An official Air Force uniform update set October 1, 2010 as the phase-out date for the 100% wool version.
I was also curious about the buttoned epaulettes and what they were used for. They provide a place to display rank insignia. With fabric shoulder marks, you unbutton the epaulette, slide the rank sleeve over it, and fasten it again. The Air Force’s July 2011 dress instructions, page 78, describe rank insignia worn on the wool pullover’s epaulettes. The buttons have a practical purpose.
With colder weather on the way, this wool sweater is a practical buy with plenty of vintage character.
Take a closer look at the vintage Citadel wool sweater in the shop.