Miss Jill's Closet

The Rise of the Santa Fe Style Phenomenon

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, American design embraced an earth-toned, artisan-centric renaissance known as the Santa Fe revival. Influenced heavily by traditional Pueblo textiles, historic Navajo chief blankets, and rustic ranch dressing, fashion houses translated historic high-desert iconography into luxurious cold-weather essentials. Now Sport emerged as a standout label during this movement, designing garments that favored raw fiber authenticity over mass-market synthetic production.

The Enduring Tactility of Shetland Wool

At the center of this vintage Now Sport cardigan is 100% pure Shetland wool. Originating from the hardy sheep of Scotland’s northern archipelago, Shetland fleece is renowned among fiber historians for its dense crimp, incredible warmth-to-weight ratio, and naturally weather-resistant properties. According to the Vintage Fashion Guild Fabric Resource, traditional Shetland yarns retain a distinct tactile hand that holds structural jacquard shapes exceptionally well, making it the perfect vehicle for intricate Southwestern geometric patterns.

Silhouettes of an Era and Modern Wearability

Finished with engraved silver-tone concho buttons and leather thong ties, this crimson knit incorporates a dramatic shawl collar and practical patch pockets. While original late-century tags often read “Medium,” the relaxed, dropped-shoulder tailoring yields an expansive 24-inch pit-to-pit cut that effortlessly accommodates a modern US Women’s 2XL. Determining contemporary fit requires evaluating these structural nuances, a method detailed extensively in our archival vintage sizing guide.