Café du Cycliste Celeste Cardigan Review

Photo courtesy of Café du Cycliste

Café du Cycliste Celeste Cardigan

PRICE €130

FIND IT AT cafeducycliste.com

Café du Cycliste’s Celeste is a city jumper with a full zip for when the temperature drops. The cardigan combines the natural breathability of merino wool with a fleece lining to make it a great top to wear on spring and autumn days or even on cooler summer evenings. The Celeste is available in six sizes and two colors, blue and red. The fabric is made of 35% Merino | 51% Polyester | 14% Polyamide.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

Move over sweatshirt and hoodie, this slim fit yet casual zippered cardigan is your new go-to cool weather layer. With a slim profile the Celeste is noticeably not bulky and the high neck with buttons helps keep the warmth inside. The cut is just long enough to keep you covered whether you ride upright or bent forward.

WISH LIST

While merino wool does a great job of managing temperature, it does little to keep the wind at bay. On windy and cool days a wind-blocking jacket is a must to stay warm. Thankfully the slim cut of the Celeste leaves room for this additional outer layer.

SUMMARY

I was very happy to be wearing the Celeste on a cool and rainy ride around the city of Montreal, Quebec. As the wind picked up, my unlined rain jacket fit nicely over the cardigan, and as the rain stopped and the air warmed, the Celeste kept me warm without overheating.

The construction of the cardigan is thoroughly thought through and features nothing unnecessary. There are no front pockets, which work in maintaining a slim shape. A small zippered pocket on the right, rear hip is just large enough for a smaller smartphone and also contains a signature of Café du Cycliste style, a pull out reflective flap that buttons in place for added visibility. The full zipper is strong and smooth and the high neck with button closure helped keep warmth in when needed.

The outer merino wool blend is noticeably coarser and slightly rougher than the merino used for other sweaters and t-shirts in my wardrobe. This makes the cardigan more suited to casual uses and lets it pair nicely with jeans and chinos. The inner lining however is very soft and comfortable when worn over a short sleeve t-shirt.

Overall, the Café du Cycliste Celeste cardigan is a beautifully designed, highly useful, and handy to have sweatshirt replacement. Both the red and blue are not your typical colors, but both work well with a variety of wardrobe staples bound to be already in your closet.