Thank you, Hectorm, for your thoughts and recommendations. Very helpful, as I'm flying to Rome in two weeks time for an intensive 'pizza treatment' and to be measured - not by a funeral director yet;
just a new shirtmaker. I'll make sure to forget cash and debit card in my hotel room when visiting Sartoria Ripense.
Unfortunately my aunty provided me of at least a dozen of cardigans that I was forced to wear in my early teens. Since then I really struggle to appreciate this garment. Nonetheless, her passion and dedication keep being a source of inspiration - she used to work 60 hours a week assembling and finishing fine pull-overs (*) and then spend her little spare time knitting cardigans for us. Today no more cardigans for me, thanks, but I still love knitted sleeveless pullovers to wear under a coat (**).
(*) I still remember visiting her every afternoon and spending at least half an hour jumping on the sea of white undyed angora and cashmere pullovers lying in piles of one-hundred each on the floor of her big workshop. So patient, my aunty
(**) I actually started knitting one in pure linen for myself last week. In size 34 chest and at 120 stitches/square inch, it's a 80-hours job...