From time to time, Fran and I venture off into the region’s thrift stores. With some persistence, this can be an excellent way to pick up some classic pieces at a fraction of the original retail cost. Most of the time, we come up empty. But occasionally a bit of treasure crops up amid all the cast-off detritus.

Last Saturday was shaping up to be one of the many fruitless trips when I caught sight of a beautiful, Nordic-styled sweater.

At first glance, I thought it was a Dale of Norway sweater (which would have been something special in its own right). But a quick perusal of the tag showed it to be an L.L. Bean sweater–from a time when such things were still American made.

Although it will be held in abeyance until fall beckons, it should be an ideal sweater for Fran to take up with her to school in the East: warm, attractive and roomy enough for layering underneath.