There are a very few things that every woman really needs in her closet: mid-rise, dark wash jeans, a white shirt, a basic black dress, and a cashmere sweater. If you ONLY had those four pieces, you could go pretty much anywhere.

The part that always makes people nervous is the cashmere sweater. Let’s dispel some myths about cashmere.

Cashmere is expensive.
Yes and no. You’re not going to find a great cashmere sweater for $19.99. Cheap cashmere is just that — cheap; it won’t wear well, and it is often itchy. Good cashmere doesn’t itch — it is soft and silky and delightful to wear. But having a good cashmere sweater doesn’t mean spending a fortune. There are lots of places that carry beautiful, classic cashmere sweaters for around $100. My favorites are J. Crew (watch the end-of-season sales), Lands’ End, and Garnet Hill.

Cashmere has to be dry cleaned.
No. No no NO. Do NOT dry clean cashmere, ever. Hand wash in cold water and baby shampoo. The chemicals in dry cleaning fluid will cause the fibers in your cashmere sweater to become dry and brittle, which reduces both the silky softness and the life of the garment. Don’t EVER dry clean cashmere.

Cashmere is impractical.
A beautiful cashmere sweater — a basic cardigan, say, or crew or V neck pullover — goes with everything. Wear it with a skirt or wool trousers for work, or with jeans or yoga pants on the weekend. Choose a flattering cut and a color you love and a classic silhouette and make the cashmere sweater work for you. Lightweight cashmere can be layered in the dead of winter and tossed over a tank for all but the hottest days.

I hear from lots of moms who say, “When my kids are older, I’ll think about it, but right now I’m a walking Kleenex and it’s not worth it.” You would be surprised at the things you can wash out of cashmere. Blood, dirt, fish sticks that someone gagged on at dinner and threw up all over you — not that I have ever had to wash any of those things out of a cashmere sweater (okay, yes I have). Once upon a time, people wore cashmere sweaters for warmth, not for fashion, and the heartiness of the knit was part of what made them such great layering pieces. Wear the sweater, and then wash it after playgroup.

The bottom line is this: when you have great pieces in your closet — well made, beautiful, practical pieces — you can easily look pulled together, even on the days when you are scrambling to get out of the house. Toss a cashmere cardigan over a pair of jeans and a white tee and suddenly you look more professional, more reliable, more chic. A cashmere sweater is an investment; you will be able to wear it for years, to all sorts of venues and functions.

It’s okay to spend money on classic pieces, like a cashmere sweater. In fact, in the long run, it’s a good choice, because you will have that piece forever. And wouldn’t it be nice to know that you have one really practical, incredibly beautiful thing in your closet, something that you can and will wear all the time?

Yes it would.