The texture, mixed yarn, and beading make for a lovely variation on the fairisle. as other reviewers have said, the length is not as long as it appears in the picture. the color is a very dark navy, almost black. the neck opening is larger than a standard crew sweater but lays mostly flat. the overall look is boxy. i'm 5'7 and normally wear a medium in retailer sweaters. i changed to a large so it would be longer and have a roomy drapy feel.