Anything comes to mind when you think cardigans? Probably a grandma sitting by the fireplace and knitting another cardigan, right? This clothing is generally perceived to have this old appeal partly due to its history. But on a second glance, the old appeal could mean mature, secure, and unperturbed. Now that’s not a bad air to project, is it? So, designer cardigans bring a fusion of mature and stylish confidence without any contradiction.
Designer brands make most clothing items readily available these days, from power suits to loungewear, basic tees, cardigans, and underwear. Whether you’re willing to wear a designer cardigan, you’re aware that they’re here to stay and probably give some designer items in other categories a run for their money.
Traditionally, a cardigan is classified as a form of knitted clothing with an open front with buttons and is made of wool. These days, you find some without buttons, and being made of other materials like cotton and some synthetic materials. It’s also worthy to note that Coco Chanel made cardigans for women popular as she had an issue with sweaters for men back then. You can read about the history of this unique cloth style here.
Cardigans vs. Sweaters
Both of them are knitwear and worn over the upper body. Some even use the terms interchangeably. However, there is a subtle difference between them.
Cardigans, as described above, have an open front design that either hangs open, has a zipper or buttons. They typically have V-necks, can be worn by both sexes, and are quite fashionable. Women can be styled to look dressy for events or even tea parties, especially those adorned with pearls or jewels.
Sweaters, on the other hand, have a pullover design. That is, they are worn over the head with no openings. Also worn by both sexes, they can be worn alone or over other clothing. These come in different necklines; V-neck, turtle neck, crew neck, and sleeves; sleeveless, short-sleeves, three-quarters, and full-sleeves.
The Perfect Cardigan
Hello, chilly days! You’ve got nothing on a lady.
Did you know that they are worn over three seasons in a year? Fall, spring, and winter. The thicker variant can conveniently take the place of a coat for those extra cold days without the stiffness.
The perfect one is the one that fits you in every aspect that you consider important, which is one of the benefits offered by designers. Designers depend on seasons to debut their new collections. When launching a new season’s official collection, it’s an opportunity for consumers to feel what’s coming. For you, perfect could be as simple as color, pattern, versatility, functionality, thickness, fit, button/zipper size, length, embellishment, or lack of, etc.
How to Style a Cardigan Straight from the Runway
For a brand to be called a designer brand, its collection must have been showcased at one of the world’s four annual major fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, London, and New York. Who would have even thought that cardigans will be a “thing” for women, let alone the runway? Not just a fluke, they have appeared consistently, over and over again.
Irrespective of the season of the year, your designer cardigan will keep switching up your outfit game. See some suggestions below:
- Tie a cardigan around your waist for a cool and casual look.
- Play with a cardigan that has multiple colors and textures to give your outfit a lift.
- Match a striped tee or blouse with a striped cardigan.
- Wear your lightweight cardigan as a top/blouse and tuck it into your pencil skirt.
- Drape a contrasting/dark-colored cardigan over the shoulders of your sundress.
- Still, on textures, you can pair your bright-colored pencil skirt with a buttoned-up cardigan for a classic look.
- Wear an open-front long cardigan over a dress.
Do you get the drift? You can also check for more inspiration on how to make your cardigan work here https://www.cheatsheet.com/gear-style/ways-to-style-a-cardigan.html/.
In Conclusion
Outfits come and go, so it’s ultimately about what you make of it. Though cardigans have been around for a while, they have steadily been a “thing” for a while. The simple fact that they even made several features on the runway shows how far this clothing piece has come.
Get into the flow and give your wardrobe more styling options by getting a few designer cardigans.
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