August 19, 2021
NewsCardigans are one accessory that often make us think of our grandmothers or our school uniform. For years, they were considered one of the least-chic accessories that you could add to your closet. Thanks to celebrities like Harry Styles and Taylor Switch, cardigans of all times are starting to make a comeback. Whether it’s oversized, subtle, or statement cardigans, this accessory has become a knitwear staple that is trans-seasonal and inter-generational. Everyone from Gen Z to your parents are wearing cardigans. This accessory is making a major comeback and it’s one that you want to add to your closet ASAP.
What makes a cardigan so appealing is its versatility. More of us than ever are looking to create a capsule closet and downsize our wardrobes. It’s no surprise that cardigans have become more popular as a result. You can throw them over your shoulder on a midsummer’s night or layer them under a coat during the winter. This cozy button-up accessory is easy to wear and the ultimate layering piece. With alfresco dining making a return thanks to the pandemic, the humble cardigan has become our go-to piece for layering. It’s low maintenance and works with every outfit.
When you find the right cardigan for you, you’ll never be able to let it go. You can throw one into your tote and slip into it whenever there’s a chill in the air. Whether it’s a midi dress or a tailored pants look, it’s easy to style your new go-to cardigan.
If you’ve opened this article, the chances are that you’re thinking about buying a cardigan or you’re not sure how to style it. This guide takes an in-depth look into the resurgence of the cardigan trend, including how you can style them and why they’ve made a sudden comeback into our lives.
How do you know something has become a trend? When you can find it everywhere from The Row to Valentino and H&M, you know it’s broken into the mainstream. You’ll find cardigans in different shapes and forms to suit every lifestyle. Valentino has monochromatic oversized cardigans, while Alanui has focused on adding fringe as a statement accessory. The Row have kept their cardigan understated and chic with a timeless silhouette that will stay in your closet for a lifetime.
The right cardigan can take you from a coffee run to an evening look, whether you’re heading to the theatre or grabbing drinks with friends.
It’s official. The accessory that reminds you of your gran, is official a trend. In fact, it’s even become a streetwear staple. You can hardly scroll through your Instagram feed without seeing a chic cardigan thrown over someone’s shoulder or paired with a matching skirt.
Like most trends, there’s a few celebrities behind the rise of cardigans are a modern staple. Katie Holmes was one of the first to be spotted wearing a fashionable cardigan when she stepped out in September 2020 wearing a minimalistic cardigan and bralette duo by Khaite. She styled the cardigan with open-toed mules, sunglasses, and classic jeans. After the photo went viral, the £2,000 two-piece sold out within 24-hours. Since then, almost every fashion brand has tried to jump on the cardigan bandwagon.
The resurgence in cardigans didn’t start with Katie Holmes though. We first swathe signs of cardigans making a return at the Autumn Winter 2019 fashion shows, when designers of all niches stated to incorporate cardigans with different cuts and colours. Chanel chose heavier cardigans, while Erdem kept their cardigans lady-like with a button-up silhouette.
By the time Spring/Summer 2020 rolled around, cardigans were everywhere we looked- and not in the traditional style. Designers chose to experiment with springtime shades and pastel hues with their cardigans, keeping their knitwear streamline and more refined. Brands like Tory Burch and Fendi were quick to jump on the trend, including novelty buttons and balloon sleeves in their design.
It’s easy to be sceptical about the return of cardigans. After all, the wrong styling could lead you to looking like Mrs Doubtfire and not like one of the Bottega Veneta models. Whatever your style aesthetic is, you can be guaranteed that there is a cardigan out there for you. Whether you like the oversized look of Taylor Switch or prefer to keep it contemporary like Katie Holmes, the humble cardigan has evolved into one of the most versatile pieces that you can add to your closet.
The beauty of the cardigan is that it’s one of the most size-inclusive accessories that you can add to your closet. As most cardigans are oversized, they’re more inclusive of larger sizes than traditional garments. You’ll find all kinds of body types wearing cardigans and the infamous cardigan and bralette cords all over your Instagram feed.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to decide how to style your cardigan. Unlike other garments, the focus is on the chest size when choosing which cardigan works for you. What we love about cardigans is the freedom that it gives you to decide if you want to keep it chic or go oversized for a more laidback look. The secret to pulling off your cardigan is all about how you style it.
One of the reasons why the cardigan is making such a comeback is part of the Y2K aesthetic, which draws on the nostalgia of the late-90s and early 2000s. It’s this aesthetic that led to the reappear of cardigans in the AW19 and SS20 collections. It’s a nonchalance and easy to wear piece that is unstructured, putting you in control of how it looks. Cardigans are lowkey but chic. After all, Katie Holmes’ infamous cardigan set was understated but make such an impression that it went viral overnight.
Another reason why cardigans have suddenly made a reappearance is during the pandemic. We all turned to living in athleisure, prioritising comfort over everything else when it came to choosing clothing to wear while sheltering in place. This shift in attention to comfortable pieces has remained throughout the pandemic and continues to influence trends. Just look at how we’ve swapped out heels for sneakers and loafers.
Although cardigans can be a comfortable essential that you reach for every day, they’re also easy to dress up and have fun with. They’re a staple that gives your look a vintage finish, making it perfect for pairing with a pleated skirt and a pair of preloved loafers.
Why not take a leaf from the look of Harry Style and Kurt Cobain and choose an oversized cardigan? You can use them as your fashion muse and pair your oversized cardigan with slacks, a graphic t-shirt, and loose denim trousers. These different outfit ideas show how versatile the humble cardigan is. Whatever event you have in your social calendar, a cardigan is almost guaranteed to be a staple.
The beauty of a cardigan is that they’re easy to dress up or down, whether you’re wearing them with jeans or dressing them up by draping them over your shoulder with an evening dress. It’s the perfect alternative to a blazer and can still give you a tailored look while keeping it softer look.
One concern – understandably – that people have when trying to style a cardigan is avoiding looking like their grandmother. The best way to keep your outfit looking young is to be unexpected with your styling. Instead of wearing a blouse, swap it out for a t-shirt. Don’t be afraid to mix masculine and feminine pieces together to create a unique look that is out of the box and reflects your personality. Whether it’s a maxi dress with combat boots or jeans and a band t-shirt, there is a dozen different ways to style your cardigan.
One styling trick that you don’t want to overlook is to avoid layering your cardigan with anything that has too high a neckline or that has a thicker material. Most of the cardigans that you’ll find on the market today are made using a lighter fabric, embracing the new idea of knitwear. Keep your layers lightweight and thin, whether it’s with a t-shirt or multiple layers to stay warm against the cold.
One thing we can be sure about is that cardigans are not going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re on the fence about adding a cardigan to your closet, now is the time to do so. Net-A-Porter, one of the most popular fashion e-commerce stores, has seen a 22% increase in cardigan sales in 2020 compared to 2019. It’s clear that this staple is here for at least the next few seasons. With summer in full swing, it’s the perfect time to look for a lightweight cardigan.
If you want to stay ahead of the trends, lookout for a cardigan twinset that is right in style with a ‘90s look. While the cardigan and skirt twinset aren’t for everyone, it’s the perfect way to take the Blair Waldorf look and make it contemporary.
What do you think of the cardigan trend? Are you going to add one to your closet? Let us know in the comments below!
August is a funny time for our closets. It’s still summer (technically) but it can start to feel like the early days of autumn. August is the definition of a ‘transitional’ month, meaning you’ll find yourself pulling from both the summer and autumn sections of your closet to create fashion looks. By this stage in the summer, we’re all tired of repeating the same six outfits every week. August is your last chance to get the most out of your summer closet, while letting you have the first chance to start experimenting with autumn essentials.
Tonal styling has been one of the biggest trends in recent seasons, with no sign of slowing down. While colour blocking was the ‘it’ trend of the 2010s, the tonal dress is the breakout style for this decade. Dressing from head-to-toe in one tonal shade is an art form. It’s a way of making any outfit look instantly chic and it’s a styling tip that you can use any time of the year. It’s a bold statement, especially if you decide to go with a vibrant colour like red or fuchsia pink. The tonal dress is effortless glamour and sophistication, making even your gym gear look more elevated. We’ve rounded up our tips for dressing in one colour in this handy guide to help you master the trend.
The first time you hear the phrase ‘Y2K’ it might stop you in your tracks. The name simply refers to the year 2000, focusing on the trends of the early 2000s up until 2010. Why are the trends back so soon? Usually, most fashion trends work on a twenty-year cycle as one generation grows up and sees the clothing style of the previous one. The Y2K trend has been made popular by Generation Z, who have come to love the trends they were too young to appreciate as children. There are Instagram accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers, dedicated to posting y2k fashion inspiration.
Once the temperatures start to rise and we get the first taste of spring, we all head straight to the back of our closets to grab our favourite dresses. After the last year of living through a global pandemic and wearing nothing but loungewear, we’re all ready to get back into some spring dresses. We think it’s time we all treated ourselves to a few new dresses to celebrate the spring and the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel.
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