Winter, a time of runny noses, panic-buying Christmas presents and cardigans. We know which of those three we’re most happy about.
When thinking about what to buy now (a question that runs through our head nearly hourly), it’s perhaps unsurprising that we turn (also almost hourly) to Instagram for inspiration. Since the dawn of Insta, discovering trends has never been quite the same. We’re bypassing traditional celebrities and brick-and-mortar stores to discover the pieces we want by seeing them on the women we follow. And, we’re shopping their wardrobes instantly, of course.
Recently, the standout piece appears to be something so practical and wholesome, our mothers-in-law would struggle to disapprove of it. Like summertime’s straw bags, the natty button-down cardigan has been elevated to the heady heights of a must-have by Leandra Medina (nee Cohen) of Man Repeller who found hers at Mango and Pandora Sykes who scored hers at a second-hand store.
It’s so unapologetically un-sexy, it’s deeply alluring. So anti-fashion it’s above trends. It’s so outside of the outré fashion that’s leading the conversation (think: cowboy boots and heavily printed maxi skirts) that it feels like a breath of fresh air.
The women in charge of the Instagram conversation have seemingly agreed on the most modern way to wear the cardigan. Namely, with straight leg trousers or jeans.
Meanwhile, on the autumn winter runways of Erdem and Preen By Thornton Bregazzi knitwear, interloped into eveningwear. It had ballooned in size and roamed free over frothy dresses and party gowns. Sometimes belted, other times worn instead of a coat, for it’s far less as formal than a jacket or as suffocating as a blazer.
Perhaps you remember The Edge of Love (2008), the sprawling, brawling romantic epic about Dylan Thomas that’s fuzzy-edged wardrobe was sharper than its script. Sienna Miller’s natty cardigan for her part as Thomas’ wife Caitlin MacNamara was flung over tea dresses and walking boots in an almost pseudo-grunge look. The movie hit box offices at about the same time cardigans last hit mainstream. Call it nostalgia, or a throwback to the AW18 catwalks, but it’s exactly this paradoxical styling we need to channel to pull off the chunky knits all those influencers keep wearing. It requires balancing out with an ultra-femme silhouette (as seen on the catwalk). However, the other option is to follow the lead of the influencer set and team the knitwear with straight leg trousers.
Currently, Mango (£49.99) has a creamy Aran cardigan with tortoiseshell buttons, while Whistles has a mohair marroon cardigan (£129) that scoops into a low V-neck. A winning formula is to pair either with a Stine Goya dress, like the hexagonally printed Regitze (£543), or a pair of stiff Topshop jeans (£42).
Remember - the only rule is: stay cosy, or otherwise what's the point of wearing a cardigan?