Cardigans, do they have a place as a wardrobe staple in modern menswear?

[Treble]

Love a shawl collar but more around the house as they don't do much for windy days and are hard to layer on top of.

 

[garyclark]

Love a shawl collar but more around the house as they don't do much for windy days and are hard to layer on top of.

Agreed. Fall is shawl collar cardigan season for me. I need more in winter.

I'll add that when I am at a work event in a hotel or other business center that is business casual, I like bringing one. They're perfect to throw on to run out and grab a cup of coffee in any type of cold, or if the air conditioning gets put on blast.

 

[transitoryanglo]

Love a shawl collar but more around the house as they don't do much for windy days and are hard to layer on top of.

i find mine wants to be layered under overcoats only.

 

[transitoryanglo]

Thanks for this comment, very helpful! I've been looking at Arancrafts myself- I like the sweater I got from them last year that I mentioned above, so went to them to look at cardigans when this thread started. I blame you all if I end up with one this winter!

The Arancrafts stuff is great for around the house because I feel like its not too densely knit and therefore not too warm, and not so expensive that I'd be scared to leave it on with a cup of tea and a biscuit in front of me.

 

[rjc149]

Cardigans are:

1. Versatile -- can be a layer beneath a coat, worn alone inside, worn alone outside as a light jacket, worn with t-shirts, henleys, collared shirts (shawl collars work better with unstructured polo shirt collars), or over other knitwear

2. Practical -- can be donned, and removed, without messing up your hair or shirt, or in tight spaces (car seats, restaurant booths). Allows easier thermoregulation via unbuttoning or buttoning, or easy removal.

3. Warm -- 'nuff said. A heavy wool cardigan is just a cozy thing to wear when it's 20 degrees out in a way that a synthetic Patagonia sweater or down vest just isn't.

Are they stylish? Yes, they can be. Shawl collars are more so. I have a beefy, cable-knit cream Irish cardigan that I wouldn't call 'stylish' -- if I want to look stylish I will opt for a shawl collar cardigan.

 

[pasadena man]

Very essential. They add color and provide warmth. They are like all things a matter of opinion. Most of mine are from Uniqlo, Spier Mackay, and Polo.

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[/QUOT
I have never been drawn to long sleeve cardigans. I liked vests with suits, either with the coat on or off, but contrasting vests (waistcoats) were a bridge too far for me.Then I discovered Drake's sleeveless cardigan vests. Drake's put a bit more prominence into the details (buttons and plackets), but primarily came up with a snug, very flattering sizing. They did it partly by having tailoring sizing (38, 40, 42, etc). I found that it gave the flattering outline of a suit vest, but fit in with casual looks in a way that a contrasting non sweater vest did not for me. The effect is very similar to AC's fits above. Can't tell if his are sleeveless or not. Drakes' are pricey, but I assume that some other brands may have imitated their trim sizing.

 

[Mirage-]

I don't really have good cardigans yet. For me there are only 2 kinds I would consider: heavy shawl, probably the classic Lockie, to wear indoor as a pseudo day-robe, and thin sleeveless ones to wear exclusively under jackets. It has to be sleeveless because 1) otherwise it's too prone to making you overheat in typical offices, and 2) i can't stand the process of putting thin sleeved cardigans over a shirt, it feels like a fight against the clothes each time.
Sleeveless is infinitely more practical and easy to both wear and remove - but I don't like the sleeveless look, so only under jackets.
An additional problem I have found with the latter category is they tend to be much too long so they bunch up when you sit, and also visually elongate your torso more than standard knitwear, which much better prevents this effect via ribbing. Yes most cardigans also have some ribbing, but I find it generally doesn't actually work (also because usually they are not designed to be fully buttoned)

 

[comrade]

For some reason the originator, Lord Cardigan is never pictured
in his eponymous sweater:

James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[An Acute Style]

A shawl collar cardigan is a great item, but not what most people think about when they hear the word cardigan. I’d wager it usual brings to mind a v-neck sweater with buttons down the front for most people.

I love my shawl collar cardigans, but do not consider them a menswear staple. I think the thin ones with collars lack presence. The thicker ones only make sense in certain climates. I think thin and thick non shawl collar cardigans are more versatile.

I think Kent Wang and Spier and Mackay both make good shawl collar cardigans. Check them out.

J. Peterman

Polo Ralph Lauren

Old Navy

Spier and Mackay

 

[Son Of Saphir]

Me like the old grandpa look to cardigans
Me not like modern styled cardigans
Me like the heavy shawl cardigans the best from Scotland,
and in cashmere and to pair it with tweed trousers
Me like a nice relaxed fit.
Me like the comfort of cardigans
Me wear many many cardigans these days,
all from Scotland.

 

[_Nicolas_]

A shawl collar cardigan is a great item, but not what most people think about when they hear the word cardigan. I’d wager it usual brings to mind a v-neck sweater with buttons down the front for most people.

Totally agree and would also add that I feel they also often imagine a thin, poorly-made, sloppy version of what you described, not something refined. I think it's why going for a cardigan that's in many ways the antithesis of that works so well for many people!

I love my shawl collar cardigans, but do not consider them a menswear staple. I think the thin ones with collars lack presence. The thicker ones only make sense in certain climates. I think thin and thick non shawl collar cardigans are more versatile.

I think they could function more as a menswear staple here in the UK where there seem to be a lot of negative preconceptions and associations about certain types of cardigan. Like a lot of things that we could consider staples, they're very dependent on location. Couldn't agree more with you on shawlless cardigans being more versatile, but they just seem to attract a degree of unwanted attention here in the UK which makes me feel a tad uncomfortable, and that's really not easy to do as I dress rather boldly at times. I just think it's very important that we deal with what we wear and the way it's perceived by others in a realistic way, not an idealistic one, it's a big part of what keeps one's style relevant and 'fluent' IMHO.

EDIT Not usually a fan of cardigans with logos, but I think that RL one you posted looks great and so does the rest of the outfit!

 

[_Nicolas_]

I really like the look and style of the higher end J. Crew knitwear.

However, I find that they stretch out over time more quickly than other sweaters.

Apologies, forgot to thank you for the feedback earlier! That's a great shame as I love the styles. I'm thinking of going for a cotton piece and then a cashmere one and they do some nice cotton ones so one of those would have been perfect!

 

[7_rocket]

I love wearing cardigans!

I used to wear the thinner ones that @An Acute Style posted prior but I found them to be too Mr rogers and didn't suit my own personal taste. I love a shawl cardigan as I don't wear suits so I wear it over a T shirt, dress shirt and even a henley.

 

[Casaubon]

For me, a chunky cardigan is ideal for going to work on those cool spring or fall days, when the outside temperature is similar to that indoors. In my casualized work environment, a sport coat or suit would be too dressy, and a casual jacket not something that I would wear indoors, so cardigans easily fill the gap.

 

[letsgofire]

Christian Kimber has a new one that I’ve just purchased. I think this will be great for when the weather gets a bit cooler here.

Fetherston Merino Cardigan - Chocolate

Designed for comfortable and stylish layering, our new Fetherston cardigan is knitted in Italy from Australian merino wool. We selected a deep coffee shade to compliment our signature chevron motif, skilfully woven to add depth and texture to the garment. The Fetherston features a button closure...

christiankimber.com