What Is the Cardigan Sweater?
When you're shopping for sweaters, you'll find plenty of options. Pullovers, turtlenecks, tunics and cardigans all make regular appearances on runways and department store mannequins. Different sweaters serve different purposes, and a cardigan sweater can be a useful addition to your wardrobe.
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Identification
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A cardigan is a sweater that is open in the front. Usually cardigans zip or button up the front, but some cardigans wrap around your body and are secured by a belt or ties. Though cardigans are most commonly available in long-sleeve versions, you can find short-sleeve and sleeveless versions. Cardigans may be knitted by machine or by hand, and you can find cotton, wool, silk, cashmere, acrylic or a combination of fibers.
History
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The cardigan sweater gets its name from British Major General James Thomas Brudenell, the seventh Earl of Cardigan and leader of the famous failed cavalry assault against the Russian Army that inspired Tennyson's poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade." Brudnell and the officers who served in the war with him wore fur-trimmed knitted coats to stay warm during their Crimean campaign. By the early 20th century, cardigans had become a wardrobe staple for American college students, and their popularity spread as the century progressed.
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Considerations
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Cardigans come in several styles. Shawl-collared cardigans and embroidered cardigans are romantic. Hooded cardigans add extra warmth and casual style. Beaded cardigans can be elegant enough to wear to black-tie affairs. Cardigans worn over matching shells make a sweater set--a basic component of a preppy wardrobe.
Famous Wearers
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Cardigans have attracted a variety of style setters. Television personality Fred Rogers, host of "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood," changed into a cardigan sweater at the beginning of his show, and former President Jimmy Carter frequently donned cardigans during his time in office. Designer Coco Chanel made the cardigan chic during the 1920s and 30s, and 50s and 60s style icons Doris Day and Jacqueline Kennedy helped the cardigan maintain its popularity.
Expert Insight
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According to Suzy Gershman, author of "Best Dressed: The Born to Shop Lady's Secrets for Building a Wardrobe," a cardigan can be a practical way to expand your wardrobe. Worn over a button-up shirt, a cardigan is a more casual substitute for a blazer or jacket. A cardigan can make sleeveless tops and light summer dresses more office-appropriate. Cardigans can also add color and pattern to a mostly neutral wardrobe.
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References
- Photo Credit hand and knitting image by hazel proudlove from Fotolia.com
