THE JOURNAL
Photograph by Mr Marc Richardson
In the not-too-distant past – back when The Vaccines made you think of a band and not Pfizer or AstraZeneca – cardigans were worn by Topman-worshipping indie lads, golfers, Mr Fred Rogers and no one in between. So the fluffy, knitted, button-up jacket has not always had a fair rap when it comes to fashion, but all that’s starting to change.
With cardigans popping up in the collections of everyone from BODE to Gucci, any fusty associations seem to have dissipated. The newer type of cardigan is bright, textured or printed, a layer to make a statement with. It’s still fluffy, sure, but it’s also streetwise, and has broken away from its stuffy reputation to be something you can wear year-round with pretty much anything. Keep scrolling for a few styling lessons from guys who’ve worn it well.
01.
Note the hoodie and cardigan flex
Photograph by Mr Marc Richardson
You know we mentioned there were new ways to wear a cardigan? Well, one of them is wearing it over a hoodie. An unexpected way to layer your clothes to be sure, but something that works really well with an oversized cardigan that is capacious enough. Cosy but also a little edgy, this is exactly what we meant when we coined the term “snoozecore” in January. Hey, it’s a thing.
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02.
Keep it clean
Photograph by Mr Szymon Brzóska/The Style Stalker
OK, so maybe this isn’t a cardigan in the traditional sense. More appropriately, it looks to be a Pleats Please jacket/cardigan/blazer by the designer Mr Issey Miyake, worn here by the Italian fashion critic and Miyake-devotee Mr Angelo Flaccavento. What it lacks in definability though, it makes up for in stylishness. See how the muted cream colour pairs well with both the white T-shirt underneath and even the billowing crimson trousers below. Intellectual, minimal and precise, this is a look that makes a statement without having to shout about it.
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03.
Be bolder than before
Photograph by Mr Marc Richardson
There’s a lot going on here – black and white fluffy checkered cardigan plus paint-splattered denim shirt is not a maths equation we saw working out, but as any well-dressed man will tell you, good style is an art rather than a science. The texture of the monochrome cardigan – note again that it’s oversized – contrasts well will both the denim and the khaki trousers, and makes for an outfit that makes us excited about getting dressed for going outside again.
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04.
Go for stripes and mohair
Photograph by Mr Marc Richardson
We can’t claim to be the oracles of all things fashion at MR PORTER, but we know at a glance that this cardigan is by Marni, whose psychedelic, fuzzy striped mohair sweaters have been worn by everyone from A$AP Nast to Mr Travis Scott in recent months. We can see why they’ve proven so wildly popular: slightly subversive to what you’d expect from a traditional mohair sweater, a cardigan as textured and bright as this is enough to transform a drab look into something infinitely more optimistic.
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05.
Keep it old school
Photograph by Mr Marc Richardson
Just because we’ve extolled the virtues of psychedelic knitwear and cardigans worn over hoodies, that doesn’t mean there’s not a place here for the tried and tested. This grey cardigan, fitted and ever-so-slightly cropped, feels sophisticated enough to wear to the office (over a white shirt, as seen here) but cool enough to take out to dinner. Paired with smart, tailored trousers and a coat in a navy colour, it looks almost scholastic – in a good way. Perhaps best to avoid shorts when wearing something like this though, lest someone actually thinks you’re late for school.