As the weather begins to transition to autumn, I have noticed the resurgence of cardigans! Now, I am incredibly excited about this trend because I have been an active cardigan wearer since I was in middle school. Maybe that is because my mom is an elementary teacher, so I always followed in her fashion footsteps, or my inspiration for Jessica Day from New Girl is everlasting. Whatever the reason may be, I believe that cardigans are back and here to stay.
Walking around campus, I have noticed the different variations of outfit combos that a cardigan can provide. Personally, I have a plethora of cardigans of all different colors and lengths, including my prized possession, the Taylor Swift cardigan! I have seen the classic longer cardigan paired with jeans and a cute tee, dressing up a comfier look with a cardigan and sweatpants, or my personal favorite, a cute athletic dress paired with a shorter cardigan (specifically with the top button buttoned.)
You may be familiar with the term “Christian Girl Autumn” which brings to mind the classic autumn girl with a long cardigan, infinity scarf, boots, and the iconic hot latte from Starbucks. However, I think we need to change this and reinvent fall fashion. Fall is the perfect season to experiment with different styles, and the weather provides ample opportunities to pair dresses with long sleeves layered underneath, sweaters with skirts (classic Rory Gilmore!), or cardigans with jeans! Cardigans do not have to be characterized alongside your high school English teacher or even Mr. Rodgers. They are fashion accessories that can improve your fall wardrobe in so many ways.
Cardigans are a feminist fashion statement that have been around since the 1900’s and were worn by women over dresses or skirts. Interestingly, Chanel is often credited with introducing cardigans, the most notable memory being Coco Chanel wearing a long cardigan on a Normandy beach as early as 1913. This wardrobe stable made a resurgence in 2020 when Taylor Swift released her album Folklore and sold cardigans alongside her other merchandise. This replica of the one Swift wears in her Cardigan music video is a thick cable knit sweater with black stripe edging and three stars on each sleeve, which sold out immediately on her online store. Since then, with the release of her albums, she has created matching cardigans that have her fans going crazy, including myself!
From Chanel to the Queen of England to Taylor Swift, I view cardigans as a feminist staple that every woman should have in their fall outfit rotation. An easy way to dress up an outfit while staying warm is a win in my book! Stop the hate on cardigans and see for yourself what the craze is all about!