Growing up, I thought the chicest thing I owned was a light yellow Old Navy cardigan. This was last year. Just kidding! But honestly, the cardigan trend was really in full swing throughout my youth in the '90s. There were oversize cardigans for those adhering to the decade's grunge aesthetic, and then there were cropped varieties for those who wanted to turn up the sex appeal for sweaters. Then, with the advent of velour tracksuits, cardigans seemed to fall out of fashion in the '00s.
Earlier this year, I wrote a story about Bella Hadid's Lisa Marie Fernandez baby cardigan [1], and I thought, "Noted." Then, more recently, I noticed Margot Robbie paired her wide-leg jeans with a Chanel cardigan [2] and decided I needed a damn cardigan. I'm now the proud owner of a black J.Crew Jackie cardigan [3], and things are going great! It has a way of making a relatively casual outfit look more work-appropriate, but throw on some blue jeans and moody lipstick and all of a sudden I'm Liv Tyler [4] in Empire Records — in my mind, at least.
While the cardigan is just one of many '90s trends having a second life in this century, its comeback can also be attributed to brands like Miu Miu, Alexander Wang, and Tory Burch, all of which included cardigans in recent collections. Ahead, browse through proof in the form of runway looks and real-life inspiration and shop our cardigan selections.
The Street Style Inspiration
The Runway Looks
At the Miu Miu 2019 Cruise show.
At the Alexander Wang Fall 2019 show.
At the Paco Rabanne Fall 2018 show.
At the Tory Burch Spring 2019 show.
At the Ulyana Sergeenko Haute Couture Fall 2018 show.
At the Chocheng Spring 2019 show.
Our Cardigan Picks
Urban Outfitters Kai Cropped Cardigan [6] ($39, originally $49)
Reformation Cropped Double V Cardigan
Reformation Cropped Double V Cardigan [7] ($148)
Carolina Herrera Animal Embroidery Cardigan
Carolina Herrera Animal Embroidery Cardigan [8] ($1,990)
Frame Fold Up Cardi
Frame Fold Up Cardi [9] ($285)
Balenciaga Logo Printed Rib Knit Cardigan
Balenciaga Logo Printed Rib Knit Cardigan [10] ($1,390)
Madewell x Manos del Uruguay Bobble Cardigan Sweater
Madewell x Manos del Uruguay Bobble Cardigan Sweater [11] ($500)
Alaïa Cropped Wool-Blend Cardigan
Alaïa Cropped Wool-Blend Cardigan [12] ($910)
ASOS Houndstooth Cardigan in Brights
ASOS Houndstooth Cardigan in Brights [13] ($48)
Gucci Tiger and Kingsnake Wool-Jacquard Cardigan
Gucci Tiger and Kingsnake Wool-Jacquard Cardigan [14] ($6,500)
Topshop Horn Button Crop Cardigan
Topshop Horn Button Crop Cardigan [15] ($28, originally $48)
J.Crew Cotton Jackie Cardigan Sweater
J.Crew Cotton Jackie Cardigan Sweater [16] ($65)
POPSUGAR at Kohl's Varsity Striped Cardigan Sweater
POPSUGAR at Kohl's Varsity Striped Cardigan Sweater [17] ($20, originally $50)
Love Moschino Cropped Cardigan
Love Moschino Cropped Cardigan [18] ($264)
Stelen Analiese Short Sleeve Fuzzy Cardigan
Stelen Analiese Short Sleeve Fuzzy Cardigan [19] ($59)
& Other Stories Wool Blend Cardigan
& Other Stories Wool Blend Cardigan [20] ($99)
Naked Wardrobe Play Your Cards Right Cropped Cardigan
Naked Wardrobe Play Your Cards Right Cropped Cardigan [21] ($38)
Valentino Butterfly-Embroidered Cardigan Set
Valentino Butterfly-Embroidered Cardigan Set [22] ($2,790)
Eloquii Cardigan Sweater Dress
Eloquii Cardigan Sweater Dress [23] ($139)
Alexa Chung Cable Knit Cardigan
Alexa Chung Cable Knit Cardigan [24] ($470)
Miu Miu Embellished Ribbed Cashmere Cardigan
Miu Miu Embellished Ribbed Cashmere Cardigan [25] ($948, originally $1,355)
Lisa Marie Fernandez Terry Cardigan
Lisa Marie Fernandez Terry Cardigan [26] ($156, originally $195)
Versace Alphabet Motif Cardigan
Versace Alphabet Motif Cardigan [27] ($1,795)
Marni Intarsia Knitted Cardigan
Marni Intarsia Knitted Cardigan [28] ($960, originally $1,600)