Cardigans: Favorite way to wear them

Rosie

As I was putting on my cardigan this morning I was wondering if you all have a favorite way you wear your cardigans? Do you like them unbuttoned, fulled buttoned, buttoned at the bottom, middle, top? Share with me!

15 years ago

General

26 replies

Latest reply was from Mac

Itari

(website)

Active Member

I choose form-fitting cardigans that do not have buttons on the bust line and higher. I wear them buttoned, of course. They tend to look better than the other styles.

15 years ago

April

Veteran

If the cardigan is close-fitting, I'll button the middle and belt it. Otherwise, I leave it open and belt whatever's beneath it. Every now and then I button the top and leave the rest open, but it has to be the right style cardigan for this to work.

15 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Sorry Rosie, I don't wear cardigans so I'm of no help at all.

15 years ago

Veteran

I luv cardigans! I wish I lived in a climate where I could sport it all four seasons.

Well, I don't really have a favorite way of wearing them. For me, cardigans are like shapewear in that I can use them to highlight the good and hide the bad. : )

Help transition two different prints:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....407587254/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

Soften a bold print:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....981905378/

Make me appear longer/taller:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....927562851/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

Highlight a fun print:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

Fix fit/proportion issues:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/ (Borrowed hubby's shirt which was too boxy)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

Paired with stripes or contrasting color to add curve to my straight hips:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/w.....168731522/

ACK! Sorry for the long post! As I said, I LUV cardigans!! : )

15 years ago

Scarlet

Veteran

I often leave them unbuttoned on the bottom so that they don't ride up due to my relatively wider hips. I posted an outfit with a V-neck cardigan buttoned only at the top, and it was ylf-suggested to me to button in the middle instead, which I thought was a good suggestion. I think buttoning only at the top might work better with a higher neck.

15 years ago

Louise

Veteran

I usually wear them unbuttoned but do button them up if I get cold. After seeing AJ's fab cardi piccie collection I'm a boring cardi wearer so I'm taking notes x

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

hm, it really depends on the cardi and the occasion. I wear them in all of the above-mentioned ways, except for with belts. I tend to have at least one button done at work. If I don't sometimes when I move you can see that I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt underneath and I think that's weird at work but doesn't bother me outside of work.

15 years ago

Veteran

Mellllls - Hee-hee! Do you feel like your cheating with the sleeveless shirt at work and thus the weird feeling?

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Loose and voluminous. I am totally off belting and buttoning my cardigans at the moment. Need a huge change.

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

AJ, No for the most part I am okay with sleeveless dressing in the workplace so long as I don't have court or a high-level meeting. If I do wear a sleeveless outfit I do bring a sweater on the off chance I am pulled into a high-level meeting that day. But seeing my sleeveless shirt under my cardigan when I move seems different to me because it's unintentional. That may not make sense.

15 years ago

fathenry

Veteran

Thanks for starting a Cardi Thread! AJ, you are definitely an expert and I'm taking notes too.

My favorite cardies are fitted v-necks with elbow length sleeves. I wear them either fully buttoned or just buttoned in the middle.

15 years ago

Lena

Active Member

I used to like cropped close fitting styles, and now I'm all over the open flowy ones. Heh, I have only one, but I'm making the most of it right now.

When I wear cardies with buttons, I like to button either the very top or in the middle (otherwise they ride up from my hips).

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

I'm so over the traditional cropped cardigan. I feel like a granny in them now. I only wear my cascading cardis and boyfriend cardi. Cascading cardis are worn open and the bf cardi is usually buttoned in an "X" or belted, but I wear it open as well.

15 years ago

taylor

Veteran

WOW AJ, that was impressive:)

I guess it depends on what I am wearing..dress,skirt, or pants and boyfriend long , short or cropped cardi. I try to work these outfit variables prior to putting the outfit on. It can get tricky last minute:)

15 years ago

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

My longest two I haven't worn all summer. I like them best with a sheath dress and I kind of wore mine to death during winter.

I know that it is probably unfashionable for me to say this, but I do like the more traditional cropped cardigan and I wear these a lot. Because they are knits they have a lot more give than jackets so fit me better across the bust. Done up they define my waist. I know that I should probably add belts but I still can't find a comfortable one.

I just did a quick count in my head and I have 11 cardigans in my wardrobe and I do hate it when one reaches the end of its life!

AJ - you are the queen of the cardy!

15 years ago

anne

Veteran

I am kind of in awe of people who can just decide how they are going to wear them and then leave it like that for the day. I am always fiddling with my buttons and have a strong tendency towards doing them up
While leaving buttons undone is supposed to create a LLL (long lean line) I fear that it reveals my midsection when I would rather it were covered.

I have done some belting of cardis, but still mostly wear them unbuttoned.

In terms of long vs cropped my preference is for cropped too (Hi Fi)!. For someone of my proportions (ie long torso/short legs) they create a better line.

However I have bought 2 long cardis this (Australian) winter. One is still to arrive and I confess to not having really worked out how to wear the other - have tried pinning it together, belting it (not good) and wearing it open over a belt (liked this better)

15 years ago

Rosie

Veteran

What fun responses! AJ, wow! I love all the different answers, and, of course, how they are worn depends on the style. I have almost no consistency with how I wear my cardigans, which is why I was curious. The only thing I don't ever do is button just the top as it doesn't work well on me.

Thanks for playing, ladies!

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

There is nothing wrong with cropped carids, Fi, but in light of all the new styles that come about, there is definitely something unmistakably classic about them. If that's your style, that's perfectly great. I am neither classic, nor have I ever found them to be particularly flattering on me. They don't sit right over my bust when I leave them open, and don't provide enough shape for me when buttoned. BF cardis and cascading cardis look good with a bit of slouch to them so that is why they are my preference.

15 years ago

Polly (thunalata)

Veteran

Really interesting thread. It's given me lots of ideas. AJ - wow! My computer's on a 'go slow' so I haven't managed to see all of yours, but really like the way you use it in different ways.

Really interested too by those who aren't doing cropped cardis any more.

Rosie- great thread!

Oh - and I'm experimenting - sometimes all done up except the top few (only in particular situations with skirts); sometimes open; nostly with the middle ones buttoned; sometimes belted; sometimes not.

15 years ago

londonkiwi (now back in NZ)

Veteran

Anne -high fives in our cropped cardies! I am the opposite to you - long legs, short torso!.

Maya - I don't really consider myself to have a classic style either - I have too many items that are probably considered boho to fit in to that style persona. I guess the difference between the two of us in our preference is our body types. I suspect I am about the same cup size as you, but I am also a lot bigger every where else!

15 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

Wow AJ what a great collection of photos!

I have one flowy cardigan I haven't figured out how to style from last season. My others have buttons and I usually wear them half buttoned up. I'm moving to team jackets at the moment as I don't feel as fab in cardigan's anymore.

15 years ago

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

I prefer cropped cardigans and fitted cardigans, buttoned or open. I have not embraced the cascading cardigan- it feels too much volume for my body type, I cannot fit them well under other coats and I fear that they are not around to stay. I have not wanted to invest the money and have not seen any great colors for me. Again- gray, black or purple and I have enough black. They just do not work for my body type. Color is probably my biggest obstacle in finding cardigans.
I do not think cropped cardigans are dowdy or in the least bit boring. I find on some body types- the voluminous ones very dowdy. Or they can be spectacular- all in how you wear them.

15 years ago

Frances

Active Member

Rosie, I'm so glad you asked this question, and I'm looking forward to reading through all the responses for inspiration when I have some time this weekend. I always feel like I look frumpy in cardigans no matter how I experiment with them, but I can never quite put my finger on why. Now I'll have some new tips and suggestions to play around with.

15 years ago

Dawn

(website)

Active Member

AJ, all your cardigan combinations are so inspiring! What a fantastic thread!

15 years ago

Mellllls

Veteran

I consider a cropped cardigan to be one that ends around the ribcage and a classic cardigan to be one that ends around the hip bone. I like cropped cardis to wear over dresses. I think they fit better.

15 years ago

Mac

Veteran

AJ: I bow before you and your Killer cardi combos!

15 years ago

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