Welcome to Reality Check: a new regular franchise from the ELLE fashion editors that asks: how well do the season's biggest trends really work in the wild? This week, we’re unpacking the rise of the cool-girl cardigan.


Can a cardigan be cool without being, well, Miu Miu? That’s the question I’m asking myself as I click back and forth between two browser tabs: one displaying the brand’s trend-birthing logoed creation, the other a plain cashmere option from Arket. One undoubtedly excites me more, but as my finger hovers over the big BUY NOW button, I'm reminded of the state of my finances and consider: do I really love the button-up, or have I been blinded by the label?

It’s no secret that Miuccia’s hand is uniquely able to turn the most pedestrian of pieces into a seasonal headliner (just think of Prada’s awkward A-lines and girlish pinafore dresses), but her cardigan revival is one that has hit the mainstream with particular vigour.

cardigans
Jeremy Moeller

So back in the real world, with Arket’s snuggly black cardi winging its way to my address, (it was nice to dream for a minute, but this was always going to be the outcome) I’m asking: is the cardigan actually cool now, or is this a case of reflected runway glory? Lose the logo, and do you also lose the associated sense of knowing, of fashion-insider irony?

Honestly, it took me a while to crack the cardigan code. Jeans and trainers felt too pedestrian (when you’re 5ft 3inches, the whole insouciant, model-off-duty thing reads more like 'dishevelled toddler'), and a midi dress too prim and proper.

But there are ways to style a button-down knit in the real world that feel fresh and (genuinely) cool. Consider ditching the layers and wearing yours unbuttoned at both ends. The result is sexy but uncoerced - the 2023 evolution of Katie Holmes in what fashion historians will soon call The Khaite Moment.

Knitted Cardigan
& Other Stories Knitted Cardigan
£85 at Stories
Knitted Cardigan
H&M Knitted Cardigan
On Sale
Knit Cardigan
Mango Knit Cardigan
Now 28% Off
Cashmere Cardigan
Arket Cashmere Cardigan

High-waisted jeans might be the obvious match for a cocooning cropped cardigan, but consider a low-rise, wide-legged tailored trouser instead: amplifying a waist-grazing hemline and revealing a flash of skin creates a fresh silhouette that feels equal parts masculine and feminine.

On Sale
Joanne Cardigan
Reformation Joanne Cardigan
Now 25% Off
Cardigan
Autumn Cashmere Cardigan
Now 55% Off
Wool Knit Cardigan
Miu Miu Wool Knit Cardigan
Wool Cardigan
Acne Studios Wool Cardigan

Another instant win is to team your cardigan with another new-season crowd-divider: the school-girl mini. Opt for a size bigger than you usually would to balance your silhouette, and finish with loafers (Cos has the perfect pair) to mimic that Miuccia allure without draining your bank account.

As for me, I'll be keeping the cuddly Arket knit, teaming it with masculine tailored trousers and a pair of the sharpest point-toe boots to shake off any lingering nerdy connotations. Your librarian could never.

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