• Men's Fashion Basics

Men’s Fashion Basics – Part 7 – Thick Knits & Cardigans

Moving on from last week’s article on jumpers, I thought it was probably about time we covered their older sibling cardigans, and thick knit clothing in general. Along with jumpers, I am a really into cardigans at the moment. Mainly because they can add a nice twist to the outfit you’re wearing but also, thanks to the time of the year and the weather outside, layering these pieces with your other clothes helps keep you warm for the winter months. It doesn’t hurt that these new breeds of cardigans are more fitting and slim cut than your granddads, making them the perfect complement to your striped and plaid shirts. Rather than the thin layering that some of you may fancy, why not try some of the thicker knits out there? Fair Isle and Cable knits were really big last autumn and will most likely be so again this year. They come in a variety of styles and colours and the great thing about them is their simplicity. Rather than the complexity of thin layering and making sure everything is in its right place, just pull on a camel or cream cable knit jumper over your t-shirt to keep you warm as the daylight dwindles and set yourself apart from everyone else who thinks winter equals shades of black. Or for those times that you’re heading out straight after work, why not leave the jacket at the office and pull on a thick knit grey v-neck over your shirt and tie and head out ready for anything. In regards to cardigans, you can get them in thin knit materials such as cashmere and cotton or thicker versions predominately in wool. Thick knit cardigans are great as an overall top layer during the colder months, kind of like a cool substitute for your winter overcoats – my favourite way to wear them is over a blazer. However, I would recommend buying a few standard thin cardigans first before so that you have some versatile options all year round. You can wear them with pretty much anything and look great when layered with a shirt and blazer combination. But remember if you are going to sport these newer stream lined cardigans then remember to keep your under layers in a similar cut so that you don’t have any billowing or creasing material.

Ways to Wear

And as always here are some fool-proof ways of wearing cardigans:

• Trying pairing a black cardigan with your newly purchased denim shirt and jeans. Then add a knitted tie to compliment both the colour of the cardigan and the material of the shirt. Or just think of your black cardigan as you would your black blazer; it’ll go with anything.
• For those days at the office, why not try wearing the same coloured cardigan as your suit under the jacket? It’s like wearing a three piece suit but not: all the connotations of power with none of the stuffy drawbacks.
• And for those lazy Sunday’s why not wear a navy cardigan over your favourite pair of jeans or chinos and a V-neck T-shirt. Or try substituting the tee for a vest as the weather starts to warm up or maybe even those jeans for some chino shorts?

Cable Knit Lookbook Inspiration

Fair Isle Knit Lookbook Inspiration

Chunky Cardigan Lookbook Inspiration

Smart Cardigan Lookbook Inspiration

So there you have it, buy some cardigans and thick knit jumpers to see you through these remaining months before the summer finally arrives. Just remember if the cardigan is simple in design and colour you’ll have more room to play with patterns and designs with your under-layer. Similarly, if you’ve picked up a patterned cardigan, try to keep the shirt and tie as simple as possible and let the cardigan do all the talking. Look for ones in navy, grey and, particularly as spring kicks in, camel or cream and you can’t go wrong.

Matt Allinson

Matt graduated from Leeds University in 2009 and is currently studying for an MA in Multi-media Journalism at Bournemouth University. He is in charge of the Men’s Fashion Basics section which provides you with a step by step guide to becoming a stylish individual in any situation.