The Incredibly Comfortable Cardigan That'll Make You Look (a Little More) Respectable
SHOP $49.90, uniqlo.com
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In 1993, Nirvana appeared on "MTV Unplugged" to perform a medley of hits in a pared-down show that would go on to become one of the most famous live sets of all time. Slumped over an office chair in front of the microphone, Kurt Cobain—in a shaggy, moss-green cardigan that cocooned almost protectively around his thin frame—sang with his signature wounded pathos, swaying imperceptibly in time to the music in an image that eventually defined the aesthetic associated with an entire genre of music for a generation of disaffected listeners.
So, do you need a cardigan? Well, yes. Because aside from channeling even an ounce of that energy, it'll make you look a whole lot better in general.
It's always in style (and always will be).
There's a lot of talk these days about a growing "cardigan resurgence" among some of the world's most discerning dressers. In pre-pandemic life, you only had to step outside on any even-slightly-breezy New York City day (or peep any recent picture of Tyler, the Creator) to see for yourself the kernel of truth in that notion. Late last year, in the same month the Tom Hanks-helmed Mr. Rogers movie made its debut in theaters across the country, the cardigan Cobain wore on the set of "MTV Unplugged" sold for over $300,000 at auction. Which is all to say the cardigan has been bubbling up in the culture for a minute now. How many other pieces in your closet are inextricably linked to both a controversial icon of the counter-culture and a household name immortalized for his indefatigable goodness in this very magazine? Name another garment that can claim that particular type of broad appeal. (I'll wait.) In fact, the cardigan never went anywhere at all. It was always here, and always will be, and if you're looking for the right version to invest in this spring look no further than Uniqlo's lightweight merino wool style.
SHOP $49.90, uniqlo.com
It's especially suited to this sartorial moment.
Here's the thing about the cardigan: It is, without a doubt, the easiest layer to shrug on and off without messing up the rest of a meticulously-assembled outfit, and remains the most effective way to elevate even the most mundane of get-ups. The once-stuffy, prep-school staple originally named for an actual honest-to-God Earl has never looked cooler, and might even be the garment best situated to become your go-to during this peculiar, and often confounding, sartorial moment. Wearing Uniqlo's ultra-soft take on the style is like permanently wrapping yourself in the coziest hug imaginable with none of the downside of having to tactfully extricate yourself from the embrace before it gets too awkward for everyone involved. Throw it on over a threadbare tee and a beat-up pair of vintage jeans for a look that suddenly seems a whole lot more considered, especially if you're trying to avoid looking like you woke up and tuned in to whatever conference call you were supposed to be on 10 minutes ago without doing much else but putting one on.
The best option to buy now doesn't break the bank.
Sure, by now a bunch of designers with names I always struggle to pronounce have given the cardigan the high-fashion treatment, but the truth is there's no better option than the style Uniqlo sells each and every season (for a fraction of the price, to boot). Uniqlo makes its cardigans out of a super-fine merino wool that hasn't pilled in the slightest since I've started wearing it, and wearing it hard, earlier this year. The brand's take on the style skims the body in all the right ways without feeling constricting, and remains my not-so-secret sport coat alternative when I want to rock a lightweight layer that has a formal edge with none of the stuffiness associated with its flashier counterparts.
The secret to looking like you have your shit together this spring? Wear a cardigan. The trick to harnessing your inner counter-cultural icon while maintaining an iota of in-short-supply basic human decency? Wear a cardigan. The key to making it through the lockdown with some semblance of personal and professional dignity intact? Listen, man, I can't promise it'll help there, but wearing a cardigan definitely can't hurt.
SHOP $49.90, uniqlo.com
Photography and prop styling by Allie Holloway
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