Joe's Picks

Cardigans Worth the Slightly Higher Price

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Joe's Top Picks

Cardigans Built for Casual, Not Just the Photos GOBI CASHMERE Organic Color Textured Knit Cashmere Jacket-Style Cardigan - Dusty Beige WK- Jump to section ↓

$259.00 GOBI CASHMERE

Cardigans With Crew Neck Detail Done Properly TV STORE ONLINE Adult Unisex BB Star Wars Ugly Christmas Cardigan Sweater - Jump to section ↓

$19.95 TV STORE ONLINE

Cream Cardigans That Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe KARMALOOP Big Block Cardigan Jump to section ↓

$134.99 KARMALOOP

Red Cardigans Worth Building an Outfit Around SHOPBOP Little Lies Millie Knit Cardigan BlueRed Stripe ML Jump to section ↓

$89.00 SHOPBOP

Shawl Collar Cardigans That Get It Right ZEAGOO Solid Color Puff-Sleeve Open Blazer Shawl Collar Open Cardigan - Green M Jump to section ↓

$32.89 ZEAGOO

The Burgundy Cardigans We Keep Coming Back To PETAL PUP US Brittany Placed Embroidery Flower Cardigan Jump to section ↓

$80.00 PETAL PUP US

V Neck Cardigans That Punch Above Their Weight THE WEBSTER g Striped Cardigan Jump to section ↓

$435.00 THE WEBSTER

Cardigans Built for Casual, Not Just the Photos

Most cardigans photograph well and wear badly. They look considered on a model standing still and collapse into something shapeless by midmorning when you're actually moving through a day. The problem is that too many are engineered for the image rather than the hours. We've been specifically looking for cardigans that earn their place in rotation beyond the first wear, the kind that hold their structure, button properly after a few washes, and don't demand a perfectly constructed outfit underneath to look right. A good cardigan should work over a t-shirt on a slow weekend and layer cleanly under a jacket when the temperature drops unexpectedly. The yarn matters. The button quality matters. The way the hem sits when you're actually wearing it, not posed in it, matters. These are not statement pieces. They are the kind of thing you reach for without thinking because it always works. That is the harder thing to find and the only thing worth buying.

GOBI CASHMERE Organic Color Textured Knit Cashmere Jacket-Style Cardigan - Dusty Beige WK- $259.00 GOBI CASHMERE

SELDOM SEEN STYLES Seaside Resort Cardigan Printed Pompom Kimono $22.00 SELDOM SEEN STYLES

COTTON ON US Cotton On Men - Cropped Cardigan - Pink texture $35.00 COTTON ON US

SHIEKH Men Big Poppa Polo Cardigan Multi Shirts L Multi $19.99 SHIEKH

COOFANDY Lightweight Knitted Cardigan Sweaters with Pockets $29.99 COOFANDY

FARMRIO Cream Toucans Scarf Knit Cardigan, TOUCANS SCARF CREAM $198.00 FARMRIO

VOGHION GLOBAL Men's Clothing fashion trend colorful letter printing loose sweater hip hop street wear cardigan casual top $23.15 VOGHION GLOBAL

Men’s Clothing Autumn And Winter New Men’s Clothing Hot Style Stand Collar Casual Sports Sweater Cardigan Knitted Sweater All Match Wool Sweater

VOGHION GLOBAL Men's Clothing Autumn And Winter New Men's Clothing Hot Style Stand Collar Casual Sports Sweater Cardigan Knitted Sweater All Match Wool Sweater $24.08 VOGHION GLOBAL

UNIQUE KULTURE AFFILIATE PROGRAM Knit Two Pocket Long Sleeve Open Front Cardigan $195.50 UNIQUE KULTURE AFFILIATE PROGRAM

MANLY Men's Retro Casual Knitted Lapel Sweater Cardigan MTAITO $78.95 MANLY

MANLY MEN'S VINTAGE LAPEL KNIT CARDIGAN JACKET X $82.95 MANLY

THESUPERMADE INC Street Subculture Angel Jacquard Cardigan Sweater $86.84 THESUPERMADE INC

Cardigans With Crew Neck Detail Done Properly

The crew neck cardigan sits in an awkward spot in most men's wardrobes because most men buy the wrong version of it. Too boxy and it reads retirement community. Too fine a gauge and it loses all structure the moment you sit down. The ones that get it right understand that the crew neck detail is doing real work here, framing the collar of a shirt or the neckline of a tee in a way that looks considered rather than accidental. We've been specifically interested in cardigans where the ribbed crew neck holds its shape over time, where the body length works tucked or untucked, and where the weight is substantial enough to mean something without making you sweat indoors. Merino and lambswool are doing most of the heavy lifting in this edit. These are the cardigans you reach for on a cool morning when you want to look like you thought about it without looking like you tried too hard.

TV STORE ONLINE Adult Unisex BB Star Wars Ugly Christmas Cardigan Sweater - $19.95 TV STORE ONLINE

ZEAGOO Minimalist Comfort Layering Knit Cardigan $54.99 ZEAGOO

VOGHION GLOBAL Men’s Zip-Up Knit Sweater Trendy Slim-Fit Cardigan, Stretchable & Breathable Polyester, Crew Neck With Cable Knit Design $20.51 VOGHION GLOBAL

ZEAGOO Irregular Button Casual Cardigan Loose Crew Neck Sweater Outerwear - Apricot $34.99 ZEAGOO

W CONCEPT (US) Stripe Rip Crew Neck Cardigan Grey $86.00 W CONCEPT (US)

W CONCEPT (US) CROCHET CREWNECK CARDIGAN [SOFT PINK] UDSWBP $120.00 W CONCEPT (US)

EILEEN FISHER Peruvian Cotton Blend Crew Neck Cardigan $258.00 EILEEN FISHER

GOBI CASHMERE Cashmere-Silk Crew Neck Cardigan - M True Red WKA- $219.00 GOBI CASHMERE

W CONCEPT (US) Essential Crew Neck Standard Fit Cardigan [PURPLE] WBDL $92.00 W CONCEPT (US)

RENT THE RUNWAY English Factory Stitch Detail Puff Sleeve Cardigan Cream-black $98.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

ZEAGOO Irregular Button Casual Cardigan Loose Crew Neck Sweater Outerwear - White $34.99 ZEAGOO

RENT THE RUNWAY Derek Lam Crosby x RTR Olive Striped Cardigan Green-cream-print $276.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

Cream Cardigans That Earn Their Place in Your Wardrobe

Cream is one of those colors that looks effortless when it's right and washed out when it isn't, and the difference usually comes down to yarn quality and cut. A bad cream cardigan makes you look like you forgot to do laundry. A good one layers over a white or chambray shirt with the kind of quiet confidence that takes no explaining. We've been paying close attention to weight here because cream specifically shows every sin of a fabric that's too thin or too loosely knit. The ones that hold their shape, photograph well, and still look considered after a year of wear are rare. We've also been looking at how these work beyond the obvious off duty applications. Over a collared shirt for a smart casual occasion, under a coat in transitional weather, with tailored trousers when you want texture without color. Cream done right is not a neutral. It's a decision.

KARMALOOP Big Block Cardigan $134.99 KARMALOOP

HELLOMOLLY US Charmed By Tradition Knit Cardigan Cream $85.95 HELLOMOLLY US

SHIEKH Men Big Poppa Polo Cardigan Cream Shirts Cream $39.99 SHIEKH

THE WEBSTER Crystal Brooch Cropped Cardigan Cream $359.00 THE WEBSTER

GOBI CASHMERE Essential Cashmere V-Neck Cardigan - XX Cream White MK- $199.00 GOBI CASHMERE

CERQULAR Benetton Cardigan - Large Cream Virgin Wool $56.03 CERQULAR

HARVEY NICHOLS US Ganni Knitted Cardigan - Cream $315.56 HARVEY NICHOLS US

HARVEY NICHOLS US Free People True Embroidered Knitted Cardigan - Cream - L - L $180.32 HARVEY NICHOLS US

HELLOMOLLY US Blooming Delights Cardigan Cream $89.95 HELLOMOLLY US

RENT THE RUNWAY Fifteen Twenty Bliss Scallop Edge Cardigan Cream $143.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

HARVEY NICHOLS US Toteme Double-breasted Wool-blend Cardigan - Cream - S - S $401.86 HARVEY NICHOLS US

SHOPBOP Bailey Rose Nautical Cardigan Cream $63.00 SHOPBOP

Red Cardigans Worth Building an Outfit Around

Red is the color most men treat like a hazard sign and we understand the hesitation. Get it wrong and you look like you're trying to be noticed. Get it right and it's the thing that makes an otherwise quiet outfit worth looking at twice. A cardigan is actually one of the better ways to introduce red into a wardrobe because the format keeps it grounded. Layered over a white or grey tee, worn open over a chambray shirt, or buttoned up with trousers and a clean sneaker, the right red cardigan pulls weight without announcing itself too loudly. We've been looking specifically at shades that sit in the deeper, more considered end of the red family. Brick, burgundy adjacent, true red that leans slightly warm rather than fluorescent. The fit matters as much as the color. Too boxy and it looks accidental. Too slim and it fights the layer underneath. These are the ones that reward the commitment.

SHOPBOP Little Lies Millie Knit Cardigan BlueRed Stripe ML $89.00 SHOPBOP

VOGHION GLOBAL Luxury Knit Cardigan & Pencil Skirt Set Heavyweight Viscose Blend With Gold Accents BlackRed, Sizes S-L $38.18 VOGHION GLOBAL

ZEAGOO Knit Open-Front Split Cardigan - Wine Red $31.80 ZEAGOO

RENT THE RUNWAY Toccin Red V-Neck Short Sleeve Cardigan Red-cream-print $295.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

HARVEY NICHOLS US Free People Celeste Brushed-knit Cardigan - Red $103.04 HARVEY NICHOLS US

THE LUXURY CLOSET Dior Red Knit Button Front Long Cardigan $370.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET

ZEAGOO Open Front Cardigan Soft Outerwear - Zeagoo- Wine Red $32.19 ZEAGOO

TV STORE ONLINE Ugly Christmas Sweater Gift Wrapping Bow Unisex Cardigan $50.99 TV STORE ONLINE

HARVEY NICHOLS US Free People Celeste Brushed-knit Cardigan - Red - S - S $103.04 HARVEY NICHOLS US

ZEAGOO Faux Fur Coat Fuzzy Cardigan Warm Fleece Jacket - Zeagoo- Red M $29.99 ZEAGOO

HARVEY NICHOLS US Alexanderwang.t Logo-embroidered Cropped Wool Cardigan - Red - M M $251.16 HARVEY NICHOLS US

RENT THE RUNWAY Rachel Antonoff Red Cori Cardigan Red-cream-print $261.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

Shawl Collar Cardigans That Get It Right

The shawl collar cardigan is one of those pieces that looks effortless when it works and slightly sad when it doesn't. The difference is almost always in the collar roll, the weight of the yarn, and whether the proportions actually suit a grown man rather than a catalog model. Get those things wrong and it reads as costume. Get them right and it becomes the thing you reach for every time the temperature drops and you need something that sits between a sweater and a jacket without committing to either. We've spent time with a lot of these. The ones that fail tend to be too lightweight, too shapeless, or cut in a way that makes the collar collapse instead of holding its shape. The ones we've pulled together here do none of that. They work over a shirt, over a tee, alone at home, and out without looking like you forgot to put a coat on. These are the cardigans that earn their place.

ZEAGOO Solid Color Puff-Sleeve Open Blazer Shawl Collar Open Cardigan - Green M $32.89 ZEAGOO

VOGHION GLOBAL Fur Collar Cape Ladies Large Size Knitted Cardigan Loose Coat Artificial Fur Fashionable And Warm Shawl Cape $30.74 VOGHION GLOBAL

THE WEBSTER The Cardigan Blue $188.00 THE WEBSTER

ZEAGOO Solid Color Puff-Sleeve Open Blazer Shawl Collar Open Cardigan - Green L- $32.89 ZEAGOO

DRAPER JAMES Tuxedo Cardigan Sweater $79.00 DRAPER JAMES

ZEAGOO Solid Color Puff-Sleeve Open Blazer Shawl Collar Open Cardigan - Blue $32.89 ZEAGOO

HARVEY NICHOLS US Toteme Double-breasted Wool-blend Cardigan - Cream - M M $401.86 HARVEY NICHOLS US

SHOPBOP RAILS Corden Cardigan Constellation $99.00 SHOPBOP

HARVEY NICHOLS US Ganni Patterned-intarsia Knitted Cardigan - Black - M M $206.08 HARVEY NICHOLS US

HARVEY NICHOLS US Toteme Double-breasted Wool-blend Cardigan - Cream - L L $401.86 HARVEY NICHOLS US

ZEAGOO Solid Color Puff-Sleeve Open Blazer Shawl Collar Open Cardigan - Blue S $32.89 ZEAGOO

W CONCEPT (US) Wool Shawl Collar Cardigan [Navy] CA $129.00 W CONCEPT (US)

The Burgundy Cardigans We Keep Coming Back To

Burgundy is one of those colors that does more work than it gets credit for. It sits close enough to neutral to pair with most things in a man's wardrobe, but it has enough presence to make an outfit feel considered rather than assembled. A cardigan in this shade over a white or cream shirt is one of the better combinations in casual menswear, full stop. We've come back to burgundy cardigans repeatedly because they age well in the wardrobe the same way they age well on the body. The color deepens with familiarity. What we've been looking for specifically is weight, because a thin cardigan in any color is a compromise, and structure around the button band and cuffs, because that's where cheaper options give themselves away fastest. The ones collected here cover different fits and price points but they all share the thing that matters most. They look better in person than they do in the photograph.

PETAL PUP US Brittany Placed Embroidery Flower Cardigan $80.00 PETAL PUP US

CERQULAR Cardigan C June Burgundy $210.76 CERQULAR

THE LUXURY CLOSET Alaia Burgundy Stretch Knit Crop Cardigan $495.00 THE LUXURY CLOSET

HARVEY NICHOLS US MM Meandro Ribbed Open-knit Cardigan - Burgundy - M M $190.63 HARVEY NICHOLS US

WHITE FOX BOUTIQUE US All Bundled Up Knit Cardigan Burgundy $79.99 WHITE FOX BOUTIQUE US

SHOPBOP Little Lies Francesca Cardigan BurgundyPink SM $34.00 SHOPBOP

HARVEY NICHOLS US Loveshackfancy Martti Pointelle-knit Cardigan - Burgundy $418.60 HARVEY NICHOLS US

W CONCEPT (US) Signature V-neck soft wool cardigan [BURGUNDY] W $80.00 W CONCEPT (US)

RENT THE RUNWAY The Great. Loom Striped Cardigan Multicolored-red-print $113.00 RENT THE RUNWAY

SHOPBOP Sea Kit Embroidery Cardigan Burgundy $270.00 SHOPBOP

W CONCEPT (US) -WAY Varsity Snap Wool-blend Cardigan [Burgundy] $104.00 W CONCEPT (US)

PETAL PUP US Jones Rosette Cardigan $90.00 PETAL PUP US

V Neck Cardigans That Punch Above Their Weight

The v neck cardigan gets underestimated constantly and we think that's mostly because men have seen too many bad ones. The shapeless ones. The ones that pill after three washes and sag at the elbows by November. When the construction is right though, this is one of the most quietly useful pieces a wardrobe can hold. It layers over a shirt collar without fighting it. It works under a jacket when the temperature can't make up its mind. It moves from the office to a casual Friday without requiring a change of clothes or a change of attitude. We've been looking specifically at options where the yarn has real substance, the ribbing holds its structure, and the v sits low enough to show a collar but not so low it becomes a decision. Price doesn't always predict quality here, which is exactly why curation matters. These are the ones that will still look right three winters from now.

THE WEBSTER g Striped Cardigan $435.00 THE WEBSTER