Stripes on a cardigan are one of those details that can go either way very quickly. Done badly and you’re wearing something that looks borrowed from a beach hut. Done well and it’s one of the most characterful pieces in a fall or winter wardrobe, the kind of thing people ask about. We’ve been paying close attention to weight, stripe width, and how these sit over a shirt versus worn on their own, because a stripe cardigan that only works in one situation isn’t earning its place. The ones worth buying tend to have a certain restraint about them. Not so loud they demand the whole outfit bend around them, but with enough presence to actually mean something. We’ve also been looking hard at how the ribbing holds up and whether the colors stay true after washing, because that’s where cheaper versions fall apart fast. These are the stripe cardigans that reward wearing, not just buying.