Cardigans Should be Your Winter Go To

Why everyone should be wearing their grandpa’s cardigan this fall

Long gone are the days of skinny jeans and skin tight clothes – we are in the cozy age.

Pant legs are wider and tops are baggier and I couldn’t be happier. Maybe it is the 70s coming back into effect or maybe we all just want to be more comfortable. Regardless, the best way to achieve maximum grandpa coziness is a chunky, cozy cardigan.

If you're not quite sure what exactly I mean, think of your grandpa, he’s hanging out on his porch, it’s a breezy fall afternoon, a cigar in hand, while wearing a scratchy wool cardigan. Now, if your grandpa isn’t a 90 year old Italian man, you can just look at the sweater Tyler the Creator recently designed in association with Lacoste.

Photo: StockX

Tyler the Creator is a prime example of the sort of cardigan we’re talking about in his recent collab with Lacoste. The Golf le Fleur Lacoste cardigan with its gentle hues of the pink and cream combined with the plush wool makes for a great contender. Throw some brown chinos and a pair of chucks and you have a certified fit right there. Although, not a sweater I could actually see my grandpa wearing, this one takes inspiration from that architype and adds a modern, trendy twist to a classic.

Although Tyler the Creator just recently got into the cozy cardigan game, Blondey McCoy has been rocking them for a minute. Blondey is a British designer, skateboarder, artist, and model. When most people think of a skater, they think of grimey vans, ripped jeans and a graphic tee. Blondey dresses quite the opposite. You can normally catch him in some trousers, button down and a cardigan. He started his own company, Thames (so British), when he was in his mid teens and he often incorporates grandpa-esque vibes into his classic British style for his collections.

Photo: SSENSE

Blondey McCoy and Tyler the Creator are just two individuals rocking with the cozy, classy vibes, but I wanted to find brands right now that are creating these cozy concoctions. I recently went on a search through Soho for some of the best cardigans out there right now and here are a few of the best.

The first two up are from Loewe, the Spanish luxury house owned by LVMH. Loewe is known for their leather goods, mainly, but their sweaters are as cozy as can be. Premium fabrics and excellent construction make these oversized sweaters perfect for the incoming cool weather. Loewe was also recently featured in GQ Style as one of the top three brands in the menswear market right now.

Photo: Loewe

Photo: Taken by Nicolas DeStevens

Now if you can’t afford to drop $1,400-1,8000 on a sweater, A.P.C. might be a better bet. In February, A.P.C. collaborated with Kid Cudi on a capsule collection. One piece is a cardigan that is the perfect amount of chunkiness found in a grandpa sweater. (A.P.C. is a French luxury brand founded in the 1987).

Photo: Taken by Nicolas DeStevens

This sweater in particular is a chunky, cable knit like, thick ass sweater but with great breathability. It is made out of 100% cotton and is a ribbed knitted panel cardigan with small details of embroidery on the left pocket.

Holding down the tie dye Aficionados comes LA based label, Amiri, with cool tones with a riff on Grateful Dead merch. This sweater is a great transition piece for in between summer and fall. Other than being a literal piece of art, this sweater is one of the softest I felt. A mix of cashmere and virgin wool means it has an amazing tenderness, like a grandpa understands. The $1,400 price tag is a bit steep but the quality on LAs favorite new label is everything.

Photo: Taken by Nicolas DeStevens

If you’re watching your coin, I feel you and I understand your pain. BUT there are some options for those of us with limited money. L.L. Bean is a classic American outdoors brand. Their quality is consistent, they have a strong brand image, and their prices are quite fair. This Irish fishermans cardigan by them is a steal at $129. Major Deadliest Catch vibes but in the safety of your own concrete reef.

Photo: Taken by Nicolas DeStevens

Now, if you don’t want to be mistaken for a fisherman, you aren’t a fashion aficionado, you just want a regular ass cardigan, there are plenty of options out there for you as well. Some brands to check out for a basic cardigan are; Gap, Uniqlo, All Saints, ASOS, etc. All of these brands are offering pretty standard sweaters at an affordable price. Gap and Uniqlo specifically, offer products that are not too “fashion” and nothing that is going to break the bank, but might break the earth. Maybe go thrifting.

If y’all still don’t believe that caridgans are going to be THE item this season, you can wait until everyone is wearing them or you could just take my advice and cop now to be ahead of the cigar toting, grandpa-esque trend. Up to you, stay cozy.