this is the new hero piece of my winter wardrobe.
you know that time of year when all you want to wear is a giant blanket? it's that time of year.
that groundhog spoke too soon, obviously, because it's back to snow boots and parkas all week. the genius of the oversized cardigan wrap/coat is that it has all of the practical qualities of a Snuggie without any of the undignified qualities of...a Snuggie. i generally avoid buying knits from high street shops due to the predominance of acrylic in the fabric content, but every once in a while you can find a lovely and inexpensive piece like this one with mostly natural fibers. since i blinked and missed the Lemaire x Uniqlo capsule from last fall, this is a welcome discovery that evokes some of the same luxe minimalist vibe.
(Everlane also makes
a more tailored 100% chunky wool version, which you could definitely keep at the office as an all-purpose workwear knit.)
another added bonus of the oversized cardigan coat: depending on how you style it, it's practical and stylish for everyday. i'm a big fan of the casual, Row-esque look of the H&M version – perfect for cold-weather travel.
what have been your foundations lately?
I don't get how long cardigan coats work in cold places in winter. As a layer to wear in the office, yeah, but they're not warm enough to walk around in outside in NYC, and how the heck do you put a coat over them?
ReplyDeleteah, excellent question! i should have been more specific - at least in my mind the term 'coat' is used more loosely, it's a cardigan coat due to the length vs its 'outerwearness' per se. not warm enough to wear alone as polar vortex, but i have a few coats that are roomy enough to layer a thick knit underneath so these would work as a layer. :) also depending on where you live, this would probably suffice for milder winters...
DeleteI'd wear it all spring and fall as an outer layer, and inside in the winter. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI love these too and as hard as I try to get The Row vibe, it ends up looking like a large, shlumpich house coat on my petite frame (5'3"). How do you avoid that?
ReplyDeleteRoxanna - when it comes to this i always say, it's all about the attitude in how you wear it :) you could also always hem and tailor a bit to your dimensions.
DeleteJust when I was debating whether to sell my Isabel Marant Etoile maxi cardigan and about a few minutes later decided not to. This kind of knit is a useful and stylish layer piece in winter and outerwear for chilly late spring/summer. I really like the H&M one you picked, reminds me of the ones I wore in the 90's - God I feel old writing this. Still, it'd look so good with skinny jeans and loafers... At least I definitely didn't wear cardigans this way back in the days!
ReplyDeletehaha! so funny that we wear the same pieces differently a decade+ later.
DeleteCoincidentally enough, I purchased a black, washable wool Eileen Fisher cardigan coat during the post-Thanksgiving sales. It is knee length rather than the near ankle grazer pictured above, and I have worn it almost non-stop since I acquired it. I cannot believe how versatile it is - coordinates well with pants, dresses, denim, skirts and can look dressed up and business-like or elevate a plain casual outfit in a pinch. I am in the Midwest, so I wear it as a layer in the winter, but it will be great outerwear for spring and fall transitional weather. Definitely one of my top five purchases of 2015!
ReplyDeletelove love love it when that happens :) EF is great for pieces like this.
Deletelovely! i have my own variation on this theme, which is a COS cardigan that fits like a duster coat - boxy, lightweight, perfect for layering. Looks a little like the Everlane one. I like that it has enough structure to look all right for work but it's cozy the way cardigans should be, and easier to layer under a coat compared to a jacket.
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ReplyDeleteaww thanks Ange! stay tuned for the best of 2015 review :)
DeleteHow generous is the xs/s size in this cardigan?
ReplyDeleteit's pretty generous and looks like the fit on the model.
DeleteThanks! I'm a size 10 and ended up going with the XS/S and it swims on me! I'm glad I didn't go up a size. Love it--thanks for the recommendation!
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