Last week was warm enough that I could sit outside and work just wearing a t-shirt. This week we are back to sleet and snow. It's Spring in Scotland. This is what we can expect ("if you don't like the weather, wait ten minutes"). This morning the postman brought me my Scollay sample from the Knit Now office. What perfect timing. I am wearing it on top of a striped tunic, black tights and black shoes. It is perfect. Happiness is a warm cardigan.
(pardon the poor selfie!)
I've spent some time thinking about cardigans lately. I tend to wear cardigans more often than jumpers, and I tend to wear the same two cardigans. What makes a good cardigan in my book?
- Easy to wear. I have so many cardigans that only go with one outfit.
- Easy fit. Fit is such an individual thing (and I'm going to write more about fit in the future), but I like cardigans that skim my figure rather than hug it tightly or hide it.
- Right colours. My wardrobe tend towards deep jewel colours, navy blues, and greys. I need to remember this when choosing colours for cardigans rather than "challenge" myself to step outside my comfortzone.
- Buttons. I love buttons and I love buttoned cardigans. Unbuttoned cardigans may look chic in photos but do not work for me.
- Details over features. I like cardigans with clever little details rather than statement pieces with huge, eye-catching features. Hey, that's probably my taste in all things summed up by one small sentence!
- Truth to materials. This is an Arts & Crafts tenet that I've stolen, but it rings true to me. A good cardigan is knitted in a yarn that showcases the design and will last longer than me wearing the cardigan three times. I've learned this the hard way.
- Long sleeves. I am always cold and short sleeves don't work for me. I can embrace 3/4-length sleeves if for a trans-seasonal cardigan, but let's face it, long sleeves are always better. It's just a shame I don't like knitting sleeves..
What do you like in your cardigans?