Ever since French fashion designer Sonia Rykiel “transformed the sweater and cardigan” women have enjoyed an elegant option to the blazer and jacket. Back in the mid 80s I discovered how versatile sweaters were while working as a retail salesperson at “The Broadway” department store in Downtown, Los Angeles. With a little imagination I learned how to coordinate a black and off-white striped sweater set, throughout the week, with black pants and skirts. I’ve since replaced that set with another black and off-white one, by Ann Taylor, that I bought at a thrift store. Last month, when I had an appointment in Santa Monica, I wore it for the first time with my black and white pinstriped Norma Kamali blazer and a pair of black skinny pants. Throughout my research for this article I discovered that sweaters can be bought at most price points, worn as a practical cover up or a blank canvas for scarves, pins and necklaces. It doesn’t matter if they’re vintage, hand knit or oversized, they still have the ability to take an outfit from okay to outstanding easily and quickly.
During the mid 20s Coco Chanel was so influenced by how her then boyfriend, the Duke of Westminster (‘Bendor’) and his friends dressed to “hunt, play tennis and golf and fish for salmon” in “blazers, vests and cardigans” that she translated them for her own women’s wear designs. The magic of their functionality and ease hasn’t diminished or become less important over the years. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, a prolific style icon during the 60s, took this trend for menswear sweaters to another level for women’s casual wear by wearing them with “jodhpurs, riding boots and neckerchiefs.” Today the chunky pullover has become a wonderful pairing with longer, 50s-style full evening skirts for the fall and winter.
Despite the mild weather we enjoy year round in L.A., there are times when the temperature dips down enough to need a garment to keep us comfortable against cool breezes, air conditioning and night air. Jose DeAnda, sales associate at BCBG Max Azria in the Beverly Center told me when I visited the store, “I often help women find a simple cardigan to wear with a lightweight dress, when they go to church or temple, so they’ll be covered up but not too hot.”
Further insisting a blazer might be too heavy and uncomplimentary for a dress’s silhouette, he showed me a couple of cardigans made out of fabric as soft as a cotton t-shirt. When I went online to examine the company’s current line of sweaters I noticed how differently their “Eugene Pointelle Cardigan” in peach looked than the same one in black. Beautifully constructed from silk, cotton, rayon, chiffon and polyester the lighter shade would be a perfect compliment for a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans or khakis and the black one would adequately replace a blazer and soften a button-down shirt and straight skirt.
Another good way to create a work look by using a sweater can be achieved at a store like “White House Black Market” where head to toe wardrobing is their philosophy. Let’s say you are an Associate Editor at a magazine or a general office clerk and you went in and asked one of their salespeople to help you coordinate something to wear for your first day on the job. Since she’s probably up on the season’s trends and knows blue and nautical are in, she might show you a navy-blue cardigan sweater with a short-sleeved white shirt and a navy-blue pleated skirt. This combination, while classic and traditional, will also allow you to vary it with print scarves, silver or gold jewelry and navy-blue or white pants instead of the skirt.
One of the most sophisticated ways to wear a cardigan sweater is over a black dress. We can thank Chanel again for popularizing the dress in the 20s and Audrey Hepburn for memorializing it in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” One day, when I was about 12 years old, I was at my grandparent’s house with my mother and my grandmother a found black wool pearl and rhinestone cardigan sweater my mother had worn while attending Dorsey High School. “What did you wear that with and where did you wear it?” I asked her once. “I think I wore it over a black dress to a party,” she said. “We wore a lot of black back then in the 50s.”
If you don’t have the budget to splurge on a nice sweater at the mall, you can always find an excellent selection at your local thrift store for under $10. I found a wonderful rack of sweaters, including name brands like Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Chico’s and L.K. Bennett at “Council Thrift Shop” in Mar Vista. After choosing an off-white Ann Taylor cardie that resembles a blazer for $6 and a white ribbed hooded toggle button sweater jacket for $8. I walked away with two pieces that’ll work during the week and on the weekend.
Adaptable and endlessly creative, sweater dressing is only limited by your imagination, so if you’re in a clothing-rut or want to give a conservative ensemble some pizzazz try adding a sweater.
Various Ways to Wear a Sweater: a vintage cardigan over a white button-down shirt (men or women), sweater set over black pants, a sweater cardigan over a floral dress, a Cashmere short-sleeved sweater, accessorized with a rhinestone pin, then paired with khakis. Also there is a pullover with plaid pants (men or women) and plaid blazer over turtleneck and black pants (men’s).