Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
A cardigan is a type of sweater that has buttons on the front. It was named after James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander, whose troops wore knitted waistcoats of this kind during his service in the Crimean War era, and the name passed from the man to the garment. Unlike a pullover, the cardigan opens fully at the front, which makes it easy to put on, take off and layer. This page explains cardigan construction — buttons, necklines, pockets and fits — and how the style is worn.
A cardigan is a type of sweater that has buttons on the front. It was named after James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander, during his service in the Crimean War.
A cardigan is a type of knitted garment that has an open front. Commonly cardigans have buttons: a garment that is tied is instead considered a robe. A more modern version of the garment has no buttons and hangs open by design. By contrast, a pullover does not open in front but must be "pulled over" the head to be worn. It may be machine- or hand-knitted.
The cardigan was named after James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British Army Major General who led the Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. It is modelled after the knitted wool waistcoat that British officers supposedly wore during the war. The legend of the event and the fame that Brudenell achieved after the war led to the rise of the garment's popularity.
Plain cardigans are often worn over shirts and inside suit jackets as a less formal version of the waistcoat or vest that restrains the necktie when the jacket has been removed. Its versatility means it can be worn in casual or formal settings and in any season, but it is most popular during cool weather.
View cardigan fashion blog posts to learn more about this garment.
Learn more about cardigans in our fashion influence section.
Are cardigans always sweaters?
Learn more about sweaters.
Cardigans range from fine-gauge, hip-length layering pieces to chunky belted knits worn as light jackets. Buttons are the default fastening and also the detail to check in a good garment: they should be firmly sewn with a small reserve button supplied, and the button band should be knitted with enough body to lie flat without rippling. Pockets, ribbed cuffs and hem, and raglan or set-in sleeves complete the standard construction.
Wool cardigans want folding rather than hanging — a hung knit stretches under its own weight, especially at the shoulders — and gentle washing with drying flat keeps the shape. Worn open over a dress, buttoned as a top in its own right, or under a coat as the middle layer, the cardigan's front opening is what makes it the most adaptable of sweaters, exactly the quality that carried it from a military waistcoat into universal wardrobes.
A cardigan is a knitted sweater that opens down the front and fastens with buttons (or sometimes a zip or toggles). The open front distinguishes it from a pullover sweater, which has no opening and goes on over the head.
The cardigan was named after James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military commander of the Crimean War period. Knitted front-fastening waistcoats worn by his officers became associated with his name, and cardigan became the general word for the garment.
The classic cardigan has a V-neck that suits wear over a shirt and tie or blouse; crew-neck and shawl-collar versions are also standard, and women's cardigans add scoop and ballet necklines. The neckline decides what the cardigan layers over most naturally.