Cardigan Sweaters - From Past to Present

A cardigan sweater refers to a sweater that is more commonly buttoned or sometimes zipped up the front. The sweater was originally named after a British commander, the 7th Earl of Cardigan who served during the Crimean War. Cardigans were worn originally by the British, the Irish and the French and became very popular during the 17th century. Cardigans were made from wool, and they were either machine made or knitted.

Today, cardigans are made from a variety of material including wool; cotton; rayon and cashmere. Cashmere cardigan sweaters are some of the most comfortable sweaters to wear. Made from the wool of a cashmere goat, the wool is soft to the touch and clings naturally to the body. A cashmere cardigan sweater can be worn as either casual or formal attire, with jeans or fine slacks.

There are as many different types of wool cardigans as there are grades and types of wool. Thick wool cardigans are perfect for warding off the chill of winter. Soft merino wool cardigan sweaters are not only gentle against the skin, but they also do a very good job of keeping you warm during winter. Thin knit wool cardigans can be matched with any style of clothing in much the same way as a cashmere cardigan can, and can be worn in both formal and casual settings. Men's cardigan sweaters are more commonly made from thicker wool and are more often worn in casual settings or upon occasion to a business lunch in place of a sports coat.

For occasions that are more formal, a chenille cardigan sweater can look great worn over a gown or other formal dress. They can also be worn over tank tops to spruce things up. Cotton cardigans are more usually worn for casual or sport occasions, and they can be worn with jeans, slacks or skirts. Fleece or Cardigan sweatshirts are also very popular items of clothing that are worn not only to sports but also on casual occasions. They are comfortable and warm, thus a favorite to pull on when the weather is a little cool. Contrasting colors do not usually go that well together when wearing a cardigan sweater. Commonly cardigans are either left unbuttoned, to show the shirt underneath, or they are buttoned up part way. Very few cardigans button all the way to the top, and even if they do, they are rarely worn that way.

You can often buy a ladies cardigan with a matching top to wear underneath. If the cardigan is light colored, a white or cream top goes well underneath. With darker color cardigans, you can either go for the light top -- a black cardigan with a white tank top underneath can look very stunning -- or you can coordinate the top to match the cardigan color.

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