7 Mens Cardigan Sweaters To Compliment Every Outfit

Introduction

One of the best ways to level up your outfit is with the addition of a cardigan. This collarless sweater offers the perfect way to add an elegant touch to your daily wear. However, navigating the cardigan niche can be a confusing task for men, particularly because the sweater is not necessarily a mainstream choice. In this article, we’re going to give you a complete breakdown on mens fashion, as well as on the cardigan itself. Then, we’ll review seven mens cardigans to compliment every outfit. Let’s dive right in!

Defining Your Style

The first step in crushing the mens fashion game is defining your style. There are so many different ways to approach your outfits that it can get hard to decide on a unique style for you. Here are a few tips to help guide you on your way to finding your look.

Dress for Lifestyle

Your sense of style needs to align with your lifestyle. According to Real Men Real Style, it’s critical that men “keep [their] job in mind” when picking out their style. A banker knows that his profession takes place in a conservative setting that often calls for a formal outfit. He could flex his fashion sense by strategically placing flashes of color via pocket squares, socks, and ties. Use Suits Expert’s color guide to help you pick out the right combination for your suit. A teacher, on the other hand, operates in a more laid back setting – a suit and tie certainly wouldn’t suffice. Instead, he can wear sports jackets paired with a collared shirt to show off his keen taste in clothing. Try and find a collection of clothing that complements your lifestyle instead of clashing with it.

Develop Your Eye

The next key tip to help you dominate mens fashion is to start developing your eye. Your fashion eye is how you identify unique styles and tastes in fashion. It’s how you pick out what looks good and matches with your personal fashion. There are tons of men who claim that they just don’t have the eye for stylish clothing. That’s rarely the case. Oftentimes, these men simply don’t know how to pick out clothes for themselves. Here is a powerful exercise that you can use today to help you develop your fashion eye. Take five minutes and “pick one or two celebrity men” whose sense of style you really admire. This helps you take inspiration and identify what direction you should go in with your own clothing.

Level Up With Accessories

Another powerful way to amplify your fashion and further define your style is to level up your outfit with accessories. If chosen correctly, accessories can perfectly complement your clothing choice by adding just the right amount of extra. According to Classy Men Collection, accessories are great ways to “personalize your style” and “reflect… a certain type of attitude.” They do warn men, however, that the wrong accessories could “break [your] whole outfit.” Let’s explore NextLuxury’s list of the best men’s accessories to compliment your outfit. They stand by the claim that rings are the number one accessory to elevate your look. When it comes to selecting jewels and size, they think that “simple bands are usually best.” They also love scarves, but only when the weather calls for one. Hats, ties, and necklaces are other subtle but effective ways to add a little flavor to your outfit.

Breaking Down Cardigans

Now that we have some solid guidelines to help us define our style, let’s move onto the focal point of this article: cardigans. A cardigan is defined as a “usually collarless sweater or jacket that opens the full length of the center front.” This sounds quite similar to a sweater, but they aren’t the same thing. A sweater is defined as a “knit or crocheted jacket or pullover.” Here are some key differences between a sweater and a cardigan, as per Fashionisto. According to them, cardigans are like sweaters, except they have a very defining feature. They “have a zipper or buttons on the front, and they can drape/hang open.” Like sweaters, they are generally a knitted piece that is made to be worn alongside something else.

Chris Dek of Top Trends Guide says that the cardigan is a “timeless men’s fashion piece that is versatile and classy.” It’s an effective addition to virtually any outfit, given a few key things are kept in mind. Fashion Bean says that cardigans are particularly useful in these settings: loungewear, business casual, and for the great outdoors. They add useful style tips for each scenario, such as sticking to “atheleisurely tones such as grey and navy,” and pairing the cardigan with dress pants, trousers, or jeans when you’re going for the perfect outfit.

Reviewing the Best Mens Cardigans

Now that we’ve taken a moment to understand cardigans and their place in mens fashion, let’s get into our reviews. We’ll be organically reviewing eight of the best mens cardigans that are available on the market today. We’ll give you insight into each piece’s unique value adds, what sets them apart, and their reviews and ratings. Here are the seven cardigans we’ll be reviewing:

• Amazon Essentials Men’s Cotton Cardigan
• Goodthreads Men’s Soft Cotton Shawl Collar Cardigan
• NITAGUT Mens Long Sleeve Stand Collar Cardigan
• Paul Jones Men’s Cardigan
• 100% Irish Merino Wool Aran Button Men’s Cardigan
• Goodthreads Men’s Lightweight Merino Wool Cardigan
• Mens Cable Knit Cardigan Sweater Shawl Collar

1. Amazon Essentials Men’s Cotton Cardigan

The first cardigan we’ll be reviewing is by Amazon Essentials. It features 100% imported cotton as its material of choice. It offers a variety of solid color choices: navy, black, blue heather, brown heather, camel heather, charcoal heather, and light grey heather. Unfortunately, it only offers one style with a pattern: white with a horizontal navy stripe going across the chest. This cardigan is machine washable, which makes it easy to clean. It boasts a comfortable design that is versatile enough to go with a variety of outfits. It goes well as a layer under a blazer or jacket. It also features long sleeves with ribbing at the cuffs, as well as two pockets in the front.

Let’s get into the reviews and ratings for this cardigan. It has 74% five star reviews, 16% four star reviews, 6% three star reviews, 2% two star reviews, and 2% one star reviews. That gives this cardigan an average rating of 4.6 stars overall. Customers were happy with their purchase, with one consumer stating that this cardigan is both “comfy and keeps [them] warm.” Another consumer felt this cardigan was “comfortable and stylish,” asserting that they were quite pleased with their purchase.

2. Goodthreads Men’s Soft Cotton Shawl Collar Cardigan

The next cardigan that we have for you is by Goodthreads, which is a brand owned by Amazon. Like our last cardigan, it also features 100% imported cotton. According to Thread.com, a shawl cardigan is a “versatile halfway point between smart and casual” menswear; it offers the shape of a blazer while giving you the comfort of a cardigan. This Goodthreads shawl collar cardigan is completely machine washable.

One of the best parts of this cardigan is the variety it offers with regard to size. They carry a whopping twelve size variations, ranging from extra small to 3x large. They also have a tall version of each size to take into account different body types. This cardigan is offered in thirteen different color styles: camel, off-white, teal blue, washed black, washed grey, washed navy, washed olive, grey heather, black, navy, burgundy, red, and bright blue. One downside to the Goodthreads cardigan is that it does not come in any sort of pattern; you’re stuck with solid colors.

Let’s take a look at the reviews and ratings for this cardigan. It has 75% five star reviews, 15% four star reviews, 6% three star reviews, 2% two star reviews, and 2% one star reviews. That gives the Goodthreads shawl collar cardigan an average rating of 4.6 stars overall. One customer felt they made a “great purchase,” but wished the pockets on this cardigan were bigger. Another consumer felt this piece was “well made” with “nice colors.”

3. NITAGUT Mens Long Sleeve Stand Collar Cardigan

Now let’s take a look at the NITAGUT men’s long sleeve stand collar cardigan. This cardigan is made from 100% cotton, which gives it a soft and comfortable wearing experience. What’s unique about this cardigan is that it features a high neck stand collar, as well as a twisted cable pattern in its embroidery. It has slightly less diverse color options, with eight different shades. It also doesn’t have as much variety in its sizes, as it does not offer the tall variation that we saw with the Goodthreads cardigan. However, it does range from extra small to 3x large. It’s ideal to pair with a shirt, dress pants, chinos or jeans. It is also machine washable, but keep in mind that it must be washed on the cool setting, and with like colors.

This stand collar cardigan is rated slightly lower than the other two that we have reviewed thus far, at an overall average of 4.4 stars. That breaks down to 69% five star reviews, 17% four star reviews, 7% three star reviews, 2% two star reviews, and 2% one star reviews. One consumer from Seattle said that this was a comfortable cardigan that looks good. Another happy customer stated that the NITAGUT cardigan was comfy, warm, and snug.

4. Paul Jones Men’s Stand Collar Cardigan

The next cardigan we have for you is the Paul Jones Men’s Stand Collar Cardigan. It’s made of acrylic fiber, which is a particularly thermal fabric. That makes this cardigan a good choice for a cold day. Just like the last cardigan we reviewed, this one also features a stand collar design with a cable pattern. Paul Jones offers three striped pattern color variations: black stripes, beige stripes, and apricot stripes. It also offers sixteen solid color choices, but that’s simply too many for us to list out here. This cardigan is available all the way from a small size to a triple extra large. According to Paul Jones themselves, this cardigan is a superb choice for any outing or event. Its stand collar makes it a stylish, elegant, and chic addition to your wardrobe. It is also machine washable at a low temperature setting.

Let’s get into the ratings and reviews for this cardigan. It’s rated 4.4 stars overall from 4,965 reviews. That breaks down to 68% five star reviews, 16% four star reviews, 8% three star reviews, 3% two star reviews, and 5% one star reviews. One customer who ordered the royal blue version of this cardigan said that it was a perfect fit, with nice color and material. They were certainly happy with their purchase, as they rated it 4 stars out of 5. Another customer was not as pleased with their purchase, as they felt it was made with a thin material. They also said the button holes felt cheap, and would not last very long.

5. West End Knitwear 100% Irish Merino Wool Men’s Cardigan

This cardigan comes courtesy of West End Knitwear, one of Ireland’s largest knitwear manufacturers. It’s made from 100% Irish Merino Wool, ensuring you warmth and softness every time you wear it. This sweater is made using different traditional aran stitches combined with more contemporary designs. It also features vintage style brown aran buttons down the front. The cardigan is also designed with a diamond pattern stitch, which the manufacturer says is meant to represent hope and success. One shortcoming of this cardigan is that it is only available in two colors: charcoal and oatmeal. It’s offered in small, medium, large, extra large, 2x large, and 3x large sizes. It must be hand washed in cool water.

One customer felt the wool and build of this cardigan were superb, and that it has quickly become one of their favorite sweaters. They were quite thrilled with their purchase. Another customer, however, did not feel the same. They said the cardigan came with a medicinal smell. After washing it, they claim that it actually shrunk two sizes, making it unwearable. Keep that in mind with this cardigan. It’s rated 4.6 stars overall from 3,206 reviews. That breaks down to 79% five star reviews, 11% four star reviews, 5% three star reviews, 2% two star reviews, and 3% one star reviews.

6. Goodthreads Men’s Lightweight Merino Wool Cardigan

The next cardigan we have for you is another one made by Goodthreads. However, instead of a 100% cotton composition, it is made from 100% imported merino wool. It boasts a comfortable and lightweight design, making it a versatile year-round wear over a shirt, or under a blazer or coat. It features front welt pockets with self knit ribbing at cuffs, waist, and placket.

It is rated 4.4 stars out of 5 stars on average. That comes from 69% five star reviews, 16% four star reviews, 7% three star reviews, 4% two star reviews, and 5% one star reviews. One customer felt this cardigan was surprisingly warm, despite it being thin and lightweight. Another customer ran into issues when they washed this cardigan, claiming that there were holes in it after two cycles on the gentle setting.

7. Karlywindow Store Mens Cable Knit Cardigan

The final cardigan we have from you comes from the Karlywindow Store. It features a 95% acrylic makeup, with 5% being spandex. Its creator states that this cardigan is suitable for any occasion you like, from daily wearing, Sunday lunches, dates, parties, or any other casual occasions. While it is able to be machine washed, they advise buyers that it is better to hand wash this cardigan. It is available in seven colors and four sizes. One downside of this cardigan is that there is no small size option, which limits how many people can buy it.

Let’s take a look at the reviews and ratings for this cardigan. It has 64% five star reviews, 16% four star reviews, 8% three star reviews, 4% two star reviews, and 6% one star reviews. That gives the Karlywindow Store Men’s Cable Knit Cardigan an average rating of 4.3 stars overall. One customer said this cardigan was soft, comfortable, and beautifully stitched. Another buyer felt that the size chart was not accurate at all, leading to a cardigan that did not fit them.

Conclusion

Men’s fashion can be a challenging arena to navigate. However, it all starts with defining your style. Some effective advice to help you do that is dressing for your lifestyle, developing your fashion eye, and leveling up with accessories. You are well-prepared to add the stylish cardigan to your arsenal of clothing. We also explored the key distinction between cardigans and sweaters, as well as some of the best use-cases for the cardigan.

Out of the seven cardigans that we reviewed, three were tied for the highest rating of 4.6: the Amazon Essentials Cardigan, the Goodthreads Cotton Cardigan, and the West End Knitwear Irish Merino Cardigan. Do your own research to find the perfect cardigan for you!