A cardigan is a year round closet essential, and there are so many ways to wear them. When you think of a cardigan, you might think of something to wear in the fall or winter. But, they’re actually nice to have in the spring and summer too. Cardigans keep you warm on cooler days, and they’re also the perfect sweater to wear over your dress on a summer night. Cardigans come in all different styles, so let’s look at what to wear with them!
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What to Wear Under Cardigan Sweaters And How To Style Cardigan Outfits
You can wear a lot of different things under a cardigan, ranging from a dress to a tank top to nothing! I love wearing a button up under a cardigan just as much as a fitted tee. The options are endless, and it also depends on what you’re getting dressed to do.
What To Wear Under A Cardigan
Sleeveless Dress
A sleeveless dress is perfect to wear under a cardigan just about any time of the year. Denim dresses are a great example of a dress that works perfectly under a cardigan.
I love this type of outfit because it works in the summer and the winter. Here on the east coast you’d need two different cardigans to make sure they’re the right material for the drastically different weather. I love lightweight cotton and linen cardigans for the summer, and of course wool and cashmere are reliable cold weather materials.
Fitted Tank Top or Tee
A fitted tank top or t-shirt are my go-to items for what to wear under a cardigan, whether you’re wearing a v-neck cardigan or a crewneck cardigan. They’re easy to layer, they’re always comfortable, and it’s a reliable outfit. So, if you’re getting dressed in a pinch, a fitted tank top, cardigan of your choice, and jeans, a skirt, or work pants will never fail you! This is one of my favorite outfit formulas. These are my favorite tank tops and t-shirts that I wear all the time.
Mockneck Shirt
A mockneck can add a level of elegance that you don’t always get with a t-shirt, tank top, or long sleeve tee. I love these in the colder days of fall, winter, and early spring. I recently picked up this one, which I’m wearing below.
Button Up Shirt
A button up is another classic option to wear under a cardigan. Button ups come in all different styles, so there’s a button up that will work with jus about any cardigan. For example, I love an oversized button up for an oversized cardigan, and a classic fit button up for a boxier cut cardigan. I actually shared more ways to wear this wardrobe staple in my post on how to style a classic white button-up shirt.
These are a few of my favorites button ups. I’m obsessed with the denim shirt with the bow. I’ve seen it in person, and it’s really cute!
Outfit Ideas: Six Ideas For How To Style A Cardigan
Boxy Cut Cardigan With A Knit Skirt
This outfit is perfect for anything you’re doing between Thanksgiving and New Years. It feels like it was made for the holidays. My skirt is old from Sezane, but I was so excited to see Banana Republic made a very similar one this year. You don’t need to wear anything under the cardigan I’m wearing, but you can if you want to for a little added warmth. When I do, I go for this fitted tank. There is also a matching metallic cardigan for the Banana Republic skirt I linked!
Leather Cardigan Jacket
Can you think of a better leather jacket than one that doubles as a cardigan? And, you can style so many different styles of tops with it – it will look nice with a button up, a tank top, a long sleeve top, or a fitted sweater. This leather cardigan jacket is one of my favorite finds this year because I know I’ll wear it for years and years. It looks nice with a simple t-shirt underneath, which is how I’m wearing it here, or you can style it totally differently with a sweater.
Oversized Cardigan and T-Shirt
An oversized cardigan is one of my favorite things to wear to feel cozy. In the photo below, I wore a simple t-shirt underneath on a day when it was warm enough to go without a coat. I spent the day running errands and then got lunch with my family.
My cardigan is old from Bloomingdales’ cashmere line, so I linked a similar one from Quince. I own a couple of Quince cashmere sweaters, and I love them. This one looks just like mine.
Simple Tank Top With A Cotton Cardigan
A simple, fitted tank top is another one of my favorite pieces to wear under any cardigan. It is so comfortable, and it always looks nice. Plus, you can wear any jewelry and accessories with it to elevate the whole look.
This cotton sweater was kindly gifted to me, and I wear it constantly. It’s nice for a lightweight summer layer, and it’s perfect for those fall and spring days when you need a layer that isn’t too heavy. I also love the other color options!
Long Sleeve Top With An Oversized Cardigan
I threw this outfit on for a busy morning when I just didn’t feel like showering to be honest, ha. You can easily elevate a long sleeve t-shirt, oversized cardigan, and jeans by adding accessories you love. I actually shared more tips on this look in my blog post about how to style a long cardigan.
I recreated this outfit with pieces I love below.
Fitted Dress Under An Oversize Cardigan
This type of look is perfect if you’re pregnant – or not!
That’s all from me today. Did you find something to wear under your cardigan? Let me know what you think in the comments! For more, see my favorite ways to wear sweater coats!
