Cardigan (sweater)

{{Infobox clothing type

| name = Cardigan

| image_file = NMA.0038588, Fashion Photo by Erik Holmén 1947.jpg

| image_size = 175px

| caption = Cardigan in fashion photo from 1947

| type = Knitted garment

| material = Many

| location =

| manufacturer = Many

}}

A cardigan is a type of knitted garment that has an open front, and is worn like a jacket.{{cite dictionary|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardigan|title=cardigan|dictionary=Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary|access-date=27 May 2018|archive-date=28 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528052026/https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardigan|url-status=live}}

Description

File:Dario Solari 72 1 (8977592041).jpg

File:Woman in a red miniskirt and green cardigan crop (cropped).jpg]]

Commonly cardigans are open fronted, have buttons, and are often knitted or woven: garments that are tied are instead considered a robe.

Knit garments with zippers can also be referred to as a cardigan.{{Cite book|title=Consumer Price Index Apparel Manual|publisher=U.S. Department of labor, Bureau of labor statistics|year=1991|pages=53}} A current fashion trend has the garment with no buttons or zipper and hangs open by design.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} By contrast, a pullover (or sweater) does not open in front but must be "pulled over" the head to be worn. It may be machine- or hand-knitted. Traditionally, cardigans were made of wool but can now be made of cotton, synthetic fibers, or any combination thereof.{{fact|date=June 2022}} In British English, a baby's short cardigan is known as a matinee jacket.MATINÉE COAT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary (collinsdictionary.com)

History

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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.racked.com/2017/10/3/16380180/cardigans-history|title=This Bookish Sweater Has a Violent History|last=le Zotte|first=Jennifer|date=3 October 2017|work=Racked|access-date=3 October 2017|archive-date=11 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011051313/https://www.racked.com/2017/10/3/16380180/cardigans-history|url-status=live}} 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 Lord Cardigan achieved after the war led to the rise of the garment's popularity – supposedly, Brudenell invented the cardigan after noticing that the tails of his coat had accidentally been burnt off in a fireplace.{{cite web| url= http://www.cardigansweater.com/| title= What is a Cardigan? – Cardigan Sweater History| website= CardiganSweater.com| access-date= 10 March 2010| archive-date= 26 February 2021| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210226070116/http://cardigansweater.com/| url-status= live}}{{cite book| last= David| first= Saul |year= 1997| title= The Homicidal Earl: The Life of Lord Cardigan| location= London| publisher= Little, Brown| pages= 431–436| isbn= 0316641650}}

The term originally referred only to a knitted sleeveless vest, but expanded to other types of garment over time. Coco Chanel is credited with popularizing cardigans for women because "she hated how tight-necked men's sweaters messed up her hair when she pulled them over her head."{{cite news|last1=Geller|first1=Allison|title=The Military Origins of the Cardigan|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/06/the-military-origins-of-the-cardigan/488252/|access-date=24 June 2016|work=The Atlantic|date=24 June 2016|archive-date=25 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625130211/http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/06/the-military-origins-of-the-cardigan/488252/|url-status=live}} The garment is mostly associated with the college culture of the Roaring Twenties and early 1930s, being also popular throughout the 1950s, 1970s, 1990s, 2000s and into the early 2010s.{{fact|date=June 2022}}

Usage

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.

Monochromatic cardigans, in sleeved or vest form, may be viewed as a conservative fashion staple. As an item of formal clothing for any gender, it is worn over a button-down dress shirt. A less formal style is wearing a T-shirt underneath.

Varsity letters for college and high school sports teams have been applied to cardigans and letterman jackets.

In popular culture

Singer Perry Como wore cardigans on the television program The Perry Como Show. The trademark sweaters complemented his easy-going style of singing.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=flZ0wqsOnjkC&q=perry+como&pg=PA1071 |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows |publisher=Ballantine Books |year=1987 |isbn=0-345-49773-2 |editor-last=Brooks |editor-first=Tim |pages=1071–1072 |access-date=14 April 2010 |editor-last2=Marsh |editor-first2=Earle F.}}{{Cite web |last=Denisova |first=Maria |title=Como, Perry |url=http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Como__Perry.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209112516/http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Como__Perry.html |archive-date=9 December 2007 |access-date=4 April 2010 |website=Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Pennsylvania State University}}{{Cite magazine |last=Philbin |first=Regis |author-link=Regis Philbin |date=18 October 1991 |title=DVD: The Best of Perry Como: Volume One (review) |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,315904,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222191348/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,315904,00.html |archive-date=22 December 2009 |access-date=30 April 2010 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}
Fred Rogers, star of the long-running children's program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, donned a cardigan at the beginning of each episode. The cardigans were made by his mother and closed with a zipper instead of buttons.{{Cite web |title=NMAH – Mister Rogers' Sweater |url=http://go.si.edu/ct/Ud1111119PDS/Mr_Rogers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703001012/http://americanhistory.si.edu/news/factsheet.cfm?key=30&newskey=47 |archive-date=3 July 2007 |access-date=2007-05-31 |publisher=National Museum of American History |quote=The red sweater, knitted by his late mother, was donated to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History by Fred Rogers on November 20, 1984.}}
Steve McQueen popularised cardigans, wearing it in the 1968 action thriller film Bullitt and in his personal life.{{Cite web |date=29 March 2019 |title=Steve McQueen's Son Sues Tom Ford Over McQueen |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/steve-mcqueens-son-sues-tom-ford-cardigan-line-1198320 |access-date=28 August 2020 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |archive-date=7 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107234720/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/steve-mcqueens-son-sues-tom-ford-cardigan-line-1198320 |url-status=live }}
Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana wore vintage cardigans. The sweater he wore during MTV's Nirvana Unplugged concert sold at auction for $137,500 ({{inflation|US|137500|2015|fmt=eq}}){{inflation/fn|US}} in November 2015. It was reported to have a burn hole, a button missing, and discoloration around the pockets.{{Cite magazine |last=Grossman |first=Samantha |date=5 November 2015 |title=Kurt Cobain's Unplugged Sweater Sells for $137,500 |url=https://time.com/4106514/kurt-cobain-sweater-auction/ |access-date=17 March 2016 |magazine=Time}}{{Cite magazine |last=Garcia |first=Patricia |date=9 November 2015 |title=Kurt Cobain's MTV Unplugged Cardigan Sold for $137,500 |url=http://www.vogue.com/13369412/kurt-cobain-sweater-sale/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20161226151023/http://www.vogue.com/13369412/kurt-cobain-sweater-sale/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 December 2016 |access-date=17 March 2016 |magazine=Vogue }} In 2019 it was re auctioned for $334,000 ({{inflation|US|334000|2019|fmt=eq}}).{{inflation/fn|US}}{{Cite magazine |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=October 26, 2019 |title=Kurt Cobain's 'Unplugged' Sweater Sells for Record $334,000 at Auction |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kurt-cobain-unplugged-sweater-sells-334000-auction-904246/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=29 July 2024 |archive-date=12 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240412210312/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kurt-cobain-unplugged-sweater-sells-334000-auction-904246/ |url-status=live }}
Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift wrote a song called "Cardigan" and used cardigans as part of her merchandise accompanying the song and her eighth studio album, Folklore (2020).
The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in 1992, best known for the singles "Lovefool" and "My Favourite Game".