Granny Chic: How the humble cardigan made a high fashion comeback

But, how do you make it look more fashion girl and less old lady?

Friday 11 August 2017 07:53 EDT

Prada offered the kind of cardies you’d usually spot at a trendy vintage store (AFP/Getty)

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Once the reserve of librarians, nerdy students and Nora Batty, it seems that it’s time to rethink the humble cardigan because, as far as the fashion world’s concerned, they’re on the cusp of a serious sartorial comeback.

Not only have they graced the well-dressed shoulders of models on the runway but they’ve also been spotted on celebs like Cara Delevingne, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid.

Think wearing the classic button-up means a prim and proper pearl necklace pairing? Well think again, because this time the look has been resurrected from the bottom of your out-all-day bag to make the ultimate anti-fashion statement.

A brand that’s become synonymous with it’s geek chic aesthetic, it seems only natural that maximalist magpie Alessandro Michele should adopt the granny style. Here, he produced the ultimate version layered over stacks of vintage-inflected clothes.

This was a look sustained at Prada too, where traditional garb was instantly de-blahed. The Italian label offered the kind of cardies you’d usually spot at a trendy vintage store, pairing classic grey and caramel wrap knits with knee-length skirts, floral shirts and spans of marabou trim.

At Christopher Kane, however, androgynous chunky cardigans held together with metallic rivets channelled a look made famous by Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain’s cult appeal. Here, they came long, slouchy, and layered nonchalantly over sheer organza summer dresses.

Androgynous chunky cardigans channelled Kurt Cobain at Christopher Kane (Getty) (Getty Images)

So, how do you make a cardi look more fashion girl and less old lady?

A style that works well with almost anything you wear underneath, something as simple as a plain white tee, denim and strappy heels looks perfectly put-together when paired with a slack cardigan.

Alternatively, layer your easy button-downs loose over summer slip dresses or strappy cami tops.

However you want to wear them – cropped, oversized or even embellished – it’s the ease of a cardigan that outshines its sweater competitor. Not only do they sort of allow you to wear two outifts in one, but your hair and make-up will remain unskewed when pulling them on or off.