I’m not saying that this piece should be some expensive and luxurious cardigan. There are plenty out there that are both affordable and attractive. Plus, a work layering piece should be versatile. Here are some tips on how to have a stylish go-to work cardigan so you can be warm and stylish at the same time.
Choose colors that will work with just about everything
The two best cardigan colors to choose are gray and camel. The reason why is that they will work with just about anything you wear to the office. Whatever neutral color you are wearing, like black, navy, gray or brown, these two shades will work. Choose whichever color you prefer and will work with most of what you own.
Don’t use some downgraded cardigan as your work cardigan
Instead of taking some worn and overused cardigan to work to be the thing that hangs off the back of your chair, buy something new for the purpose of being a work cardigan. Again, this doesn’t have to be expensive. You can easily get a cardigan for around $20 at less expensive stores.
Avoid overly styled work cardigans
You don’t have to choose a boring cardigan, but avoid styles that are too out there or trendy. You want this cardigan to go with most of what you wear to work, so this work cardigan should not have a fussy neckline, should be a versatile length and should have a sleeve length that can work with both long and short sleeves
Here are some outfits showing how a simple work cardigan can be added to an outfit without taking anything away from what you are wearing. Check out each outfit for additional tips.
Look #1
Here a navy pencil skirt styled with an Anne Klein blouse that has been finished with a blue belt, nude Cole Haan pumps, an orange Dooney Bourke handbag and navy earrings. Having a basic camel cardigan on hand, like this one by Modcloth, the outfit remains stylish once the cardi is added.
Camel is better than brown because brown won’t necessarily work with black and may not work when you are wearing brown. However, camel will work with both shades, and more.
Look #2
With a pair of black pants, like these from Reiss, and a colored top, like this one by Vince Camuto, this gray cardigan from Mango adds finish to the outfit should you feel cold. The cardigan looks like part of the outfit vs. being some out of place eyesore. If you frequently wear pants to work a longer cardigan may be the way to go. The outfit is finished with a pair of Nine West pumps, a Stella & Dot necklace and gray Vince Camuto handbag.
While a black cardigan can work just as well with this outfit, you want to think beyond one singular outfit. Grey cardigans have more versatility than black.
Look #3
I wanted to use a printed cardigan because it is possible to keep one at work, especially if you don’t wear a lot of prints. In this example, I took a black and white cardigan by Merona and styled it with an orange dress from Boden, a yellow pair of peep-toe shoes, metallic handbag and decorative earrings. The reason why this printed cardigan works is because it can be treated like a solid black cardigan, despite the fact that it is a print. It’s much like black pinstripe pants, you can treat them like a solid.
The last tip I can give you is to watch how this work cardigan hangs off the back of your chair. Sweaters can easily get misshapen and, if your work chair has wheels, it is easy to get the sleeves caught under the legs of your chair. You’re better off hanging the cardigan on a hanger, similar to how you get a sweater back from the dry cleaner or to simply make sure that a cardigan that hangs off the back of the chair in a manner that it won’t get ratty looking in no time.