And Now, 9 Fresh Ways to Wear a Cardigan This Fall

While the word "cardigan" may not exactly set your pulse racing, it's clear the classic staple is having a major fashion moment this season. The easy basic never really left the runways or our wardrobes, but there was a deluge of styles and iterations on the fall/winter 2023 runways—from Miu Miu's prim and proper crew-neck cardis styled with sheer midi skirts to Prada's fitted ribbed silhouettes styled with corporate-chic tapered trousers to slouchy cardi-and-skirt sets seen at Loewe—proving the power and unexpected versatility of the fall staple.

If you love cardigans as much as I do and want some inspiration on how to wear them this season, I'm sharing a whole host of fresh and cool styling suggestions from the street style set and the runways as well as my favorite cardigan picks of the season.

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695324703409-main

Crew-Neck Cardigan + Sheer Skirt
(Image credit: Miu Miu/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

Possibly the coolest way to style your prim crew-neck cardigan this season is with a sheer midi skirt à la Miu Miu. Just add opaque black tights (bonus points if you let the top of your tights peek through above your skirt) and pointed-toe slingbacks to complete the boardroom-to-bar look.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695328060407-main

Navy Cardigan + Maxi Skirt
(Image credit: @helenacuesta)

For a look that's polished yet effortless, style a basic navy cardigan with a sleek maxi skirt—perfect for taking you from day to night in style.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695327787390-main

Striped Cardigan + Chinos
(Image credit: @greceghanem)

Elevate a pair of beige chinos and sneakers with a chic striped cardigan for an effortlessly cool off-duty look.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695327882257-main

Oversize Cardigan + Hoodie + Sequin Miniskirt
(Image credit: Stine Goya/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

I love the contrast of an oversize printed cardigan paired with a fun sequin miniskirt. For an extra layer of cool, style a hoodie underneath the cardigan like on the Stine Goya runway.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695327933643-main

Fitted Cardigan + Pleated Miniskirt
(Image credit: @vivian.yrl)

Gray is having a major moment this season, but the conservative color needn't look boring. Try styling a light-gray cardigan with a pleated miniskirt and ballerinas for a pretty ensemble perfect for September weather.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695330491589-main

Cardigan Set + Denim Maxi Skirt
(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight)

Chalk it up to the Katie Holmes effect, but we're still all about cute cardigan sets. Give the set a fall 2023 feel and style it with an of-the-moment denim maxi skirt and mules.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695324751495-main

Relaxed Cardigan + Matching Knit Skirt
(Image credit: Loewe/Launchmetrics Spotlight)

I'm obsessed with Loewe's matching charcoal-gray slouchy skirt and cardigan for the season ahead. You can easily emulate the luxe look with budget-friendly knits on the market right now.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695328120382-main

Cute Cardigan + Low-Rise Cargo Pants
(Image credit: @rubylyn_)

A fitted black crew-neck cardigan looks even cooler when styled with white low-rise cargo pants. Finish the look with black sneakers.

Shop:

fall-cardigan-outfits-2018-266022-1695328231691-main

Light-Blue Cardigan + Leather Skirt
(Image credit: Launchmetrics Spotlight)

For a Fendi-inspired look, style an icy-blue cardigan (a big color trend for fall 2023) with a black leather midi skirt to create a pretty-meets-grungy fall outfit.

Shop:

Judith Jones
Senior Fashion Market Editor

Judith is the senior fashion market editor at Who What Wear and has worked in fashion for nearly a decade. Judith started on the Shop Who What Wear team, creating content and managing a team of merchandisers for the Who What Wear shopping app. She later crossed over to the editorial team, where she shares the coolest, most desirable fashion market finds and brands in her shopping-focused stories and social takeovers. She has become one of the top affiliate earners during her six plus years at Who What Wear. Before working in fashion, Judith was a TV host on the PBS travel show Globe Trekker (airing on Netflix and Amazon Prime) and shared her passion for travel and food. She studied at the prestigious London Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York. She later studied fashion merchandising and design, which laid the foundation for her career in fashion.


Read full bio