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Sweaters may be perceived as a winter wardrobe staple, but a lightweight cardigan is actually the perfect summer accessory. Whether tissue-thin to cover shoulders on a hot day, or slightly heavier for a cool night breeze, cardigans add instant interest to any outfit.
Most women already own several (or more) cardigans, but if one intends to purchase a new cardigan, the following types of patterns or prints are trendy for summer but will last longer than one season:
Striped Cardigan
This nautical look screams beach and summer, but there’s a lot of variety here depending on the colors and the thick or thinness of the stripes. Bold contrasts such as thick navy and white stripes are classic and statement-making, while more neutral contrasts (say, tan and white) with thinner stripes tend to coordinate with many outfits.
Floral Cardigan
This doesn’t have to look “granny” as many current floral patterns are bold and bright. Large flowers on a cardigan look great worn with jeans or other casual pants; they can also be good for over plain-colored summer dresses.
Cardigans with jewels or sequins on them are not necessary as fancy as they sound -- worn with a casual outfit (again, think jeans or khakis) they add a bit of pizzazz to an otherwise everyday look. Many cardigans like this tend to have the sequins clustered around the neck area of the sweater, which adds instant brightness to one’s face. Cardigans that are completely covered in sequins or jewels may seem better left for nighttime, but if the style is tiny enough (baby cardigan), they can also look chic during the day -- just keep other accessories, such as a purse or shoes, glitter-free.
Fabrics
Cotton is obviously ideal for summer, since it’s lightweight and easy to wash. If one intends to wear the cardigan frequently, look for better quality cotton to prevent pilling (the telltale sign of too many washes, when fabric gets “fuzzy” looking.)
Wool may be best left for winter, but a light cashmere is perfectly acceptable for summer. Cashmere “breathes” well, it’s not always as hot as one may expect. Be sure to check the label for washing or dry cleaning instructions.
Outfits
Cardigans look great worn with summer outfits such as:
Jeans, a tank or tee, and flats, jeans, top, heels, khakis or other pants, summer shift dress, T-shirt dress.
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