Blowout: Cardigans, From Cavalry to Coco Chanel & Beyond

From military uniform to effortless womenswear chic, we look at the colorful history of the most formidable sweater, the knitted cardigan.

James Smith

Most of us can’t even hear the word “cardigan” without picturing Mr. Rogers coming home to exchange his suit jacket and dress shoes for one of his zip-up cardigans and a pair of sneakers. Most authors who write histories of this favorite casual sweater are stunned that Mr. Rogers favorite item of clothing was invented by the military. But for those of us better-versed in menswear history, it’s no surprise that the cardigan was a military invention, because… well, most pieces of men’s clothing wouldn’t exist today if not for their military application.

The far more interesting angle in the cardigan story is not that the unassuming sweater gained fame for its role in one of the most disastrous cavalry charges of all time, but its position in women’s fashion. It was Coco Chanel who was probably a Nazi collaborator, but it’s pretty clear she helped bring the cardigan to the masses, and it was women who made cardigans cool.

Brands mentioned:

• Inverallan

• Dehen 1920

• Beams Plus

• Drakes

• J. Press

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Today’s episode featured writing from Albert Muzquiz in From Cavalry to Coco Chanel: The Cardigan Unbuttoned,  and the production talents of Sean Thornton

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