A cardigan can be worn open, fully buttoned or buttoned only in the middle, and each choice changes the first line the eye reads in an outfit. This piece explains what open, buttoned and half-buttoned fronts do, with a flat illustration you can adjust by front style and length.
It also covers how knit weight and shoulder seams affect the result, and what to look for in a cardigan at any budget, using pieces you may already own.
Affiliate links, marked sponsored. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Pieces in the same spirit as the look, not the exact items worn. Prices checked 12 Oct; every shop is on each product page.
A thick, soft knit with a round neck and a full button band: a clear example of the chunky weight the piece describes, in cream, so it works open over a darker tee or buttoned on its own.
Chunky knit · Crew neck · Cream
A finer knit with a small amount of wool in the blend and a flat button front, in pink. Easy to leave open as a light layer or do up for a neat jumper shape.
Wool blend · Button front · Pink
A beige knit with a mix of fibres including wool and alpaca, which tend to hold their shape. A calm neutral that suits any of the three fronts.
Wool and alpaca blend · Beige · Button front
