Drapey cardigans have been around since about 2008, but lately, there has been an influx of these floaty knits with extra fabric hanging down from the front.
Ashley Tisdale wears a Lucky Brand Aztec drapey wrap sweater at the Lucky Brand flagship Store Opening benefiting The Art of Elysium in Beverly Hills, California, on October 29, 2013 (Credit: Nikki Nelson/WENN)
That’s understandable as we’re early into the fall season and we’re in need of lightweight clothing for layering, but how exactly do you wear a shapeless, formless, and draped cardigan that, more often than not, doesn’t even have buttons or a zipper to keep it closed?
The drapey cardigan trend: Wilt Crop Boyfriend Cardigan, $152.00; MINKPINK Stripe Cardigan, $85.00; T by Alexander Wang Jersey Batting Shawl Cardigan, $175.00
You gotta admit, the cardigans look good on the models from Shopbop, and the trend looks cute and harmless.
If you’re thinking of incorporating the drapey cardigan into your fall wardrobe but aren’t so sure about what to wear with it, then let this guide on how to wear the drapey cardigan in three ways help you out.
1. Wear it with a belt
Gather the front of your drapey cardigan, and tie it with a belt. Not only will this help keep your cardigan closed; it will also eliminate the unwanted bulk from the excess fabric.
As you can see from the pictures, both a thin belt and a chunkier belt will work with a drapey cardigan; just make sure to choose one that’s sleek and minimally designed so that the belt doesn’t add any more bulk, which we already get a lot of from the cardigan.
2. Wear it overlapped
If you find that all that extra fabric is getting in your way too much, then this is a look for you. Pull one side over the other, and secure your drapey cardigan with a pretty pin or a nice brooch.
You can also just pin them together in the middle like in the top right picture, or if the drape part is along the collar, you can pin the cardigan at the center and leave the extra fabric to fall just like in the picture at the top left.
3. Wear it left open
You can also just wear your drapey cardigan the way it was made to be worn — just left open. What you do have to change though is what you wear with it.
Choose form-fitting tops, slim pants, skinny jeans, leggings — pretty much any item of clothing that hugs and closely fits your body.
Finish off your look with tall, sleek boots, strappy heels, or ballet flats. If you’ve got the length and the legs for it, you can wear chunkier footwear, such as booties or clogs similar to that on the model in the lower left picture.
Credit: Aifaboutique.blogspot.com, Andrea Hanks photography, Cablecarcouture, Artisansquare, Elizabethabernathy