Issue Date: December 14, 2008

These knits are a hit

Cardigan sweaters are back.

Cardigans are the ultimate wrappers. Like an embrace, these sweaters that button down the front harken back to times when Granny wove magical garments to keep us warm when we felt most vulnerable.

A sequined cardigan by Jamie Kreitman

"Just as we gravitate to mac 'n' cheese and M&M's, we gravitate toward comfortable and familiar clothing,'' says designer Jamie Kreitman. "There's nothing edgy or extreme about a cardigan. Anyone can wear one. It's unconfining yet hides what it should.''

Often as soft as a baby's blanket, these cocoons suit this season's dominant silhouette -- the dress -- as well as pencil skirts, prep-school minis and skinny pants. Depending on the gauge of the knit, a cardigan can sub for a blouse or a coat, and it can take you from work to weekend to cocktails. Even better, cardigans usually cost less than a coat or blazer.

The choice in styles is as flexible as the yarn. "With crochet, cable, florals or tribal prints, cardigans infuse color and pattern into a wardrobe. There is no dominant shape,'' says Lori Holliday Banks, senior fashion editor/analyst for the retail trade's "Tobe Report." "That's so exciting. It's hard to choose just one.''

This may explain why J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons says the company "can't keep them in stock. People are obsessed with them.'' Granny would be proud.

-- Michele Meyer