Best Cardigans of Spring/Summer 2009, as Selected by a Librarian
by Anna Wilcoxon
Y-3 (Yohji Yamamoto)
The tailored sloppiness going on here is fabulous, creating an effortlessly chic impact. It would look equally as charming with denim or more professional gear, and the attached scarf is adorable. This cardigan would even perform nicely in a real-life library setting – this top looks as though it would layer well, the v-neck is sweetly demure, and the scarf provides instant polish and a modern Desk Set vibe that we librarians naturally crave.
This cardigan gets high marks for the three S’s – silhouette, sleeves, and stripes. The elbow-length sleeves balance with the hip-hitting edge of this cardigan to make you think a bit about proportion, and the bands of horizontal striping are right on trend not only for this season, but for the next few headed our way. This cardigan would look great over pencil skirts, slim trousers, and proper dresses. Its generous length would remove any fears of showing too much skin while stretching towards the highest shelf to retrieve that book on Bangkok fashion.
Vivienne Westwood
This cardigan may seem jarring at first glance, but if you get past the overall chaos of the look, you will notice and appreciate its ladylike neckline and asymmetric button placket. Also, black. How can you go wrong? Sheer is in for this season, and this cardigan could be used to play that element up or down as much as your personal threshold for exhibitionism allows. While styling it as Ms. Westwood does will probably not go over well in your average library, if worn over a basic black dress or other tame attire, you just might be able to pull it off.