Ladies’ Cardigan Sweater Size Guide
A Handy Size Guide to Women's Cardigan Sweaters
Many Aran wool fashion-lovers on both sides of the Atlantic tend to use the words ‘sweater’ and ‘cardigan’ interchangeably. While both will keep the chills out, they are actually quite different!
A sweater is one you pull over your head. Depending on the design, it might have a short zip towards the neck, but you still need to pull it over your head to wear.
On the other hand, a cardigan is still a sweater, but it opens at the front. Instead of pulling it over your head, you shrug it over your shoulders. It can have buttons, snaps, or a zip at the front to fasten it. Women's cardigans can also come without fasteners so that you just wear them hanging open at the front.
Now that you know the fundamental differences making traditional Irish Aran wool and cashmere cardigans a truly unique type of sweater, let us guide you on how best to choose the right fit to suit your own personal needs as you consider the various options from our fine collection of cardigans and determine which is the best fit - and style - for you!
Which Cardigan Fits My Body Type?
The first question we get asked by female visitors in our stores and by those contacting our sales team for advice is invariably this one, and we can't stress enough to tell our customers that cardigans are incredibly versatile! So much so, that you can find a fine-kit cardigan sweater that goes well with different wear to suit contemporary trends and look the part for many different occasions.
These garments are transitional too - you can button one up for a conservative look or leave it open for a more casual, laid-back style, depending on your taste and preferences.
You also get cardigans in varying thicknesses and warmth, which makes it possible for you to wear cardigans year-round if you like, with lightweight summer weaves ideal on a cool summer night and heavier, hooded ponchos or oversized cardigan sweaters best suited to the harsh winter or those working in chilly air-conditioned office spaces!
If you are new to cardigans or just want to improve your cardigan game, here is a quick guide to shopping for the right cardigan by your body type.
Hourglass figure
Women with an hourglass figure can comfortably wear snuggly cardigans to emphasize their tiny waists. As such, you can give bulky, loose-fitting cardigans a wide berth as they tend to conceal that shapely silhouette.
Some of the best designs to show off your midriff are cardigans with a peplum shape. Their flared fit will bring out your shape rather nicely.
You can also go for any cardigan shape, including a loosely fitting one, then belt it up to cinch your waist.
Another option is a thin, stretchy cardigan. This, buttoned-up over skinny jeans or a skirt will follow your curves and add an element of glamor to the look.
Plus-size figure
If you are curvy in all the right places, you need to find thinner cardigans. Thinner knits look better as they do not add unnecessary bulk to your silhouette.
If you want to create the illusion of a slimmer silhouette, go for plain blacks and navies. You can also put a belt over the cardigan to help your waist look nicely nipped.
Petite figure
Stylishly dressing a petite figure in a cardigan requires some creativity.
For one, you tend to look much smaller if you wear a cardigan that runs too long. A common faux pas that petite women make with cardigans is wearing very heavy fabric. Presumably to help them bulk up. Unfortunately, this works in the opposite way because a baggy fit only emphasizes your small frame.
So what’s the way out? Get something on the shorter side that bears a slim cut.
You can also wear prints like polka dots and floral cardigans. However, choose small prints as huge prints might make you look tinier.
Pear-shaped figure
Pear-shaped ladies are fullest at the hips, and these areas tend to be the widest part of the upper half of their bodies.
If you are pear-shaped, stay away from cardigans that stop at the hip area. Such cardigans create a line across the broadest part of your body, which is not flattering at all. Instead, opt for a cardigan that stops above your hip bones.
Another thing you can do is go for bulkier garments that create more volume on the upper part of your body. This helps bring more symmetry to your silhouette.
Other excellent options are cardigans with vertical stripes, as these add length and slim you down by visually minimizing width. Long cardigans that drop close to or past the knee are also ideal.
Heart-Shaped Figure
A heart-shaped body is when you are fuller at the bust and shoulder area, but then your silhouette tapers out downwards.
One of the trickiest parts about a heart-shaped figure is that cardigans with zippers or buttons might not fit well enough in the chest area. If they fit too tightly, the bust area appears even more prominent.
The best cardigan for this body type is an open cardigan. Then, you will not be struggling to make anything fit, and your bust won’t look smothered.
Another safe bet would be a waterfall cardigan. This should be smooth and plain at the top, then flare out from the waist area. This will add more build to your bottom half, effectively helping create some proportion.
Should You Size Down In Cardigans?
Size down in longer cardigans, or get a snug fit. Slouchy, oversized cardigans tend to add visual weight, and yes, they can make you look frumpy.
However, certain styles and fashion trends support the oversized or baggy cardigan look. These are exceptions and are okay as long as you are confident that you can pull off the look.
As you evaluate a look, people tend to focus on the front. When shopping for long cardigans especially, check the rearview and ascertain that you like what you see before making a purchase.
Taking Care of Women's Cardigans
If you go through all the precautions of finding the best fitting and most flattering cardigans for your body frame, it’s only natural that you would want to maintain them in tip-top shape.
Here are quick tips to help you achieve this:
Fold your cardigan instead of hanging it
Hand wash your Aran cardigan whenever possible
Roll your cardigan(s) in a towel and squeeze instead of wringing them
Use a lint remover and bobble remover to keep the external surface of your cardigan neat, tidy, and every wear - washing after every 4-5 outings should suffice for a well-maintained cardigan.
Unless you are around smoke, have sweated a great deal, or spilled something on your cardigan, it's unnecessary to wash it after every wear - washing after every 4-5 outings should suffice for a well-maintained cardigan.By following this advice and the tips covered in our guide to caring for an Aran sweater, you can make your lovely cardigan last for years with the right levels of TLC for your new wardrobe addition!
Shop Ladies Cardigans in Style with The Sweater Shop
At The Sweater Shop, we are keen to design cardigans made from organic fabrics sourced locally and ethically in the Aran Islands that flatter different body types and bring out the best in every woman. We also ensure to have a range of sizes from XS to XL across all collections and we can arrange for other sizes to be ordered on request.
This means we have you covered whether you want your exact size or prefer to size up or down. Please browse through our catalog of cardigans for women in a range of stunning styles and colors and other fine sweaters for women and find some fabulous designs to add that finishing touch of handknits, Irish warmth to your closet!
As with all wool garments, the sizes may vary however check out our general size guide here and if you want any more information just email us on [email protected] and we will be happy to help you.
Women's Sweater Size Guide
Sign up for our newsletter and get free shipping on your first order. Plus our weekly link round-up, exclusive offers, giveaways, and more.
How to Choose the Right Size for Your Cardigan – Olive Knits
Choosing your sweater size is a tricky business (especially if you’re new to sweater knitting). It can feel like going on a blind date or taking a road trip with only a vague map of where you’re headed.
I’ve talked a lot about ease over the years; whether you’re a student of my sweater workshops, a Knit Camp member, or a reader of my work – if you’ve been around me at all – you know that I can’t shut up about knitting sweaters that fit.
Ease, in its most basic form, is just the difference between your actual body measurement and the finished measurement of the garment. If the garment measures larger than you measure, it has positive ease. If it measures the same as your measurements, it has no ease. And if the garment is smaller than your measurements (like in the case of a swimsuit or a sock), it has negative ease. There’s a time and a place for each of these variations – none of them are good or bad, but with sweater knitting, we often lean in the direction of positive ease because sweaters are often worn over other clothing.
A good pattern should tell you the stated size and the finished measurement of the sweater, and these two sets of numbers are a good place to start when deciding what kind of fit the designer intended. In many of my patterns, these numbers look like this:
Sizes
(This is like the size you’d choose off the rack if you were shopping for clothing at the store)
32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64) inches
Finished Bust/Chest Circumference
(This is the actual measurement of the clothing around the bust/chest)
34 (38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66) inches
Based on these numbers, if you knit a size 64, the finished measurement will be 66 inches, which means that if your full bust measures 64 inches and you choose to knit the size 64, the finished sweater will be 2 in/5 cm larger than you are. In other words, you’ll have 2 in/5 cm of positive ease in the finished sweater.
But what if a pattern lists the sizes as S (M, L, XL, 2XL) or 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)? In cases like this – much like shopping for garments off the rack at the store – the amount of ease will be based on the difference between your measurements and the finished measurements of the size you choose. How MUCH ease you want depends on several factors, so stick with me while I break it down below.
If all sweaters – and all bodies – were the same, then that one nugget of insight, alone, would be enough to choose the right sweater sizes forever and ever, amen.
Not so fast.
“Recommended ease” (e.g. the designer’s suggested fit) varies from pattern to pattern based on the construction of the sweater, the unique fabric of the garment, and the overall style of the design. In this post, let’s speak specifically to the fit of a cardigan knit with either a rounded yoke or raglan shape since those are two of the most often pattern styles I offer for cardigans.
Let’s look at a couple of examples to see how different amounts of ease might look in a cardigan.
Baybridge was designed for about 2 in/5 cm of positive ease, but I opted for a looser fit for my version. I knit mine with about 4 in/10 cm of positive ease, and you can see the loose fit on the sleeves and casual fit of the body.
Southwell, was technically designed for a similar fit as Baybridge (about 1-2 in/2.5-5cm) positive ease, but I wanted a more tailored fit for this one. You can see the closer fit in the sleeve as compared with the previous example, and you might notice that the body is clearly not quite as loose. I chose the size that would give me about 1-2 in/2.5-5 cm of positive ease. This photo was taken a few years ago, and my size has changed a bit over the years. This cardigan is now smaller than my actual measurements, but since I prefer to wear my cardigans open (not buttoned), I can still technically wear it. What once fit me with a little bit of positive ease now fits me with about 2 inches of negative ease (meaning the sweater is about 2 in/5 cm smaller in the bust than my current actual full bust circumference). If I were to button it, I would definitely notice it’s too small for me. But if I leave it open, it’s fine.
The difference between the two examples shown is the difference between knitting yourself a cardigan with about 4 in/10 cm of positive ease (Baybridge) or just 1-2 in/2.5-5 cm of positive ease (Southwell). You can adjust the fit by choosing the size with the finished measurement that gives you the amount of ease you like.
Choosing the right ease for a rounded yoke or raglan cardigan depends on three primary things:
Do you plan to wear it buttoned?
The finished bust/chest circumference matters most when you plan to button your cardigan. I like to keep mine unbuttoned because it creates a flattering vertical down the front center of the body – AND I just like the flow of an open cardigan. Because of this, I don’t have to worry QUITE as much about the bust circumference being perfect. If you’re not going to button it, you can err on the smaller side and knit 1 or 2 sizes smaller than you might ordinarily. BUT there are two important caveats: a) If you have broad shoulders, a smaller size may not work for you. In this case, I recommend sticking with the appropriate size for your finished bust – and b) If you have larger than average biceps, check the finished circumference of the sleeve at the widest part to make sure it will fit your arm. A sleeve can fit with about 1 in/2.5 cm of negative ease, but less than that will be uncomfortable. If the sleeve circumference of the smaller size is too small for your arms, then go with your recommended size.
What do you plan to wear under your cardigan? (A sundress? Multiple layers?)
A cardigan worn over a sundress can fit more closely than a cardigan that has to accommodate multiple layers of clothing underneath. Think about how you will wear your sweater to help you determine if knitting a slightly smaller size would work for you.
Do you prefer a tailored or relaxed look?
Even if you CAN get away with a smaller size, it’s important to consider your personal clothing style. If you love a tailored or vintage look, the smaller size might be perfect. If you love loose, flowing clothes, then you may not want your cardigan to fit too closely.
How Small is Too Small? How Big is Too Big?
My online workshop, Best Sweater Ever, talks in detail about getting the right fit based on your gauge, body, intended fit, etc… but the short version is this:
If the sweater fits too tightly around your arms, or pinches at the shoulders, it’s too small – even if it’s comfortable around the bust.
If the sweater sags, looks sloppy, is too loose around the arms, or doesn’t stay on your shoulders, it’s too big – even if it’s comfortable around the bust.
Recap
So much of sweater fit depends on getting familiar with your own body and knitting enough sweaters to learn what you like and don’t like about the fit.
Think of sweater knitting like online clothes shopping. You choose your size based on the measurements or sizing details the company provides, but until you receive your order, you may not entirely know if the fit is going to work for you. But the more clothing you wear from the same company, the more familiar you’ll be with how their sizing works for you.
Knitting sweaters is very much the same, but there’s added complexity because the finished measurements are only accurate if your gauge is accurate. If your gauge is off – even by a seemingly small margin – your “perfect” size sweater can end up too small, or too large.
Troubleshooting
If you’ve knit a cardigan for yourself and the result doesn’t fit the way you wanted it to, here’s how to troubleshoot what went wrong:
Did you measure yourself around the full bust before you selected your size? We’re often wrong about our own size, so if you’re in the habit of knitting sweaters, always check your bust/chest circumference before you start. (Do this at least a couple of times a year.)
Did you knit it at the correct gauge? Often we’ll treat our swatches like a precious baby angel in attempt to get the perfect gauge, but we relax or get tense while we’re knitting the actual sweater. Measure your gauge in the sweater, itself, to see if it changed along the way.
Did you choose the right amount of ease for the fit you wanted? If your sweater feels looser or tighter than you intended, this is a good opportunity to think more about the kind of fit you really want. Maybe you went into the project thinking that you prefer looser-fitting sweaters, but when you actually put it on, you realize that maybe you don’t need QUITE that much room. Or perhaps it’s the opposite, and you thought knitting a smaller size would work well for you, and it didn’t. This doesn’t mean you failed – it means you now have more information about the fit you like.
Using What You’ve Learned
One of my favorite suggestions for sweater knitters is to knit the same sweater twice. Take what you learned from your first experience and knit it again with the appropriate adjustments. If it was a little big last time, knit a size smaller. If it was a little snug last time, knit one size larger. Maybe you’ll learn that you like your sleeves a little shorter or longer; you are not beholden to the limits of the pattern. Knitting it twice makes it easy to adjust the things that didn’t quite hit the mark the first time through. And if your gauge went astray on the first attempt, make sure to adjust your needle size accordingly the next time.
Knitting patterns, just like clothing, are designed for “average” bodies. We all know that hardly anyone fits an average standard, but no pattern or clothing brand can account for every variable that exists on the human body spectrum. With a clothing brand, we just have to look for the brand that offers the size and fit that works best for us, but when it comes to knitting…
Being a sweater means more than just learning how to follow a sweater pattern. If you just want any old sweater, then fine – just knit one. But if you want a sweater that fits you a particular way, then it pays to put in the time to really understand your own figure and pay attention to the kinds of patterns you’re knitting. Knitting the same pattern twice will help you learn how to make adjustments that give you the fit you need, and the more sweaters you knit – in general – the better your sweaters will be. Use what you learn from each project to develop your own little recipe for the perfect sweater for YOU. I know some knitters who always knit the yoke with a smaller needle because they have such tiny shoulders, and then adjust the needle as they near the bust line. I know others who always crop the body and sleeves because they’re petite.
You are the boss of your sweater; the more sweaters you knit, the sweater-bossier you can be.
