Styling our Short Cardigan Outfits 3 Different Ways
Here we are styling our short cardigan outfits for the spring time.
Quote of the day: “Life is like a hot bath: It feels good while you’re in it, but the longer you stay, the more wrinkled you get.” Garfield
Who doesn’t laugh at Garfield the cat?? And you know you’ve been in your bath a long time, when your clothes are considered “classic” or vintage. Not that all short cardigans are like this, but I haven’t seen them on the “New Fashion Trend” list this year either.
Yet I bet this is one piece we all have in our closets. And I truly believe it’s good to wear what we have. With fall fast approaching, we often need a piece for easy layering. So we came up with 3 ways to style our classic, short cardigan outfits with a modern flare. If you prefer the longer cardigans, we covered that angle too.
You can see we were hanging out at the Molly Brown Summer House for these photos. We took the tour inside the house and enjoyed it tremendously. It’s so interesting to see some of the old photos of this place and area from the early 1900’s.
We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the house, so you’ll have to check it out in person. If you remember Lesley from some of our recent photo shoots, she just went to her 50th high school reunion at the event center at this location.
Jodie’s (50+) Short Cardigan Outfits
Skirt: Cubism from Trendz (similar here)~~Cardigan: Hand knit by me (similar here)~~Shoes: Jambu c/o (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: Tignanello-thrifted (similar here)
Why I Wore This Outfit
My love affair with sweaters started when I learned to knit. That’s the reason I wanted to take up knitting and for the longest time I wouldn’t buy a sweater because I knew I could make them. This is one of my creations that I used to wear to work in the summer.
I wanted to see if I could make this cardigan seem more modern with a maxi skirt. For some reason, I think maxis are great for women who like to be covered but still want to be cool in the summer. I just recently bought this one at our local boutique, Trendz. I thought it might work great for print mixing in the future.
How You Could Change This Outfit
If you don’t wear maxi skirts, then this would be just as great with modern jeans. Denim is huge right now, and even if you don’t like the distressed versions, it’s still good to update your jeans occasionally.
And you know my mantra. You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to find some great pieces. There are some embroidered ones and some with a stripe up the leg, both for under $40.
Interesting Tidbit
These earrings are wire knitted pieces that Nancy bought for me. You might be able to see them better up close in the video below. I’ve been experimenting with not wearing a necklace this summer because so many days were too hot. So I’ve been wearing statement earrings instead. It’s a great way to add the bling up by my face.
Nancy’s (70+) Short Cardigan Outfits
Dress: Peter Nygard (similar here)~~Cardigan: Express (similar here)~~Shoes: Rocket Dog (similar here)~~Necklace: (similar here)~~Earrings: (similar here)~~Purse: (similar here)
Why Nancy Wore This Outfit
Nancy loves this ruffle dress but since it’s sleeveless she tend to wear it more with a sweater. That’s why we showcased the idea of My New Arms recently for those of you who are the same way. Adding in the sneakers is definitely one way to make the overall outfit seem more contemporary. We’ve tried this trend in the past, and I think sometimes it looks better than others. I always think the fun sneakers look better than your work out pair.
I do think that the shorter sweaters are easier to wear with a dress silhouette like this. As an aside, this dress used to have an extra ruffle at the bottom. However, it seemed overpowering on Nancy so I took off the last ruffle a couple of years ago. Now she wears this dress quite a bit.
How You Could Change This Outfit
If you can’t wrap your head around sneakers and a dress, then mules are a comfortable option too. Yet, if you’re wanting to embrace the colder weather by covering up your tootsies, these loafers are always a classic shoe.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, that the blush footwear are a wonderful option instead of nude. At least for most of us, they are a warmer tone than most of the nude shoes.
Interesting Tidbit
I love how Nancy added in a totally different color with the turquoise pendant. This pendant was given to her by our fabulous reader, Jude. We were laughing that Nancy’s phone sticking out of her purse actually looked intentional since it’s almost a turquoise blue too. Nothing like having your phone be part of your outfit details.
Charlotte’s (80+) Short Cardigan Outfits
Pants: Chicos c/o (similar here)~~Cardigan: Nine West (similar here)~~Top: Che Studio (similar here)~~Shoes: Dr. Scholl’s(similar here)~~Belt: Fossil (similar here)~~Bracelet: (similar here)~~Purse: (similar here)
Why Charlotte Wore This Outfit
I would probably label my mom a “classic” dresser to the max. She has many of these short cardigans in her closet. And even though many of these pieces are over 25 years old, I think by adding the belt and the fringe bracelet, there are some modern vibes to it.
In fact, my mom was observing that she saw a ton of belts on outfits at the store when she was recently shopping. I know many women have given up on this accessory. Yet, it can upgrade many outfits if you’re willing to try.
How You Could Change This Outfit
Of course most of us were brought up with the idea that our shoes and purse should match each other. But it’s definitely gaining ground to add in another color or print with your bag instead. So let me give you some ideas. Wouldn’t a leopard purse look fun with this colorway? Or maybe a rust purse?
Interesting Tidbit
My mom was amazed that this is one of the few outfits where she hasn’t made any of the items. Trust me when I say this is a rare thing. That’s one of the reasons she doesn’t mind buying shoes because she rationalizes that she can’t make them.
Tips & Tricks
It’s never a bad thing to have classic pieces in your closet. And they are classic for a reason. They’ve worked for years and go with everything. That’s exactly what I think of about when I think of these short cardigan outfits.
On the same note, you may not want to look like you stepped off the pages of your college yearbook either. So pairing your classic item with something you consider more modern can be the perfect mix and match.
One other secret is to change up your color combinations. We all know how certain colors elicit memories or feelings. Well colors go through cycles too, so it’s an easy way to bring items up to date. For example, I’m pretty sure that combining pink and red was a huge no-no when I was growing up. Now? It’s super chic and modern.
The Facts
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