How to Wear a Cardigan as a Top

Check Coverage Before Wearing a Cardigan as a Top

A cardigan can work as a top if it gives you enough coverage and lies flat across the buttons when you sit or reach.

You can see through the knit

Put on a smooth camisole, then check again in daylight. If you want to wear the cardigan without a camisole, choose a denser knit.

You can see through a gap between buttons

Reach for your bag, then drop your arms. If the button band stays stretched, try a cardigan with more room across the chest. A camisole can cover a brief opening when the button band otherwise lies flat.

Three Ways to Button a Cardigan as a Top

The pale cardigan shown here opens into a shallow V. Try your preferred neckline in front of a mirror, then lean forward once to see how much it opens.

All buttons fastened

Wear it closed when the neckline sits where you want and the fabric lies flat across your chest. This works with a short cardigan that clears the waistband when you sit.

One top button open

Leave it open to give the neckline more room. If the opening drops farther than you want when you lean, use a higher camisole or fasten the button.

Bottom button open

Loosen the hem when it catches at the hips and the rest of the front already lies flat. Pulling across the chest calls for more room there.

For a V-neck, choose a pendant that ends above the first fastened button. With a buttoned crewneck, earrings leave the neckline clear.

Wear a Camisole for Coverage

For a pale or loose knit, try a smooth camisole close to your skin tone if you want it to stay out of view. Choose one whose edge sits below the opening. If you want the camisole to show, choose a tank with an edge that appears evenly on both sides.

A high-neck tank gives you more coverage when you bend over a desk. Put both pieces on and reach forward. If the tank leaves a ridge or makes the front pull, try a finer layer or a roomier cardigan.

With a wide V-neck, check that the bra or tank straps stay inside the knit when you move.

Choose a Cropped or Hip-Length Cardigan

A cropped hem leaves the waistband of high-rise jeans or a skirt visible. If the two edges meet and push against each other as you sit, try the same cardigan with a slightly lower waistband.

A hip-length cardigan can work over low-rise trousers or a straight skirt when the hem falls smoothly over the pockets. If the knit bunches over cargo pockets or a gathered waistband, try it loose over slim trousers or a smooth skirt. A shorter cardigan can also end above the bulky area.

Wear the cardigan with the trousers you already take to work. When you stand up, try a shorter cardigan if the hem stays caught above a pocket.

Cardigan Outfits With Jeans, Trousers or a Skirt

Blue Jeans and Flats

The olive cardigan ends above the front pockets of these wide-leg blue jeans.

Straight jeans give the outfit a slimmer line than the wide pair in the photo. Finish with loafers or ballet flats that clear the back of the hem.

High-Rise Trousers and Loafers

The gray cardigan is pictured with checked trousers. The knit stays clear of the fly and pleats.

With a longer cardigan, check how its hem falls over the waistband before tucking. If the tucked knit forms a ridge over the pleats, leave it loose or switch to a shorter cardigan.

A Straight or Slip Skirt

Wear a hip-length cardigan loose over a straight skirt when you want the knit to continue past the waistband. When the skirt has a smooth, high waistband, try a shorter hem to leave it visible. For work, pair a solid cardigan and patterned skirt with plain pointed flats. The gray cardigan on the cover leaves the skirt pattern visible below the knit.

Quince's cardigan guide shows how a short hem sits over a high waist. If the knit hangs much lower and you'll usually wear it over another top, see the coatigan guide.

What to Look for in a Buttoned Product Photo

Look for a front photo with the cardigan buttoned. You can see where the neckline opens and whether the fasteners leave gaps on the model.

A close-up can show how open the stitches are. Daylight on your own body is a better test of coverage. For hem length, compare the listed shoulder-to-hem measurement with a cardigan that sits well over your usual waistband.