Searching for a black cardigan

November 15, 2021 11:05 AM

I am searching for The Perfect black cardigan. I want a loose fitting cardigan, ethically made, made from excellent materials, possibly with a pocket, and definitely with large buttons. I think the style I have in mind is somewhere between 'balloon sleeves' and a vintage grandpa cardigan. I have seen babaa sweaters but I didn't know if it was worth the buzz and was also put off by their 'one size fits all' sizing. I am looking for a women's size large. I am willing to spend money to make my cardigan dreams come true.
posted by allthingsconsidered to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

What do you think of this one from Tradlands?
posted by mjcon at 12:12 PM on November 15, 2021

What length are you looking for? Collar style? I'm guessing based on a tag from a previous ask of yours that you're shopping in the US.

My favorite cardigans for a few years have been made of high-quality merino. Doesn't pill, doesn't need cleaning often, I expect to give them to my niblings in thirty years.

Icebreaker has a black deep-v cardigan with large same-color buttons, and a slightly longer and warmer-looking cardigan in deep charcoal - their products last forever.

Eileen Fisher products in nearly-new condition often come up on ThredUp, an app for used clothes - I imagine her things would be findable through other services as well, like Poshmark or eBay. Her cardigans are loose, although few have buttons.

I've just recently discovered the brand COS, and everything I have of theirs (all second-hand) is fantastic in material and construction quality. Black is their deal - I learned about them searching for "dress like an architect". ^_^
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 12:23 PM on November 15, 2021

Perhaps this cashmere and wool Etsy listing, or this freaking adorable cardigan from Avoca? The Avoca piece is linen rather than wool, so might suit you if you live in a warmer area.
posted by DSime at 12:34 PM on November 15, 2021

Can you show us the babaa sweater that most speaks to you? They have a lot of oversized, big-button cardigans, many of which are cropped in length, which is a pretty common style right now. If you want something longer, that seems more challenging.

Patagonia has this one in gray (not black I know, but does it work otherwise?).

Everlane also has a couple cropped cardigans and maybe some more you might like too.
posted by bluedaisy at 1:09 PM on November 15, 2021

I’m a huge fan of Quince—haven’t seen this cardigan in person but I have a couple of their cashmere hoodies and have been very impressed with the quality, especially for the price.
posted by music for skeletons at 1:34 PM on November 15, 2021

I own that Quince cardigan! It is VERY soft and cozy, but the balloon sleeves are (at least on me) more noticeable than in the product photos. I don't mind, but it's definitely A Look.

For something simpler, I have a couple of Uniqlo's merino wool cardigans that I like a lot. I imagine Uniqlo fails the "ethically made" part of this, though.
posted by catoclock at 2:08 PM on November 15, 2021

I recently found the cardigan of my dreams at a vintage shop. But stay with me here, because you can find one like it, too. It's a style that was made in pretty large quantities in the mid-century and later of pure, heavy-but-springy British virgin wool. It's most often navy, but I've seen black and pale cream, too. It's related in style and unbeatable coziness to the traditional Guernsey sweater. Here are three great examples from etsy.
posted by minervous at 5:01 PM on November 15, 2021

How do you feel about merino wool? This one from Sheep Inc. might fit your style description if you size up. The darkest color might not read as black enough for you though.

Alex Mill's cardigans also seem like the style you might be looking for, but again, none are in black.

Is this COS cardi the vibe you were going for? The buttons aren't particularly big, but the rest seems to fit.

I love my lambswool cardigans from Uniqlo (men's) but probably not ethically produced.
posted by purple_bird at 5:03 PM on November 15, 2021

L'Envers does sustainable, ethically made knitwear. Maybe their George might strike your fancy? They get a "Good" rating from Good On You have a lot of other beautiful options that I now want all of.
posted by urbanlenny at 6:42 PM on November 15, 2021

This answer is a little against the grain, but do you live by a local yarn shop and/or fiber guild? If you are willing to spend money on an ethically produced sweater from excellent materials, your best bet might be to have one made for you. That way you could choose your buttons and get your pocket, and a good knitter would know the farm where the fiber came from and where it was spun into yarn. My brother is a knitter, so he is very much into all of these things. I, unfortunately, have no idea how much he would charge someone for a cardigan, so I can't even ballpark how much something like this would cost. I do think getting something custom-made would get you the sweater of your dreams.
posted by DEiBnL13 at 8:29 PM on November 15, 2021

I’m a medium or large in sweaters and I am swimming in the two Babaa styles I own. I have cotton and wool and I really like them. They’ve held up very well after almost two years. This one would give you the balloon sleeves and grandpa feel I think. But I am with you on their lack of size inclusivity; I’m put off by it too.
posted by kitschfrau at 8:46 PM on November 15, 2021

It would be great to find a knitter who could help you design and create your dream cardigan. I’d check Etsy for people doing custom work.
posted by cartoonella at 7:36 PM on November 16, 2021