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27 Cute Cardigan Sweaters for Women To Snuggle Up in This Autumn

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When it comes to clothing, the transitional period between summer’s final sunny days and fall’s first chillier weeks can be tricky. But take it from one Miss Taylor Swift: A cardigan can be the answer to all your outfit woes. Perfect to throw on during those slightly cooler days, the best cardigan sweaters for women will provide you with just enough warmth without making you feel overheated. They’re also just as easy to take off should you find yourself getting hot. But first, you’ll have to make some hard choices. Do you want your cardigan to button up? Should it be on the longer or shorter side? And what material is best to ensure it isn’t too itchy or irritating?

Materials to Look for in a Cardigan Sweater for Women

There are plenty of fabrics and yarn that cardigans are available in. Here are a few you should look out for.

  • Cashmere: This is some of the softest—and most expensive—wool fiber on the market. It comes from the soft undercoat of exotic central Asian goats (or more specifically, inner Mongolian goats), making it incredibly warm; yet lightweight. Blending the fiber with less expensive materials is common, so double-check your cardigan’s label to see if it’s made of 100% pure cashmere.

  • Wool: Long-lasting and high-quality, wool is the most common material for cardigans—specifically, merino sheep’s wool. Depending on the animal (sheep, goat, rabbit or alpaca), this material can be incredibly soft and last for years to come. While warm, wool can also be itchy, however, so some may prefer a wool blend or need to wear an undershirt.

  • Synthetic: Yarns such as acrylic, rayon, and polyester are synthetic, making them more affordable, but they may not last as long as the real deal. You’ll often find these materials blended with cotton or wool for a nice balance of price and quality.

  • Cotton: Though a less commonly used sweater material, cotton is less insulating and more breathable than its animal counterparts, making it good for transitional weather. It’s lightweight, too, so you won’t feel weighed down.

We’ve narrowed down some top-notch options that are both stylish and comfortable: Welcome to your new go-to fall ensemble.

The Best Cardigan Sweaters for Women at a Glance

15 Cute Fall Sweaters to Keep You Cozy All Season Long


cardigan sweaters for women anthropologie classic pointelle cardigan
Anthropologie

1. Anthropologie Classic Pointelle Cardigan

Best Overall Cardigan

The pointelle stitching detailing on this little number completely steals the show. Whether you wear it open or buttoned-up, it would look great with a mini skirt and boots for the ultimate fall aesthetic. The fabric is acrylic, polyamide and polyester, which makes it super squishy as well.

cardigan sweaters for women madewell ex boyfriend cardigan sweater
Madewell

2. Madewell Ex-boyfriend Cardigan Sweater

Best Boyfriend Cardigan

During chilly autumn days, you could reach for your boyfriend’s old cardigan—or you could just wear your own in the form of this Madewell Ex-Boyfriend version. Made of recycled cashmere and merino wool from progessive-care farms, it’s got a nice midweight heft that will be ideal for days that dip below freezing. The dual side pockets are great for storing your chapstick, too.

cardigan sweaters for women grace karin women open front cardigan
Amazon

3. Grace Karin Women Open-front Cardigan

Best Long Cardigan

With a long length that hits right above the knees, you’ll want to wrap yourself in this stretchy cardigan. Available in nearly 50 (!) colors, it’s made of acrylic and viscose (an affordable alternative to natural silk), making it soft and durable. The hand pockets are a nice touch, too, to help warm your mitts on a chilly fall night.

caridgan sweaters for women shein
SHEIN

4. Shein Pointelle Knit Cardigan

Best Sheer Cardigan

Who says cardigans can’t have edge? This sheer SHEIN cardigan puts a fun twist on the staple style with a lightweight acrylic with pointelle knitting and sheer sleeves that are slightly see-through. It's also got a nice drop shoulder for the added option of an off-the-arm look.

cardigan sweaters for women merokeety chunky open front sweater
Amazon

5. Merokeety Chunky Open-front Sweater

Best Popcorn Cardigan

This long, loose-fitting sweater is super functional while still being fashionable. Made with 100 percent polyester that’s been woven into popcorn yarn, it’s got a plush feel with a slight stretch. The light material will be ideal to wear on slighter warmer days, and it’s available in 35 different colors—that means the hardest part about buying it will be choosing your favorite!

cardigan sweaters for women lovaru boho open front cardigan
Amazon

6. Lovaru Boho Open Front Cardigan

Best Open-Front Cardigan

Featuring a variety of block patterns, this women’s cardigan will be a welcome addition to your fall wardrobe. It’s made of a semi-synthetic viscose for softness and it’s blended with nylon to increase its durability. It’s lightweight and comfortable, according to reviewers, just note that it does tend to run a little large.

cardigan sweaters for women tickled teal long sleeve pocket cardigan
Amazon

7. Tickled Teal Long-sleeve Pocket Cardigan

Best Cardigan with Buttons

As the temperature drops, longer lengths become necessary—and this little beauty fits the bill, since it hits right below the kneecap. Better yet, it has buttons all the way down the front that will allow you to better bundle yourself up if you’re shivering while whiling away the hours at your desk.

cardigan sweaters for women amazon
Amazon

8. A.jesdani Button-down Cardigan

Best Classic Cardigan

You can opt to leave this classic sweater open or button it up for more of a traditional crewneck look. It’s made of a blend of silky viscose and nylon, so it’s plenty plush and won’t fall apart after the first hand washing (this pick is not recommended for the machine).

cardigan sweaters for women everlane the chunky cardigan
Everlane

9. Everlane The Chunky Cardigan

Best Zipper Cardigan

If you have no patience for fiddling around with buttons, this cozy top from Everlane will be your jam. It’s made of 100% organic cotton and can be zipped up for a more casual, sweatshirt-like look. The thick material is super warm but also is sustainably made with a GOTS certification, making it one purchase you won’t regret buying.

cardigan sweaters for women ouges open front cardigan
Amazon

10. Ouges Open-front Cardigan

Best Animal-Print Cardigan

What’s more fierce than a leopard print cardigan? A perfect companion to your black jeans or faux leather leggings, this one is made of a polyester and spandex blend, which Amazon buyers say washes well and gives just the right amount of stretch. It’s available in several other animal prints and solid colors, too, if you’re not exactly a wild child.

cardigan sweaters for women loveapella
Nordstrom

11. Loveappella Drape-tie Front Cardigan

Best Long Draped Cardigan

The long, flowy tie-front hem of this piece allow for a more elegant look than your run-of-the-mill cardigan will afford. It hangs just so with loose fabric that makes it more intriguing and helps to elongate the body (we’re looking at you, fellow short girls). We also enjoy that it can be worn two different ways—tied up or as a regular draped sweater.

cardigan sweaters for women barefootdreams
Saks Fifth Avenue

12. Barefoot Dreams Cozychic Lite Circle Cardigan

Best Cozy Cardigan

Barefoot Dreams’ cardigans are popular for a reason. The soft fibers make you feel like you're slipping into a cloud for all-day comfort. The circular silhouette, meanwhile, makes for an über-flattering cut. It’s available in four colors here, and that’s good news, because we can say with confidence that you’re going to want multiple after you put it on for the first time.

cardigan sweaters for women merokeety oversized cardigan
Amazon

13. Merokeety Oversized Cardigan

Best Oversized Cardigan

With an oversized fit and a waffle-knit design, this women’s cardigan is the ultimate cozy accessory. It comes in nearly 20 different fall colors, from mustard to maroon, and will pair well with everything from a graphic tee to a simple tank top. The material is super thick, too, meaning you’ll likely want to live in it during the colder months.

cardigan sweaters for women grace karin v neck cardigan
Amazon

14. Grace Karin V-neck Cardigan

Best Office Cardigan

Modest and functional, this is the sweater you’ll be reaching for when your office AC threatens to freeze you to death. The V neck doesn’t come down too low, making it a great modest option (particularly when buttoned up) but you can also easily unbutton it for a more casual look. It’s made of viscose and acrylic fabric that can be thrown in the wash for easy cleaning.

cardigan sweaters for women bb kk floral cardigan
Amazon

15. Bb&kk Floral Cardigan

Best Floral Cardigan

This floral style is just the thing to spice up a plain old tee. It’s available in a ton of colors and is made of chiffon, polyester and spandex, which makes it incredibly light and airy. This cardi can even work as a vacation-ready bathing suit coverup!

cardigan sweaters for women merokeety cable knit cardigan
Amazon

16. Merokeety Cable-knit Cardigan

Best Chunky-Knit Cardigan

Large buttons and a cable-knit pattern are at the forefront of this women’s cardigan. Made of acrylic fabric with a loose, boyfriend style, this pick hits at the mid-thigh, making it long enough to cover your shirt.

cardigan sweaters for women anthropologie colorblocked eyelash cardigan
Anthropologie

17. Anthropologie Colorblocked Eyelash Cardigan

Most Colorful Cardigan

This fluffy cardigan is bursting with yellow, lilac and terracotta hues, making it a fun piece to throw on during cold-weather days. It’s made of a super cozy acrylic blend that looks hard to clean but is actually machine washable. It’s also got an open front for easy wear—and removal. Note that it’s one size fits all, however, so it may not be ideal if you’ve got an ultra-petite frame.

cardigan sweaters for women 360cashmere kendall cardigan
Verishop

18. 360cashmere Kendall Cardigan

Best Cashmere Cardigan

The soft maple sugar color of this 100 percent cashmere cardigan practically screams fall. The sleeves are slightly long, which makes it extra cozy, and balloon out a bit for an added bit of comfort. There’s also ribbing at the hem and cuffs.

cardigan sweaters for women splendid1
Zappos

19. Splendid Thermal Flight Cardigan Hoodie

Best Waffle-Knit Cardigan

The texture of this waffle-knit piece adds some extra intrigue to your basic draped cardigan. Made of Pima cotton and modal (a type of rayon that’s made using beech trees) it's warm but not overheating. Customers say it has a ton of stretch while still keeping its shape, and the cutest detail may be the hood at the back, which you can burrow into.

cardigan sweaters for women allbirds wool cardi
Allbirds

20. Allbirds Wool Cardi

Best Wool Cardigan

People adore Allbirds’ sustainable shoes, but the brand also has an incredible clothing line—including this wool cardigan. Available in four colors, this thick sweater is made entirely of Merino wool, so it’s quite cozy. It’s dry clean only but it has natural-odor reducing properties, meaning you won’t have to wash it too often.

cardigan sweaters for women j crew v neck cardigan sweater
J. Crew

21. J Crew V-neck Cardigan Sweater

Best Ribbed Cardigan

This ribbed V-neck frames the collarbones well, whether you button it up or leave it open. Made of a mix of cotton and cashmere, it’s one of the softest options on this list, and you can get it in six different hues. It’s also a sustainable choice and crafted in a Fair Trade Certified facility to boot.

cardigan sweaters for women loveshackfancy frankel cardigan
LoveShackFancy

22. Loveshackfancy Frankel Cardigan

Best Cropped Cardigan

Between its heavyweight pointelle knit and gorgeous ribbed edges, this cardigan has some exquisite detailing—even the buttons are covered with yarn for a unified look. On the shorter side, it’s more upscale than casual and looks good when opened or closed. The fit is boxy and the fabric is a nylon, cotton and wool blend.

cardigan sweaters for women lulus tres cozy oversized cardigan
Lulus

23. Lulus Tres Cozy Oversized Cardigan

Best Layering Cardigan

The swirling design of a cable knit combined with its neutral, dark brown hue makes this cardigan a fall essential. It’s oversized (so as to bury yourself entirely in it), and it’s made entirely of acrylic fabric. Now, where are our knee-high boots and leggings?

cardigan sweaters for women free people tera cardi
Revolve

24. Free People Tera Cardi

Best Cotton Cardigan

Pair this 100% cotton Free People topper with a pair of high-waisted jeans or trousers for the ultimate casual ensemble. The back of the cardigan is longer but the middle is cropped for an on-trend look. It’s also one of the few 100 percent cotton picks on this list, making it a great eco-friendly option.

cardigan sweaters for women show me your mumu lombardi faux fur long cardigan
Revolve

25. Show Me Your Mumu Lombardi Faux Fur Long Cardigan

Best Fancy Cardigan

With an extra-long length and faux fur detailing around the collar, this design is an elevated take on an old classic. It’s perfect to dress up a mini dress or slip with for a night. It’s warm, too, and made of viscose, poly and nylon fabric.

cardigan sweaters for women for love lemons celeste cardigan
Shopbop

26. For Love & Lemons Celeste Cardigan

Best Tie-Dye Cardigan

Tie-dye doesn’t have to be reserved for the summer months—especially when you get a load of how adorable this ombre cardi is. Its hazy pastel hues and acrylic, viscose, nylon and wool blend make for a über-comfy sweater you’ll basically want to live in. Throw it on with some light jeans, and you’ll be ready to go.

cardigan sweaters for women billabong1
Nordstrom

27. Billabong Short N Sweet Cardigan Sweater

Best short cardigan

A light pink hue and a soft, fuzzy blend make this short number from Nordstrom especially sweet. The acrylic, nylon, polyester and elastane blend will be cozy without feeling too heavy, and it’s got soft buttons to keep it from being too basic.



Courtney Campbell

Freelance Writer

Courtney covers all things shopping and lifestyle at PureWow. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Elon University and has spent more than five years of her career...