A ruffled cardigan is this winter’s most sought-after variation of the flyaway front women’s cardigan sweater — fluttery, feminine, and warm.
This season’s pretty colors range from rich burnt shades of yellow, orange, and crimson, to a color wheel of softened blues, pinks, and greens, to an array of gray hues.
Engineered fiber blends help cotton yarn retain its shape through repeated washings.
Ruffles Come In Superabundance of Styles
Designers demonstrate creativity with styles that will keep you guessing about which you like best.
Sometimes the ruffles are barely there, a thin edge along the button-front of the traditional sweater-set type cardigan with its narrow, close-to-the-body styling.
Alexander McQueen features a sweater-coat cardigan with a shawl collar so full that it is itself the widest of ruffles.
Cutaway Style Cardigan Flatters Apple-Shaped Figure
My favorites for the apple-shaped figure is the cutaway ruffled cardigan.
This shape resembles a man’s cutaway tuxedo. Ruffles conceal a thick midriff, while the cutaway tails draw the eyes upward toward your face and downward toward your legs.
Ralph Lauren takes the cutaway style of ruffle long cardigan to dramatic lengths.
Lauren’s Karleen sweater is a half-circle that will swirl around you in a flurry of one of this season’s hottest colors – winter white.
Corsage Front Is Super Feminine Version of Ruffled Cardigan
A corsage ruffle resembles flowers with its thickly shirred folds.
Sometimes, this is two or three layers thick and may be formed of a lighter, contrasting fabric such as chiffon.
Ruffles appear along the bottom of some ruffle-trim cardigans. This is not a good look if you hope to draw the eye away from ample hips.
Ruffles at the wrists also must be considered in light of what you will be doing when you wear this style of sweaters for women.
Wrist Ruffles: Are They For You?
The wrist ruffle may not be comfortable if you will be wearing your ruffled cardigan for office work. Remember, unlike a straight sweater sleeve, you will not be able to roll it up.
As ruffle mania grips designers, some open-front ruffle cardigan sweaters appear with layers on layers of ruffles.
Jabot Front Is Not for the Amply Endowed
One dressy number has five layers of lace ruffles, dyed to match the yarn, across the front forming a wide jabot.
This look is perfect for a small-busted woman but will look like a ship in full sail on more amply endowed figures.
Neiman Marcus is showing a cashmere lounge set with an off-center jabot ruffle down one side among its collection of sweaters for women. This is another unique ruffled cardigan.
Are Shoulder Ruffles A Good Look for You?
Another infrequent use of ruffles is those that sprout from the shoulder seam, like wings. If you have narrow shoulders, this angelic look is for you.
If you have normal or broad shoulders, avoid this and shoulder pads when buying sweaters for women.
In summary, if you need a long sheer ruffle cardigan, the selection of sweaters for women is sure to have a ruffled cardigan in the style and color that will be a perfect addition to your closet.