The fashion world loves to make up words, typically for the purpose of describing some new and previously unnamed sartorial hybrid—think shackets, bradigans, and skorts. That’s a motley crew if we ever saw one. Well, we’ve got another one to add to your mental fashion dictionary, and that’s the “coatigan.” Not unlike the shacket, the coatigan sits midway between two much-loved wardrobe staples: the cardigan and the coat. Odd though it may sound, we’ve discovered that it’s actually a pretty smart solution to autumn’s not-quite-hot-not-quite-cold temperatures.
We’ve seen our fair share of cardigans masquerading as coats, but this season’s offerings are far superior. Why? Well, it’s all about fabric. Previous iterations tended to come in limp fabrics that easily stretched out of shape after one wear, whereas this year, brands are offering up more substantial styles, such as COS’s elegant charcoal grey longline cardigan and Hayley Menzies’s statement-making wrap offerings.
There are also plenty of printed iterations if that floats your boat. Case in point: Lucy Williams’s retro-inspired striped cardi comes to life when paired with colour-match knitted bottoms. Just add heeled boots and an oversize trench for cooler days. Scroll down to see and shop our full edit of coatigan outfits to carry you through the season in style.
