Cardigan couture

A special plea to this page was recently made for the introduction of more colour. Grey, seemingly, while the colour of the season is not necessarily to everyone's taste - perhaps because it is just too reminiscent of our Irish skies. So, today sees an outburst of sugared-almond shades such as lilac, pink, baby blue and lemon. All of these colours are easily found at the moment (and they work wonderfully well with grey) and are particularly popular for cardigans, an item of clothing which has suddenly surged in popularity among women.

Initially returning to fashion's favour when underwear became outerwear earlier this decade, the cardigan has stayed the course better than most petticoat slips. Women who wanted to wear wisps of lace-trimmed lingerie during the day felt the need for some cover, and little tight-fitting cardigans provided the perfect solution. The style of garment is therefore very different to the traditional loose, relaxed style. Today's cardigan's must cling on the bust and arms, while only just reaching the waist. There should be no room for expansion. When buying a cardigan, it is almost best to opt for a size smaller than usual.

Why should a cardigan be at the centre of your wardrobe right now? Well, one good reason is that it makes a refreshing alternative to the jacket, and thereby takes some of the stuffiness out of suiting. While obviously convenient, the business suit can begin to appear just too formal, constricting and possibly even dull. The cardigan, on the other hand, suggests ease but not necessarily informality - everything depends on what is worn with it. A smart shift dress, for example, or a skirt and shirt, will team up well with a cardigan for the office. Since the majority of such places are now air-conditioned, a cardigan is ideal for slipping over the shoulders with just the top button fastened. Alternatively, it can be left loosely knotted around the neck.

The cardigan really comes into its own over evenings and weekends when some of the prettiest examples on sale at the moment will look their best. Outlets such as Jenny Vander in Dublin have a wonderful selection of old beaded cardigans from the 1950s and 1960s, but there are also many new pieces widely available. Beads, sequins and embroidery are the favourite decorative elements of this decade; cardigans are as liable to be coated in ornamentation of this kind as any other piece of clothing. But a beaded cardigan has enough versatility to look terrific with either a pair of jeans or a long evening skirt, to be thrown over a cotton T-shirt or a silk camisole top. Best of all, it seems to come in every imaginable colour except grey.