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Sure, we all know what wardrobe essentials for work professional women are supposed to have in their closets, but if you’re buying one for the first time or replacing one you’ve worn into the ground, it can be a pain to find exactly the right incarnation in stores. In “The Hunt,” we search the stores for a basic item that every woman should have.
It’s been too long since we’ve gone on a Hunt for everyone’s favorite topper — the jardigan / sweater jacket / knit blazer. Part of the problem with this lovely new thing is the name — none of the stores really seems to know what to call it, or where to stick it in their online offerings. Should it be organized with the blazers or the sweaters? Work or casual? Should it be with the cardigans? (The answer, dear retailers, is PUT THEM IN ALL OF THEM, but apparently that is not the common practice.)
For the sake of argument, let’s call it a sweater jacket. For definitional purposes, this piece should…
- be able to be swapped for either a blazer or a cardigan in your wardrobe
- not have interior lining or stitching that might inhibit the comfort of wearing it
- be made from a substantial enough fabric that it has a bit of a structure on its own, but not be so thick (tweed, boiled wool) that it’s a boxy mess, or be so insubstantial that it’s gauzy
- be made from a fabric that feels more like a sweater (even if tightly knit) and less like a ponte, scuba, or twill
- (possibly) have more blazer-like details (patch pockets, shawl collars, a relatively substantial knit)
- not be a coatigan, duster, or kimono
We we’ve also gone on a hunt for the best jardigans for work, but you’d be surprised how many more options there are out there this year! Readers, how would you define this wardrobe staple? Have you bought any great jardigans, knit blazers, or sweater jackets recently? What do you think is the best sweater jacket for the office?
Pictured on homepage: windowpane / merlot / gray
Favorites and Bestsellers: The Best Sweater Jackets for the Office
Our Latest Favorite Sweater Jackets for Plus Sizes
Similarly, there are some plus-size sweater jackets that have been around for years and are always bestsellers…
{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}
Trendy Sweater Jackets and Sweater Blazers in 2023
In addition to all of the old favorites still being in stock (the Talbots version this year particularly looks awesome!), there are some newer ones from familiar brands…
Trendy sweater jackets in 2023: Banana Republic / Charter Club (also plus) / Ann Taylor (also in teal!) / Anthropologie.
On the pricey side of things, State of Cotton (one of J.Crew’s “brands we love”) has a lovely sweater blazer for $595. This relaxed sweater blazer at COS is also nice for $225.
On the sale side of things, check out this cute knit blazer for $30 at Nordstrom Rack, and this $70 one at Quince (tons of colors!). This Macy’s one (from new workwear house brand “On 34th”) also comes in a bunch of colors for $79. It looks like there’s only navy left, but this $40 option from Walmart (Sofia Vergara’s line) is getting good reviews.
{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}
A Closer Look at Some of the Bestselling Sweater Blazers for the Office
J.Crew Factory Sweater Blazer
I know readers have sung the praises of J.Crew Factory’s stylish sweater jackets for a few years now — and I really like the look of this structured schoolboy sweater blazer (pictured).
They have it in FOUR colors right now in sizes XXS-3X. NICE. (They also have this looser, more oversized sweater jacket, which also looks really modern!)
{related: the best blazers for women this year}
J.Crew Odette Sweater Lady Jacket
J.Crew has a pretty wide selection of sweater jackets (with many available up to size 3X!), although I would argue that the new, longer style looks more like a coat (or everyone’s dreaded look, the robe)… but maybe that’s me.
The Cecile is the style that has been around for several years, but one of the newest bestsellers is the Odette lady jacket (pictured). It obviously has a bit of a cropped look, and a thicker weave than a lot of the other sweater jackets pictured here — almost more like a Chanel-style jacket.
Try this one with fit and flare dresses, as well as with pleated trousers — but skip the bare midriff for the office.
It’s available in four colors for $178 full price, available in sizes XXXS-3X (but with a lot of sizes out of stock at the moment).
{related: where to find Chanel-style jackets for work}
Summersalt Ribbed Sweater Blazer
This ribbed sweater version from Summersalt has been around for a few years now and looks great — it’s available in four colors (pictured: olive), in sizes XS-2X, for $125.
{related: how to wear a blazer with something other than a suit}
L’Agence Lacey Knit Blazer
Leave it to L’Agence to create the perfect knit blazer. We’ve sung the praises of L’Agence blazers for years, but this is the first time I’ve noticed their gorgeous knit versions. The knit looks luxurious and the silhouette doesn’t veer into boxy territory like a lot of the knit blazers I’ve seen.
The blazer is available in sizes XS-XL for $425 at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Amazon, and L’Agence.
Talbots Ribbed Shawl Collar Blazer
A lot of the sweater jackets we’ve mentioned today have a wide size range, but the only plus-size petite option for a sweater blazer (at least, that I know of) is Talbots, where every season they have a slightly different but amazing sweater jacket.
This year’s pretty cable knit sweater jacket comes in a TON of colors in regular and petite sizes.
{related: investment/statement blazers}
Karen Scott Shawl Collar Curved-Hem Cardigan
Readers have been singing the praises of this open-front cardigan from Macy’s as a more affordable jardigan substitute. I’ve ordered it, actually — to me this felt more like an open-front cardigan than a more structured sweater jacket, but it’s still a really nice, versatile piece for your work wardrobe. It definitely has a lot of polish and is easy to throw on!
It comes in many colors in regular, petite, and plus sizes, and it’s $49-$54 full price. This one goes in and out of stock all the time, especially as it often dips pretty low on sale — all links are good as of Oct. 2023.
Nic & Zoe Grace Knit Jacket
This single-snap cardigan jacket from Nic + Zoe has come in various colors over the years but is now mostly only available in black. I have an older version of it in purple, but I love it and wear it often — it’s comfortable but structured, including shoulder pads. (I actually prefer it to the other sweater blazers I own!)
It’s available in regular, petite, and plus sizes at Bloomingdale’s and sometimes Nordstrom.
M.M.LaFleur Woolf Jardigan
And of course, you can’t have a roundup without the O.G. jardigans — the M.M.LaFleur Woolf (pictured) and Sant Ambroeus. They’ve always been huge hits with readers, and the whole sweater jacket trend seemed to originate there.
You can find them in 5+ colors at MM.LaFleur (and sometimes at Zappos and Nordstrom!) in sizes XXS-XXL.
(Note that they briefly came in sizes up to 3X, so keep an eye out on resale sites if you’re hunting.)
Readers, what are your favorite jardigans, knit blazers, and more? (How would you define the wardrobe staple?) What do you think is the best sweater jacket for the office?
Other Favorite Blazers to Wear as Separates
Some of our favorite blazers to wear as separates include:
Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!
