The Hunt: The Best Sweater Jackets for the Office

Pictured above, great sweater jackets for the office: black / navy / black / gray / cropped black

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 they be organized with the blazers or the sweaters? Work or casual? Should they be in 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
• should 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 
• should be made from a fabric that feels more like a sweater (even if tightly knit) and less like a ponte, scuba, or twill
• (may) have more blazer-like details (patch pockets, shawl collars, a relatively substantial knit)
• not be a coatigan, duster, or kimono 

We went on a hunt last year 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 above, great sweater jackets for the office: black / navy / black / gray / cropped black

Hunting for the best sweater jackets for plus sizes? Some of our favorites include: gray / navy / gray / black / green (not pictured but also)

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Curious for previous versions of this roundup? Here they were in 2018, 2010, and (awwww) 2008… 

Readers have been singing the praises of this open-front cardigan from Macy’s as a more affordable jardigan substitute, and at $37 today I couldn’t resist including it. (I 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 comes in a ton of colors, in sizes XS-XXL and plus sizes, and it’s $49-$54 full price.

I know readers have sung the praises of J.Crew Factory’s open sweater jacket for a few years now, but I really like the look of this more structured sweater blazer (pictured). They have it in SIX colors right now (including a lovely burgundy and evergreen), sizes XXS-3X, for $65-$68. Plus, it has 450 reviews and a 4.5-star rating. NICE. (They also have this collarless sweater jacket which I really like the look with a matching turtleneck beneath it.)

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 this pretty, three-button sweater jacket comes in a TON of colors in regular, petite, plus-size petites, and plus sizes. As a bonus, with the anniversary sale going on, it comes down to $119-$135 today.  

J.Crew has a pretty wide selection of sweater jackets, 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 pictured jacket is a bestseller and comes in a zillion colors (including leopard!) and sizes XXXS through 3X for $138-$148 at J.Crew and Nordstrom.  They also have this nice schoolboy sweater blazer in navy and gray.

This single-snap cardigan jacket from Nic + Zoe is on the newer side but already getting rave reviews, with people calling it “stunning” and advising you to “buy this jacket up before [it’s] gone.” I like that it looks more relaxed when the jacket is unbuttoned, but sharper and more tailored when it’s snapped closed. It’s available in regular, petite, and plus sizes in a variety of neutrals (and a purple animal print!) for $158-$178 at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Lord & Taylor and Nic + Zoe. (This knit riding jacket has been around for years and is worth mentioning in this discussion also, as is this pretty space-dyed option.)

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? 

Like this feature? Check out other recent installments!

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(This post was originally written in 2019, but substantially updated on Nov. 19, 2021.)