The Hunt: The Best Sweater Jackets for the Office

This page was last updated September 2023 except where otherwise noted.

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? 

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Favorites and Best-Sellers: The Best Sweater Jackets for Women

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 best sellers…

{related: The Ultimate Guide to Business Casual for Women}

Trendy Sweater Jackets for Women

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 2022: Anthropologie / LOFT / Ann Taylor / Banana Republic — also (not pictured) check out this lovely one from L’Agence and this interesting mixed knit one from Capsule 21. (Ooh, and a J.Crew “brand we love” has a lovely but pricey sweater blazer: $595 from State of Cotton.) The Of Mercer jardigan is still available in limited sizes, as well.

On the sale side of things, check out this cute knit blazer for $30 at Nordstrom Rack.

{related: do check out our regularly updated list of wardrobe essentials for work!}

A Closer Look at Some of the Best-Selling Sweater Blazers for Women

Readers have been singing the praises of this open-front cardigan from Macy’s as a more affordable jardigan substitute. (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 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 it often dips pretty low on sale — all links are good as of Sept. 2022.

{related: the best blazers for women this year}

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: where to find Chanel-style jackets for work}

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 was a prior version!) This year’s pretty cable knit sweater jacket comes in a TON of colors in regular, petite, plus-size petites, and plus sizes.

{related: investment/statement blazers}

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 Sophie sweater jacket seems to have been retired (although the Cecile is very similar!), with the Eloise taking its place as the best-seller at J.Crew. It’s available in a zillion colors in sizes XXXS through 3X for $138-$148 at J.Crew.

{related: how to wear a blazer with something other than a suit}

This single-snap cardigan jacket from Nic + Zoe has come in 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. (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.

And of course, you can’t have a roundup without the O.G. jardigans — the MM.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!

(This post was originally written in 2019, but substantially updated as indicated.)