How to wear a long cardigan 10 ways +30 bonus outfit ideas

Long cardigans are some of the most worn pieces in my closet, especially this time of year. It is such a versatile, cozy piece that can be dressed up or down. If I’m being honest, I love long cardigans because of their length! This makes them great for pairing with leggings in the Fall, skinny jeans in the Winter, dresses in the Spring, and shorts in the Summer! The right cardigan can be worn throughout the entire year and today I want to help you get the most wear from your favorite one by sharing 10 outfits with long cardigan, plus 30 bonus outfit ideas.

For whatever reason you like this closet staple, I hope you find this post useful. My main goal is to help you maximize what you have in your closet so you can shop less often and maybe save a little bit of money. For the 10 outfits, I provide a formula that you can easily copy using pieces from your very own closet. I will link exact (or similar) items to what I’m wearing in case something catches your eye!

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How Many Long Cardigans Do You Need

Since long cardigans are a part of most capsule wardrobes I create, there are 2 options for me personally: either a different one for each season (meaning 4) OR one or two and wear them all year round. Of course, if you are like me, you would replace them every few of years or as needed.

Read Next: The 25 pieces I included in my Fall Capsule Wardrobe!

If I’m being completely honest, I don’t think you NEED 4. You would probably be just fine with one or two. This of course depends on where you live and your lifestyle. It will also depend on your style and how much you actually like long cardigans in general.

I absolutely love long cardigans! I have owned many over the years and right now I have 4 in my closet. I’ve had them for several years and they are still in good shape, so I haven’t really felt the need to replace or part with them. Especially now that I work from home, I find long cardigans super easy to wear over anything. Even in the Summer, when our AC has me freezing, I will pull on a long cardigan for some extra warmth inside.

Which Color Long Cardigan is Best?

Without a doubt, if I had to choose one color it would be camel. It is neutral and can easily be dressed up or down depending on your style. The color pairs beautifully with jeans, tan trousers, black leggings, and more! It took me several years to realize the importance of neutral colors in my wardrobe. With neutral colors, such as camel, you will get the most wear out of your clothing and find yourself shopping LESS (i.e. saving money!!!).

 

How To Create Your Outfits with Long Cardigan Using my Formulas

As mentioned above, for each of the 10 outfits in this post, I have a basic outfit formula for you. My goal with sharing the formula is to guide you through the process of recreating some of these looks with things you already own. I truly hope this will save you on unnecessary purchases as I try to use basic pieces most women already own!

HERE’S A STEP BY STEP ON HOW TO RECREATE MY LONG CARDIGAN OUTFITS IN THIS POST:

• Pick one of the outfits below
• Find the formula for that outfit
• Get your favorite long cardigan
• Pull 2-3 similar pieces out of your closet for each item in the formula
• Start mixing the items up to create a full outfit you love! That’s it!

It really is so simple to do and once you create a few outfits from one formula you will become a pro at creating new outfits using these formulas. Save this post on Pinterest for future reference!

Catch up on this post: Chanel Handbag Alternatives You Might Mistake for the Real Deal!

HOW TO WEAR A LONG CARDIGAN – 10 BASIC OUTFIT FORMULAS

I explain each of these looks to help you think outside the box. But please, pay attention to each long cardigan outfit formula and try to create the looks with things you have in your closet as I explained above. I’ve linked exact, or similar, items below the formula if you’re interested in shopping my looks. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments or on Instagram.

LOOK 1: Leggings Outfits with Long Cardigan

This is a such an easy and casual outfit. Probably one of my most worn outfits with long cardigan. It’s just so comfortable and easy to put together. Simply grab your favorite t-shirt & leggings, then throw on some sneakers & the cardigan and your good to go! This is a great outfit to go for when you don’t know what to wear, especially in the Fall! perfect for getting pumpkins with the fam, trick-or-treating, or Sunday game days!

 

Long Cardigan + T-Shirt + Leggings + Sneakers

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  T-Shirt  //  Leggings  //  Sneakers

 

LOOK 2: Dress outfits with Long Cardigan

Dresses are great because I usually consider them “one-and-done” outfits. They don’t require much thought and you don’t have to worry about pairing multiple pieces together to create an outfit. To take your dress one step forward, layer a long cardigan over, and a belt to define the waist. Easy as that!

Long Cardigan + Dress + Belt + Shoes

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  Dress  //  Belt  //  Shoes (similar)

 

LOOK 3: Skinny Jeans Outfits with Long Cardigan

Are skinny jeans still in style this year? Yes! Especially when paired properly with pieces, like a long cardigan, to modernize the look. The length of this cardigan elongates your top half through the top portion of your hips and thighs. This gives similar vibes to the trending straight leg jeans. This is a great option for maximizing the wear of your skinny jeans.

Long Cardigan + Basic Tank/Tee + Skinny Jeans + Flats

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan (similar)  //  Tank  //  Jeans  //  Flats

 

LOOK 4: Summer Outfits with Long Cardigan

Want an effortless transitional look from Summer to Fall? This outfit is it! A long cardigan works great over a dress. You can bundle it up for cool weather with tights and tall boots, or you can wear it with bare legs and sandals for warmer weather.

Long Cardigan + Fitted Tank + Shorts + Sandals

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan (similar)  //  Tank  //  Shorts  //  Sandals

 

LOOK 5: Business Casual Outfits with Long Cardigan

How to wear a long cardigan sweater?  Try this business casual look by pairing your cardigan sweater with black dress pants and a satin cami. Not dressing up much for the office these days?  Replace these black dress pants with black jeans for a slightly more casual outfit idea.

Long Cardigan + Satin Top + Trousers + Heels

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  Top  //  Pants (similar)  //  Heels

 

LOOK 6: White Jeans Outfit with Long Cardigan

Earlier in this post I chose the camel as my one choice of color if I had choose only one color for a long cardigan. Here is another reason why I love the color. Pairing it with white is dreamy. How pretty are these white jeans with this color! This is another good look for transitioning from Summer to Fall and even from Spring to Summer.

Long Cardigan + Beige Top + White Jeans + Flats

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  Top  //  Jeans  //  Flats

 

LOOK 7: Date Night Outfits with Long Cardigan

This is such a pretty look for a casual date night outfit or for a happy hour/casual Friday outfit! These are some of my favorite sandals from this past Summer. Amazon also sells a very similar pair here, I have the Amazon pair in tan and love them! Comfortable and very affordable.

Long Cardigan + Black Top + Jeans + Strappy Sandals

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  Top  //  Jeans  //  Sandals

 

LOOK 8: Fall Outfits with Long Cardigan

Another super simple outfit you can create in endless ways using a basic tee, scarf, and skinny jeans! Whether you opt for a striped tee like mine, or a solid tee, you really can’t go wrong with this look. Love it for Fall as it is an easy way to have fun textures to your outfits for the season!

Long Cardigan + Striped Tee + Scarf + Skinny Jeans + Booties

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  Top  //  Scarf  //  Jeans  //  Boots

 

LOOK 9: Monochrome Outfits with Long Cardigan

When in doubt, wear monochrome for an instantly put together outfit. Something about an all black (or white, or gray, or navy) outfit instantly elevates your look. What I love about black is that you can choose to wear black jeans, leggings, or trousers with the exact same black tank top and you will look so chic in either of the bottoms!

Long Cardigan + Black Top + Black Jeans + Black Shoes

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan  //  Top  //  Jeans  //  Shoes

 

LOOK 10: Blouse Outfits with Long Cardigan

Heading to the office? Or maybe a nice dinner with friends? Pair your favorite blouse with a long cardigan and literally any pair of pants your want for a classy outfit you’re sure to feel great in! Don’t forget your heels to compliment the blouse.

Long Cardigan + Blouse + Pants + Heels

SHOP MY LOOK:  Cardigan (similar)  //  Top  //  Pants  //  Heels

 

 

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