Sweaters come in an enormous array of styles and patterns. In this article, I’ll explain the different types, styles, and all sorts of great details to know.
Contents
What are the different types of sweaters?
What are the main categories of sweaters?
There are four basic styles or categories of sweaters:
- Pullovers
- Cardigans
- Turtlenecks
- Tunic sweaters
Pullovers
Most sweater styles fall into the pullover category. They’re designed to be put on by pulling them over the head.
Pullover-style sweaters have a wide range of lengths and neck styles.
Cardigans
Any sweater that is completely open and can be closed with buttons or a zipper or that simply hangs open is a cardigan.
Turtlenecks
Turtlenecks are a variation of pullover sweaters. They get their name from the extra fabric around the neckline of the sweater which resembles a turtle poking its head out of its shell.
Turtlenecks come in a variety of styles and patterns and so deserve their own category.
Tunics
Tunic sweaters are another variation of pullovers and get their name from their length. Like any other tunic, the lower hem of the garment reaches below the hip and above the knee.
As with turtlenecks, tunic sweaters come in a variety of designs and also have their own category.
Ten Different Types of Sweaters with Examples & Style Tips
Cardigan Sweater
The cardigan sweater gets its name from John Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who allegedly wore a knitted woolen vest during the Crimean War. Cardigan supposedly invented the garment after his coat tails burned when he stood too near a fireplace.
The original cardigan was sleeveless. The modern cardigan is a knitted sweater, with sleeves and an open front. It can be worn open or closed with buttons or a zipper.
The cardigan was originally a man’s garment. Coco Chanel popularized cardigan sweaters for women. The cardigan enjoyed a heyday in the 1920s and ’30s as a popular look for college students but remains a reliable part of anyone’s wardrobe to this day.
The cardigan can be worn with a shirt as an outer garment or underneath a suit or sports coat as an informal sort of vest.
Pullover sweater
The pullover sweater is a knitted sweater without any buttons or zippers. It is put on by pulling it over the head. Being a knitted garment, it’s heavier than similar garments like the sweatshirt.
It’s usually worn as an outer garment and is best worn with a lightweight shirt underneath. Pullover sweaters are sometimes found with a hood, making a much warmer choice where a hoodie might be worn.
Pullovers are usually fairly bulky and so can be worn by either men or women.
Crewneck sweater
The crewneck sweater is a knitted garment that has a rounded, ribbed neckline and no collar. It was long worn by fishermen and other boatmen.
Although the Fair Isle sweater, a similar garment with a slightly lower neckline, was popularized by the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor) in the 1920s. However, the name crewneck only arose in the late 1930s when the style became fashionable among the members of college rowing teams.
The crewneck sweater is often of thinner yarn and is usually worn with another shirt, especially a collared shirt, underneath.
V-Neck sweater
The v-neck sweater is a knitted pullover sweater with a v-shaped neck. It can be either a men’s or a women’s garment.
The v-neck sweater is designed to be worn with a shirt underneath and can be paired with a sports coat or a blazer to double as an informal vest. Given its utility, the v-neck sweater is a basic item in any wardrobe.
Like the crewneck sweater, the v-neck sweater became popular when the Prince of Wales began wearing them in the 1920s and 1930s. The v-neck sweater has a collar cut lower than the Fair Isle sweater favored by the Prince, while the crewneck sweater has a collar cut higher.
Tunic sweater
The tunic sweater is a knitted woman’s sweater. Like any other sort of tunic, a tunic sweater is a garment defined by its length. It ends at some point below the hip and above the knee.
Sweater tunics can have a variety of collar styles or necklines meaning they can be worn with a variety of shirts.
Because of the length, some thought should also be given to the style of pants and shoes worn with the tunic sweater. Jeans and boots seem to be a popular modern combination.
Given the variety of collar styles available, other accessories can also be considered with the tunic sweater. Scarves and neck kerchiefs can be a great stylish choice with some tunic sweater collar patterns.
Turtleneck sweater
The turtleneck sweater is a knitted pullover sweater with a collar that entirely covers the neck. It’s often lengthened around the neck and designed to be folded over which forms a somewhat more rigid collar.
The turtleneck can be either a men’s or a women’s garment, having appeared as a style popular among polo players in the 1800s.
It’s sometimes called a polo sweater. Hollywood celebrities including Clark Gable and Audrey Hepburn popularized the look between the 1930s and the 1960s. Some other celebrity actors who appeared on film with a modern sweater style are George Peppard in the TV series Banacek and Steve McQueen.
Turtleneck sweaters can be worn with sports coats or blazers for a very elegant but still informal look.
Mock turtleneck sweater
The mock turtleneck, sometimes called the funnel turtleneck, is a knitted garment similar to a turtleneck but with a collar that only extends an inch or so above the neckline.
It can be found in a variety of fabric weights and can be either a men’s or a women’s garment. It’s usually a pullover garment but occasionally you can find variations with quarter zipper arrangements.
Depending on the weight, the mock turtleneck can be worn either as an outer garment with a shirt underneath or as an inner garment with a light undershirt beneath a sports coat or another sweater with an open collar.
A mock turtleneck may be an ideal choice for those who like the look of a turtleneck but who don’t like the feel of a full turtleneck covering the entire neck.
Quarter-zip sweater
The quarter-zip sweater is best described as a variety of v-neck sweater with a zipper added that can close the sweater to the neckline. The quarter-zip sweater can be a men’s or a women’s garment.
Quarter-zip sweaters are often overlooked as a nice top due to sometimes being thought of as something that only “old people” wear.
However, the quarter-zip sweater, like the v-neck sweater, is designed to be worn with a shirt and can serve well for the same situations in which a v-neck sweater can be worn.
Boyfriend sweater
The boyfriend sweater is a knitted v-neck woman’s sweater and is styled to look like a very large man’s sweater, similar to borrowing a boyfriend’s top that’s too big for you.
The boyfriend sweater is deliberately oversized and is loose and roomy. It usually falls below waist length. Because it’s meant to fit loosely in all dimensions it is sometimes known as an “oversized” sweater.
Sweater vest
The sweater vest (sometimes called a sleeveless sweater or tank top in Britain) is a knitted pullover sweater with no sleeves. It usually has a low-cut neckline as it is designed to be worn with a shirt.
Sweater vests are often found in argyle patterns and the whole garment is sometimes referred to as an argyle sweater or just an argyle.
Sweater vests are often used for outdoor athletic wear by golfers, and by cricket players in Britain. Until the 1930s, tennis players also wore a similar outfit.
Like the cardigan, the sweater vest can be coupled with a collared shirt and coat for an informal but sharply stylish look.
What sweaters are the warmest?
As with any other clothing, layers can add warmth. That said, fabric choice and weight are important considerations in picking a warm sweater.
- Look for the thickness of the fabric. Heavier yarn on one sweater will keep you warmer than several layers of lightweight cotton yarn or thread. Knitted sweaters tend to be very warm.
- Wool is always a good choice for a warm sweater material. Sheep are meant to live in cold, damp climates, and natural wool is usually much warmer than synthetic yarns.
- If you find that wool itches (and many people are allergic to wool to some degree), you can wear a light shirt of some other material underneath.
- The type of neckline and collar makes a difference as well. For example, a turtleneck sweater in any of its varieties will give you a built-in scarf and help keep you warm and comfy. Several other styles of sweaters might have collars that can be drawn up around the neck as well.
Open-necked sweaters, like the v-neck style, may not be so warm so I don’t recommend them for very cold weather.
What is a knitted sweater called?
A knitted sweater is made from a single, continuous yarn or thread, and crafted with needles into interlocking loops, instead of being made from multiple pieces of yarn or thread woven into fabric.
An open-fronted knitted sweater is a ‘cardigan.’ A closed-fronted knitted sweater, of any pattern, can be referred to as a ‘jersey.’
What is a cropped sweater?
A cropped sweater is a sweater in which the lower hem does not reach the waist.
Most cropped sweaters are some variety of pullovers with pretty much every style of neckline available but cropped cardigans also exist. Cropped sweaters are almost exclusively women’s garments and are associated with being highly informal and youthful.
Cropped pullovers are often worn without any shirt underneath so they can show a bare midriff.
They can be worn with a high-waisted skirt or pants which cover the belly. The effect creates a more formal but still youthful look which is more suitable for office wear.
A similar effect can be gained by wearing a collared buttoned blouse under the cropped pullover.
How do I know if a sweater is good quality?
Quality is in the eye of the beholder and means different things to different people. However, when people speak of “buying quality clothing,” they tend to mean clothing that will last longer than cheaper alternatives.
When it comes to sweaters, cost does not always equal value and there are some key things to look for in a good quality sweater.
- As with any garment, a quality sweater should be of a good style.
- It should be made from good quality materials.
- It should fit well, and the yarn used should not “pill” excessively. (Pilling refers to the little bits of fabric that start fuzzing up and begin coming off).
Sweater styles & seasonality
Sweaters are seasonal items in most stores and so fall in and out of fashion so it’s rare to find exactly the same pattern or style in stock for very long. However, you should always be able to find a traditional style that falls within tasteful bounds in the pattern you want.
Sweater fabric quality
Natural fabrics made from wool, linen, or cotton may be more expensive but they tend to last longer than synthetic ones like polyester and nylon. They also have a better, more comfortable feel against the skin.
Synthetic fabrics are less durable and even the best style and tailoring won’t make them last longer.
Fit criteria
- A quality sweater should fit well at the time of purchase. Sweaters are knitted and in most cases can’t easily be altered or tailored once you’ve bought them.
- Unless you’re purchasing a boyfriend sweater, a cropped sweater, or a tunic sweater, the hem of the sweater should just overlap your waistband, or reach just below it.
- The shoulder seam should rest directly where the peak of your shoulder bone ends.
- The sleeves should be the right length. Unless you are buying a boyfriend sweater, this means the sweater should end about 1/2 inch above the base of your thumb if you intend to wear the sweater with a shirt. If you intend to wear the sweater without a shirt, the sleeve should reach the base of your thumb.
Fabric pilling
All yarn will “pill” to some extent, unfortunately. Over time, the fibers on the surface of the yarn will lose their adherence to the thread and begin to shred. These shredded fibers form little balls, or “pills” on the garment.
The cloth and the top itself are still perfectly functional but it is a little bit noticeable over time.
The little pills can be shaved off with a clothes razor or scouring stone and the garment will be good to use and look very nice. You do need to be careful when trying to fix pilling however as you don’t want to hurt the original fabric.