A cardigan is a sweater that opens completely down the front, usually fastened with buttons or a zipper, instead of pulling over your head like most sweaters. It's named after James Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British military officer in the 1800s who supposedly popularized this style of knitted garment among his troops.

The great advantage of a cardigan is that you can put it on or take it off easily without messing up your hair or the rest of your outfit. You can also wear it open when you're just slightly chilly, button it halfway, or close it completely when you need more warmth. Teachers often keep cardigans draped over their chairs because classrooms can shift from too cold to too warm throughout the day.

Cardigans come in all sorts of styles, from thin cotton ones perfect for cool summer evenings to thick wool versions for winter. Mister Rogers famously wore a cardigan at the start of every episode of his television show, changing from his jacket into a comfortable cardigan as he entered his TV neighborhood and making the cardigan a symbol of feeling at home and at ease.