Men's cardigans: a new fashion revolution

The cardigan has long been a staple item of clothing in the wardrobe of many a woman - but, while cardigans have always been a unisex staple of knitwear, the men's cardigan has recently experienced a fashion resurrection. In fact, the men's cardigan is one of this year's most essential male fashion items.

But this trend of male cardigans is nothing new. Famous male cardigan wearers throughout the twentieth century have included a range of personalities, from the American comedian Bill Crosby and the British comedian and TV presenter Simon Amstell, to the renowned children's writer Roald Dahl and even rock legend Kurt Cobain.

In fact, the Cardigan was first named after James Thomas Brudnell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who was a British military commander during the Crimean War; since this time the cardigan has always been worn by both sexes. The male cardigan even made the headlines in the twentieth century, when the outspoken Bulgarian-born broadcaster and dissident, Georgi Markov, was involved in an attempted assassination - a poisonous pellet was saved from entering his skin too deeply because he was wearing a very thick woollen cardigan!

2007 sees a range of men's cardigans transform a range of men's fashion outlets - from the catwalk to designer boutiques and top high street fashion stores. Whether you're looking for a smart cardigan to adorn a formal outfit, or you're more interested in finding a stripy cardigan to complete an effortlessly casual look, 2007 is the year to enhance your wardrobe with cardigans!

This season's collections sees many top fashion retailers in the UK take their influences from the Beatnik era of the 1950s and 1960s, with strains of Parisian chic and jazz-soaked fashion penetrating the Spring/Summer 2007 look. Casual cardigans were a large part of the sophisticated image perpetrated by both well-known French philosophers, like Jean Paul Sartre, and legends of the American beat generation, Jack Kerouac and William Boroughs. If this is the look you're going for this season, then make sure you invest in some stripy cardigans or plain woollen cardigans for maximum effect.

And as the summer fast approaches, cardigans could also form an essential part of your festival fashion wardrobe. In fact, the men's cardigan is one of the most flexible and adaptable items of clothing a man could own. For instance, a cardigan can be worn loose during the day over a t-shirt for a chic but informal look; however, paired with a skinny tie, smart trousers and formal shoes for an effortlessly stylish evening look. So make sure you're not left out of this year's men's cardigan revolution and give yourself the freedom to adapt your look!

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance journalist.