Bright young things in granddad's duds
By Martha Linden | theage.com.au | 06 March
Once viewed as the wardrobe staple of grumpy old men, the humble cardigan is making a big comeback, thanks to male style icons such as David Beckham.
The knitted garment is flying off the shelves as young men in particular follow the example of heroes such as Beckham and actors such as Jude Law and Bond star Daniel Craig by wearing the cardigan, according to the supermarket chain Asda.
The George at Asda label sold more men's cardigans in the first two months of this year than in the past three years, the chain said, with 226,000 sold in January alone.
Fiona Lambert, design director for George at Asda said:
"The cardigan is an exceptionally versatile piece of clothing. They look great with jeans, but when teamed with a suit guys become the male equivalent of the sexy librarian."
A telephone survey by George Menswear of 1000 British adults at the end of February appeared to confirm the cardigan's image transformation from passion killer to "chick magnet".
Nearly three-quarters of women, or 72%, found men in cardigans sexy, with 87% of women saying the cardigan denoted a man comfortable and confident with his sexuality.
A man who wears a cardigan is seen to be reliable husband material by 54% of women, with 76% saying a man wearing a cardigan suggested an "air of intelligence".
PA
First published by TheAge.com.au on March 06 2008
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