The Cardigan Manifesto

I was 12 when I first tried wearing a cardigan. It was a spring pastel-pink eyelet summer cardigan that was as light, silky and smooth as a silk scarf. I still remember how the tips of the cardigan gently floated in the air every time the warm late spring wind passed me by.

I loved that cardigan for many reasons. I loved how the pastel pink complimented by facial complex and how the fabric felt so smooth and silky around my arms. I also loved how I felt like I was a ladylike grown-up every time I felt the texture, since elementary kids in that age generally do not get to wear anything fancier than fine cotton or polyester. I guess I was precocious in some ways because I often enjoyed that mysterious and secretive thrills of escapism, imagining myself ten and twenty years ahead as a sophisticated, feminine yet professional woman. I still associate silk with the image of sophistication and femininity.

I also loved wearing that pink cardigan because wearing it meant that I was about to have a slightly more special or exciting day. Cotton T-shirts, corduroys or blue jeans were for school, but cardigans went with dresses I wore for church. I remember often matching that cardigan with my staple white church dress.

Years fast forward, I am older than double my age then and I own more than a dozen cardigans. During one of the closet cleaning sessions, I thought of why I owned so many cardigans and realized I am driven by a set of values when it comes to shopping. Just like anything else I own, I bought cardigans because they are versatile, functional, affordable, practical, stylish, comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective.

How did I get to see these many qualities in a piece of fabric?

I'm about to find that out myself. And I'm sure you will as well!