July 11, 2026 — 5:00amWhat’s the best way to update my weekend winter wardrobe?Invest in the right cardigan and you’ll have a style staple that will get you through the entire week before it’s ready for an airing. I’m not talking about chunky, oversized, curve-cancelling styles that envelop you like a warm hug: rather, streamlined cardigans, in cashmere, wool or cotton blends with buttons the size of five-cent pieces, that skim the body. These are the perfect choice to take you from brunch to a bar or ballroom.Jennifer Lopez, attending an “Office Romance” movie event in Manhattan in June, shows how a simple, sheer cardigan complements a clean aesthetic. Getty ImagesLayered on top of a white T-shirt with jeans, they offer warmth and the opportunity for a style contrast. If the cardigan is slightly sheer, all the better: swap your T-shirt for a tank-top so your arms become an aesthetic asset. Resist the urge to remain casually unbuttoned and embrace the clean silhouette of a full fastening. A cardigan, as part of a matching set, bestows professional polish when worn over a crisp business shirt, turtleneck or long-sleeved T-shirt.Read more: The jewellery that people are still buying in the gold rushIn the evening, play the tonal game and wear your cardigan with a matching satin skirt, J-Lo-style, for a bewitching combination of prim and prom. This is the time to loosen some buttons at the top, depending on the venue’s central heating.Keep jewellery to a minimum, opting for earrings instead of necklaces, and avoid a brooch unless you wish to be mistaken for an off-duty nun. When it comes to colour, black and grey are always sensible choices, but you can always step out of your comfort zone – and showcase your cardigan pride – in moody greens, deep burgundies and camels.Got a style conundrum? Email damien.woolnough@nine.com.auGet the best of Good Weekend delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. Sign up for our newsletter.From our partners