If It's Good Enough for Mr. Rogers...

ODE TO THE CARDIGAN
*Karen and Caitlyn, this one's for you.

I love cardigans.  There is something about them that just makes me happy.

Happy enough to sport them probably...mmm...I'd say about five days a week.  Give or take.  Conservatively speaking.

And it's not just me.  We took a guess the other day in my apartment.  Between the three of us, we have at least fifty, but probably more.  Yes, for those of you who can still mentally divide, that is a LOT of cardigans per person.  (**Note: We just went and counted.  Official count?  64--although only 15 of those were mine...)

My sister thinks it makes me "look like a teacher."  Could be.  I can't help it if other teachers seems to have the same great sense of style.  I mean, we all drive Toyotas too, but no one calls those "teacher cars."  It just means we are practical people who know something good when we see it.  And cardigans are definitely "something good."


Now, when I say that I love cardigans and that they make me look like a teacher, I would like to make a clarification: Please do not confuse them with the Ms. Frizzle-like cardigans your kindergarten teacher wore.  There are no bells, flashing lights, pompoms, or sewn-on designs to match each holiday and season, nor are any of my sweaters vests.  No, no, no.

That would give people a reason to beg me to stop looking like a teacher if I ever wanted to have a chance in life.

(Not that those types of sweaters aren't awesome--to all those kindergarten teachers, people over the age of 40, and extremely secure individuals who are probably unaware that someone wore a matching one to an ugly sweater party this past Christmas.)

Oh, the teddy bears....

Dancing snowmen?

Nothing says "First Day of School" like a good sweater...

Here are my TOP TEN REASONS for loving cardigans:

1. Sometimes it is too cold inside for short sleeves but it looks stupid to wear a coat indoors.

If only I had a cardigan....

2. They hide whatever you want to hide and can be very slimming.

See?  I knew this cardigan would hide everything!

3. They are the most versatile piece of clothing you will ever own.  You can wear a cardigan with anything: jeans, dress pants, dresses, shorts, etc.

This cardigan even goes with my motorcycle!

4. You can wear them all the places that you can't wear a hoodie.

See, I told you my hoodie wouldn't have worked with the pearls!

5. They are classic.  They never go out of style.  Jackie Kennedy rocked them and Michelle Obama rocks them still.  
(Note the picture above.  I mean, does the woman ever not wear a cardigan?)

6. They can be dressed up or down depending on what look you want to go for.

Hmmm....Maybe this post doesn't count for men...

7.  They work year-round.  At least if you live somewhere that it still cools off at night in the summer.

I just KNEW this cardigan was perfect for the beach!  

8.  They are perfect to go over tank tops and create fewer strange looks than just wearing a t-shirt underneath.
(In other words, a giant, neon sign saying, "Welcome to Utah.")

What?!  I think it looks good!

9.  They aren't too bulky to be worn under your winter coat.

Wahoo!  I don't look like the Michelin Man!

10.  You are in good company when you wear them.  
Hey!  If they are good enough for Mr. Rogers, they are certainly good enough for me.

Won't YOU be my neighbor?

If you haven't already, do yourself a favor:
Rock the cardigan.

If you need to borrow one to get you started, I may know some people who have a few.  :)