The 10 Best Cropped Cardigans of 2024

Leave the oversized knits behind.

cropped cardigan
(Image credit: Getty)

The best sweater collections are well-rounded: Your arsenal of cozy wares should include chunky cable knits and turtlenecks but ensure you have an array of lightweight sweaters. Think of a breezy, open-weave pullover or a sleeveless mock neck you can reach for on early spring days. And, of course, don't forget about a cropped cardigan, which, according to the Spring 2023 runways, is a standout silhouette for the upcoming season.

"The cropped cardigan trend is super hot at the moment because it offers the warmth of a cardigan, but with a playful (and sometimes skin-baring) edge," explains Katie Englund, Stitch Fix's stylist expert. She adds that the abbreviated knit is ideal for when the weather leaves you in wardrobe limbo. 

What do you do when it's too warm to pull out your heavy wool sweaters but too cold to go without a knit of any kind? "Slip into a cropped cardigan and call it a day," says Englund. Below you'll find a round-up of the best cropped cardigans 2023's market has to offer and more expert insight on how to style the trending silhouette. 

What to Look For

  • Fit

"Some clients might prefer an oversized boxy fit while others opt for a slim fit," says Englund. "Think about how you want to style the cropped cardigan. Will you wear a heavier long-sleeve shirt underneath or a tank top?" That, she says, should inform which fit you should choose.

  • Materials

"As far as materials go, cropped cardigans made from thicker fabrics, such as wool or cashmere, will provide you with a warm and cozy winter vibe," says the Stitch Fix stylist. She says that cotton, crochet, and open weaves are best if you like a lighter-weight, easy-breezy style.

  • Personal Style

"When styling clients, I recommend looking for items that reflect their unique personal style," Englund explains. Ultimately, she says it's best to defer to your personal preference as opposed to what the trend cycle dictates or the present runways. 

Shop the Best Cropped Cardigans

Meet the Expert

Katie Englund
Katie Englund

As a Stitch Fix Styling Team Leader, Katie Englund manages a growing team of stylists across the Midwest Region. Katie leverages her previous marketing experience and 4+ years at Stitch Fix to lead a team focused on collaboration, problem-solving, and styling expertise. Katie is passionate about helping clients understand their personal style and is a big fan of building capsule wardrobes.

Emma Childs
Fashion Features Editor

Emma is the fashion features editor at Marie Claire, where she explores the intersection of style and human interest storytelling. She covers viral styling tips—like TikTok's "Olsen Tuck" and Substack's "Shirt Sandwiches"—and has written dozens of runway-researched trend reports about the ready-to-wear silhouettes, shoes, bags, and colors to shop for each season. Above all, Emma enjoys connecting with real people to discuss all facets of fashion, from picking a designer's brain to speaking with stylists, entertainers, artists, and C-suite executives about how to find a personal style as you age and reconnect with your clothes postpartum.

Emma also wrote for The Zoe Report, Editorialist, Elite Daily, Bustle, and Mission Magazine. She studied Fashion Studies and New Media at Fordham University Lincoln Center and launched her own magazine, Childs Play Magazine, in 2015 as a creative pastime. When Emma isn't waxing poetic about niche fashion discourse on the internet, you'll find her stalking eBay for designer vintage, reading literary fiction on her Kindle, doing hot yoga, and "psspsspssp-ing" at bodega cats.