The button cardigan gets written off too often as something your grandfather wore and we think that’s a lazy read. Done well, it is one of the most useful layering pieces in a wardrobe. Open over a shirt it reads like a relaxed jacket. Closed over a t-shirt it holds an outfit together without any effort. The problem is that most men either pick one that is too boxy, too thin, or in a colour that works against everything they own rather than with it.

We have been looking specifically at cardigans with a clean button band, a fit that skims without clinging, and yarns that improve with wear rather than pill after two washes. Merino and lambswool are doing most of the heavy lifting here. Neutral tones are well represented because that is where the versatility actually lives, though we have included a few bolder options for the men who want something to build around. These earn their place.