As for the style of cardigan to go for, you have choice. Just keep your fit a little baggy. Cast your mind back to summer ‘24, and fitted cardigans reigned supreme. While they hold value, this season, we’re going oversized to serve a variety of layering options.
Structured shoulders are a nice design detail to seek out – as seen on the spring/summer 2026 runways at Chloé and Chanel – while zip-through Spring cardigans are proving exceptionally popular. Homage to the quarter-zip movement, Miu Miu offered a playful take on the zip-through cardi, which has been mimicked in M&S’ sell-out collared knit jacket (in both burgundy and mink) seen below.
Colour wise, lemon yellow still has its place. The trend first emerged last year, with tailoring, Spring trench coats and Spring wedding guest dresses all being cut in the buttery hue. More recently, Louise Trotter sent lemon yellow knitwear down her first Bottega Veneta runway, while high-street heroes New Look, COS and the recently-launched-in-John-Lewis Topshop have all dropped pastel cardigans as part of their latest collections.
From a throw-on sub-£20 New Look cardigan to cable knit cardis at COS and ruffle-adorned knits at M&S, ahead, find the very best Spring cardigans to shop from just £15.
Lemon Yellow Cardigans
Starting where we left off, with butter yellow. Undercover leaned into the grandad-core trend, sending an oversized lemon cardigan down their SS26 runway, while Stella McCartney, Chloé and Loewe all featured yellow knitwear in their warm-weather collections. Layer New Look’s £15 crew neck cardigan over a matching fine-knit vest, or pair COS’ timeless and chunky Merino Wool design with wide-leg trousers or baggy jeans.