Real Stories · The Cardigan Malcolm Actually Chooses Himself

Malcolm Said Cardigans Weren't "His Thing" — Now This Is The One He Reaches For First

Malcolm has never been interested in clothes that require too much thought.

My husband is 68, and if something is comfortable, familiar and doesn't require five minutes standing in front of a mirror, he'll wear it happily for years. Give him too many choices and he'll simply reach for the same old sweatshirt.

What I wanted was something just as easy for him to wear, but a little more put together — something he could throw on with jeans in the morning and still look perfectly presentable if we ended up going out for lunch.

Then I found this.

Then I found this cardigan from Caldwell Menswear — a button-front knit in a warm coffee brown, with a generous shawl collar, textured ribbed finish and two proper front pockets.

The first thing Malcolm noticed wasn't the collar or the buttons.

It was that it felt comfortable.

It has the relaxed feel of the knitwear he already likes, but the shawl collar and structured button front make it look considerably smarter than an ordinary sweater. He wears it over a plain T-shirt with jeans, but it works just as easily with a shirt and chinos when he wants to look a little more put together.

And because it isn't stiff or overly formal, there was none of the usual "Where exactly am I supposed to wear this?" conversation.

He just put it on.

Soft enough to feel like his favorite knitwear, but smart enough that he looks properly dressed — which is exactly why this one keeps getting chosen.

The shawl collar is what gives it most of its character. It sits naturally around the neck without feeling restrictive, and the ribbed knit gives the whole cardigan a more substantial, textured look.

The button front also means Malcolm can wear it however the day requires — fully buttoned when it's cooler, open over a T-shirt when it isn't.

And then there are the pockets.

Two large front patch pockets, actually big enough to be useful. Phone, keys, glasses — or, in Malcolm's case, whatever he has picked up in the garage and forgotten to put back.

It's one of those small details you don't think about until you realize how often you use them.

It was $59.95, which initially made me look twice — until I noticed the usual price was $140.

That's 57% off, and with free UPS shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee, there wasn't much risk in letting Malcolm try it.

The real test, as always, was whether he would wear it without being reminded.

He did.

It has already been worn for morning coffee outside, errands, lunch, a family visit and several evenings when he would normally have reached for something much less presentable.

That, for me, is the difference.

Plenty of clothes look nice when you first take them out of the parcel.

The useful ones are the clothes a man actually reaches for again.

If the man in your life prefers clothes that are comfortable, uncomplicated and easy to wear, have a look.

The cardigan comes in six versatile colors, including coffee, black, navy, grey and lighter neutral shades, and sizes run from XS to 5XL.

It currently has a 4.8/5 rating based on more than 12,000 reviews, and I can understand why.

It isn't trying to turn Malcolm into somebody who suddenly cares about fashion.

It simply makes getting dressed easier — while making him look rather more put together in the process.

And apparently that is enough.