Bandana Sweater: Paisley Knits and Jacquard Cardigans With a Curious Past

Bandana Sweater: Paisley Knits and Jacquard Cardigans With a Curious Past

This bandana sweater edit sorts bandana print pullovers, paisley jacquard cardigans and fringed belted cardigans by how they wear. I say when I would reach for each one and what to check in the fitting room.

Bandanas started out in India, where makers used a tie-dye technique called bandhani on silk and cotton kerchiefs. The Smithsonian says European snuff users took to them in the 18th century because a patterned cloth hid the dark tobacco stains that a white handkerchief gave away. The name is simply the anglicized version. I love that. A sweater with a bandana on it carries a very practical, slightly grubby origin story.

The paisley that most of us picture on a bandana has its own history: the same Smithsonian piece says the familiar pattern imitated Kashmir shawls. So a bandana sweater is a loop. Shawl pattern became handkerchief, and now the handkerchief has become knitwear. Kujten, the label behind the first six pieces here, was founded by Carole and Stéphanie and named after Mongolia's highest peak. It works in cashmere with bold color and modern shapes, and that is exactly why a bandana print sweater from them reads as grown up instead of costume.

Start with the Kujten Bandana-Print Sweater in black, a cashmere crewneck with a boat neck, ribbed cuffs and a frayed hem. The Mela in powder blue, with black paisley and a frayed neckline, and the cream and pink Pull Mela Bandana Bico are softer, and I would put either under a camel coat. The brown cashmere one, with cream panels, is my pick for a leather skirt. The red Mela and the burgundy Mela Bandana Bico, with its scalloped hem, are the loud pair, so keep the bottom half quiet.

The Alanui Bandana Jacquard sweater in virgin wool has a matching detachable collar, which makes it the one for a shirt-and-knit morning. The NIC+ZOE jacquard crewneck in blue, black and cream is the easy one over a denim shirt. Before you buy any of them, hold the print up to your face: a bandana motif near the neckline should flatter your skin, not fight it.

Collage of bandana-print pullover sweaters, paisley jacquard cardigans, and fringed belted cardigans, with a mood photo of a woman in a navy bandana-print knit sweater.

Bandana-print pullover sweaters

Paisley cardigans, button by button

Cardigans change the rules, because a pattern now has buttons to interrupt it. Button the Pilcro Bandana Print Cardigan in cream with brown paisley and scalloped trim all the way up and the print reads as a unified field. Leave it open and you get a stripe of pattern instead. Try both in the mirror before you decide how you will wear it.

Alanui is the name to know in this section. The siblings Nicolo and Carlotta Oddi launched it after a vintage cardigan inspired the idea, and the name means large path in Hawaiian. The brand also keeps a no-season philosophy, which suits knitwear that you wear for years. The Bandana Jacquard Wool and Cashmere Cardigan in camel has red paisley and stars, and the cream shawl-collar version with orange fringe is made in Italy from 70% wool and 30% cashmere. I would wear the camel one over a white tee and wide jeans. The pink fringed cardigan is tonal, so it is the quiet one, and the black cardigan with white fringe is the one I would wear with a slip skirt.

Then the two Etro pieces. The royal blue and white Paisley Cropped Jacquard Cardigan and the burgundy and cream Paisley Cropped Cardigan are shorter, so they sit well on a high waist. They are made for trousers with some length.

What I would skip: a cropped cardigan with a low-rise bottom, because the hem will do the wrong thing. Check the buttons and the fringe, too. Fringe should lie flat, and buttons should close without pulling.

Bandana and paisley jacquard cardigans

Fringe, belts and the weight test

Fringe and a belt turn a cardigan into a coat of sorts, so test the weight first. Lift one sleeve. Cashmere should feel substantial but not stiff, and the belt should be able to cinch the waist without bunching the shawl collar. Here almost everything is a belted or wrapped shape.

The Alanui Bandana Jacquard Cashmere Cardigan in brown is the one I would choose first: pure cashmere made in Italy, with fringed trims, a red bandana jacquard and a detachable belt. Wear it with a black turtleneck and straight trousers. The Island Roots Foulard Cardigan in cream with blue paisley is made from wool, cashmere and cotton, also in Italy, and it feels lighter and sunnier. Two more navy pieces sit nearby: the Echoes of the Bandana belted cardigan, with scattered motifs, and the long-fringe Bandana Jacquard Cashmere Cardigan with white jacquard. Navy is the easiest color to wear every day.

The Pilcro Bandana Wrap Cardigan in navy is the relaxed pick, with a shawl collar and fringe, good over jeans. The black one with white fringe is dramatic, and the light blue belted shawl cardigan is brighter and better by day. Take the belt off and wear any of them loose over a slip dress.

Fringed bandana cardigans

How I would choose one

I would start with the neckline and the weight. If you want one thing to wear on repeat, take a bandana sweater in a color already in your closet, a black, a navy or a camel, and pair it with plain denim. If you want a layer, go for a cardigan with fringe.

Then check the details: the hem, the cuffs, the fringe and the buttons. Try it with the shoes you would actually put on, and walk the length of the room.

A pattern that began as a cloth for hiding tobacco stains has ended up on cashmere. Good luck wearing it without smiling. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Bandana Scarf and Chunky Cardigans.