Why You Need a Popcorn Cardigan This Holiday Season

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you always seem to get as we inch closer to the holidays? The one that melts your frozen tundra of a heart and convinces you to string everything you own in twinkly lights and sing carols at the top of your tone-deaf lungs? Well, if you took that warm, fuzzy feeling and turned it into a piece of clothing, you’d get a popcorn-stitch cardigan. (Trust me, it’s science.)

Even if you haven’t heard the phrase “popcorn-stitch cardigan” before, you’ve probably seen one. Heck, you may even own one! A popcorn stitch, if we’re speaking technically, is actually a cluster of small stitches that together create an airy, bubble-like shape that resembles—y’all guessed it—popcorn. Popcorn stitches can vary in size and can be spaced out in a pattern for a dramatic look, or woven side by side to create a super textured knit.

Quick. Go check your closet. Do you have a sweater that matches this description?

If not, take this article as an invitation to treat yourself to one for the holiday season: Not only is a popcorn cardigan endlessly cozy, the nubby sweater will go with just about everything in your closet, from classic wool skirts to your favorite jeans. Plus, a cardigan is ideal for layering—a necessary approach to dressing appropriately for our fickle Southern winters. There’s something, too, that feels festive about a popcorn sweater (especially one in a wintery white or a merry-and-bright red!), so you can wear it just about anywhere, whether you’re running around town to pick up last-minute Christmas gifts, or pairing it with a turtleneck, jeans, and booties for a casual holiday gathering.

And if you’re trying to limit your holiday purchases to gifts for other people at the moment, just put a popcorn cardigan on your own wish list for Santa. Hope you’ve been nice this year.

WATCH: How to Clean and Care for a Wool Sweater

Do you have any sweater care tips and tricks? Share them with us in the comments.