The best summer sweater is this $30 striped cardigan from Amazon

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Every now and then I come across an Amazon fashion find that’s so good I can’t help but brag about it. I like to share links to lounge sets that look exactly like something I saw at Free People, or tell my friends about a pearl bag I added to my rotation years ago, and which is still my favorite thing to do when I attend weddings.

So when someone recently complimented my striped summer sweater, asking if it was “J.Crew’s,” I couldn’t resist giving them the real deal: It was something I discovered while browsing cardigans on Amazon, and for only $30, I just had to have it.

Sizes: S–L
To colour: 2

Personally, I am someone who is cold all twelve months of the year. Even though it’s 85 degrees and sunny, I keep a sweater in my bag, just in case. I rarely regret carrying that extra layer. So many stores and restaurants start turning on the air conditioning around Memorial Day, and even if I overheat walking outside, I freeze five minutes after I enter.

So while the concept of summer vests may seem strange to some, they make a lot of sense to me. RICHTRUE’s Old Money Aesthetic Striped Cardigan also exudes nautical, retro vibes, and I knew it would be perfect for breezy beach outings, summer evenings, days at the ever-cold office, and more.

What I didn’t quite realize — until a very well-known influencer pointed it out — is that I had come across an Amazon lookalike for J.Crew’s Emilie Sweater Lady Jacket, which originally retailed for $138 but is now marked down for $110. . The stripes, buttons and crew neck design are all very similar, but instead of being made of 100% cotton, my summer sweater is 100% polyester.

I recently put this piece to the test by wearing it over a white summer dress. Despite the reasonable price tag, it kept me warm when the temperature dropped (unexpectedly!) into the 60s. I plan to keep it in my regular rotation and pair it with everything from vintage capri pants to white denim shorts.

Some of the more negative reviews on Amazon note that the sweater runs small and the buttons look like they don’t match. I didn’t have any problems with either, but since I wanted an oversized fit, I chose a medium instead of my usual small.

I liked this $30 cardigan so much that I’m thinking about ordering an additional color (this one is also in red). However, Amazon has other similar styles that I’m also curious about, including a GRACE KARIN pick with 4.8 stars and a striped LATAHUO sweater, which comes in black and brown, along with white and yellow, so I might add which eventually added to my cart too.