43 Different Types of Sweaters. Names & Pictures Guide.

In this article, I will teach you about the different types of Sweaters available in the market with their truthful pictures and descriptions. 

With so many styles finding the name of one specific sweater can be overwhelming. That is why I will tell you how to tell them apart. 

At the end of this article, you will be able to recognize every type of sweater by its name, material, style, shape, length, or stitch pattern.

And don’t worry if all of these terms sound strange to you. I will explain it all.

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We all own at least a few sweaters, from oversized sweaters to cropped cardigans. 

And that is because this type of garment is one of the most essential pieces of clothing. It doesn’t matter if it is made of wool, cashmere, cotton, or other blend fibers. We all love and cherish our sweaters.

But nowadays, you can find an infinite amount of styles in a sweater and so many combinations between their characteristics that giving them one name is almost impossible.

Luckily for you, I have spent about three days researching and verifying sources to give you the most complete list and resources to learn all you need to know about sweaters.

But first things first.

What is a Sweater?

A sweater is a knitted garment worn over the upper body to keep warm and protect yourself from cold weather conditions. Sweaters are made from various materials, such as wool, silk, or cotton blends. And they can have all sorts of shapes, styles, colors, and patterns.

Sweaters are a layer of an outfit that often goes over the top, but depending on the style, you can use them alone or with more layering. You can also call a sweater a pullover, a jumper, or a jersey.

Sweater Materials.

Did you know that people used to make wool sweaters from sheep’s hair only? The wool fiber is amazing at retaining warmth, even when it’s wet. That’s why sailors loved it so much back in the day!

But today, you can find sweaters made of all sorts of materials and fiber blends. Here are some of the most popular materials sweaters are made of.

• Acrylic – Acrylic is a cheap synthetic fiber used in athletic sweaters, offering a balance between quality and affordability.
• Angora – Angora wool is soft and lightweight, sourced from Angora rabbits.
• Alpaca – Alpaca wool is soft and lightweight. It comes from alpacas.
• Blended Fibers – Blended fibers combine materials like cotton, wool, and polyester.
• Cashmere – Made from the wool of Cashmere goats, known for their durability and luxurious properties.
• Cotton – Cotton fibers (from cotton plants) are less warm than wool but can be blended with other fibers.
• Silk – Silk is used in sweaters to enhance warmth and softness when blended with other fibers.
• Wool- Wool is soft, durable, and insulating. It comes from animals like sheep, rabbits, or alpacas and is perfect for retaining body heat.

What’s the Difference Between a Pullover Sweater and a Cardigan?

A pullover sweater is a closed garment with an opening for the head. You will put it over your arms and pull it down to your body.

On the other hand, a Cardigan is a type of sweater that is open on the front. It can be fastened with buttons or zippers or opened like a cascade cardigan.

Both of these sweaters can come in many different styles, including the ones on this list.

Types of knit sweater Patterns

There are many types of knit stitches, but here are the most popular stitches/patterns you will find on commercial sweaters.

• Birdseye
• Cable Knit
• Guernsey Stitch
• Marled
• Rib Stitch
• Waffle

Types of Sweaters.

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Aran

The Aran Sweater got its name after Aran Island. It is a type of sweater with an iconic knitted pattern with a lot of meaning. Women of Aran Island first knitted these sweaters to protect the fishermen and farmers during the cold temperatures of the island. 

This type of sweater is probably one of my favorites on this list just because of the vast meaning behind its artisanal background.

Every combination of the patterns in this sweater has a meaning. Generations of women passed it down, and as a result, it became the iconic sweater you have probably seen before.

Here are the stitch patterns that integrate the Aran Sweater design

• Honeycomb Stitch: The honeycomb represents the hard work and efficiency of the bees.
• Cable Knit Stitch: The cable knit pattern represents the fishermen’s ropes.
• Diamond Stitch: Represents wealth and success.
• Basket Stitch: Represents the fishermen’s basket full of catches.

I recommend you read this fantastic article on the deep story of the Aran sweater to know more about it.

Argyle Knit

The argyle knit name refers to a pattern design of interlocked diamonds. You can quickly identify this type of sweater as the classic sweater golfers use.

The diamonds can be in two shades of the same color or different colors. And crossed lines of another color will be over these diamonds.

This pattern was initially from Argyl Scotland and was the distinctive pattern that clans used on their kilts and socks to distinguish their house.

This pattern has become so popular that you can see it on all sorts of garments like socks, pants, and even bags.

Bell Sleeve Sweater

A bell-sleeve sweater has fitted sleeves that start to come wider on an “A” line from the elbow down.

This type of sleeve was widely popular for men and women in the 70’s fashion era. In fact, there is a type of pants called bell bottoms with a similar shape. But their history actually dates to medieval times from a garment called chasuble. However, that garment resembles more like a cape.

Boyfriend Sweater

A boyfriend sweater is a pull-on sweater made for women but with a traditional “men’s style” (as if you stole it from your boyfriend). This type of sweater is cropped just above the waist and usually has dropped shoulder sleeves and an oversized fit. Therefore it resembles men’s sweaters.

Boyfriend Cardigan

The boyfriend cardigan is a variation with the same concept as the boyfriend sweater (see above). It is usually a lightweight sweater with a cowl-type of neckline that is made for women with a men’s sweater style. To clarify, these sweaters are made in women’s sizes but have a loose fit.

Buttoned Placket Sweater

A button-placket sweater has a front placket that opens with buttons above the chest. It comes with different necklines, such as a jewel or mock neck. This sweater has a mock neck.

Cable Knit

A cable knit sweater is one of the most popular types of sweaters out there. It has a cable knit stitching pattern that looks like twisted ribbons, giving it a beautiful texture on different levels.

These are really thick sweaters, which makes that and the with cable knit design and various knit stitch patterns, are great for winter. They come in pullover style with crow necks and cuts below the waist.

Cape

Cape sweaters are a variation of a poncho. They can be open or completely closed pieces of knitted material that lays over your arms and shoulders, and it has a head opening.

Cape sweaters are usually worn as the final layer of a constructed outfit.

Cardigan Sweaters

A cardigan is an iconic sweater with a front button opening and a deep “V” neckline. 

Almost everyone has worn a cardigan or has one right now in their closet. And there is no wonder why. 

Firstly, cardigan sweaters have a fantastic history that dates back to the 1840s. This garment is named after the mayor James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, a British official that led during the Crimean war. According to history, Lord Cardigan invented the sweater based on the waistcoats they used during the war when he noticed the tails of said coats burnt in a fireplace.

Secondly, there is also another variation of this design called an open-front cardigan. You can see an example of this on our Cascade Cardigan Sewing Pattern.

Today, you can find cardigans in all sorts of fibers, shapes, lengths, and sizes.

Cashmere Sweater

Did you know that cashmere sweaters are made from the wool of cashmere goats? The fibers used to create these sweaters give them a warm, soft, and lightweight texture that’s perfect for chilly days and cozy nights in. It’s no wonder they’re often associated with high-end fashion and luxury!

Despite being quite expensive, cashmere sweaters are a great investment due to their longevity.

Cashmere wool is super fancy and designers love to use it in other luxurious things like scarves and blankets. It’s highly valued for a reason!

Cowl Neck

A cowl neck sweater has this name due to its type of neckline. A cowl neck in a sweater is similar to a turtle neck but broader and with more drape. 

Cowl Neck sweaters are just amazing! They look cozy and warm, making you feel good on chilly days. You can find them in different styles. Some of them come with a fold-over neck, while others have a drape that falls on your chest. And then there are some that stand upright, like a turtle neck with a wide opening.

Crew Neck

Crew neck sweaters are super trendy right now for both guys and gals. They’ve got a cool classic round neckline that sits right at the base of your neck, with no collar. This makes them perfect for a chill and casual vibe. 

Cutout

A cutout sweater it’s a really cool design where one part of the garment exposes the skin, like the shoulders, the bust, the lower part of the body, or the back. The name “cutout” comes from the part of the sweater that appears to have been cut out of the garment. This design is usually more popular with women, but it has recently become a trend for men too!

The design name “cutout” makes reference to a part of the sweater that appears to have been cut out of the garment, therefore the name “cutout”. 

Fair Isle Sweater

This is your classic winter sweater style. You have probably seen the Fair Isle sweater many times before during your life. This type of sweater has geometric designs in horizontal rows, mainly concentrated on the top of the garment (chest and shoulders).

This sweater comes from the Fair Isle in Scottland, and it is a design that fishermen and farmers used during cold days to protect themselves against cold temperatures in the 19th century.

Fanny

The fanny sweater is any type of sweater with a length covering a few inches down the hip line. They usually cover the entire butt. 

This type of sweater is very comfortable and usually has a loose fit on the torso. 

Full-zip Sweater

As the name states, a full-zip sweater is a sweater with an opening on the center front with a full-opening zipper. 

These sweaters are great to wear with layers, a cute top or t-shirt, and comfortable pants. They can have many types of necklines, materials, and stitching patterns.

Funnel Neck

A funnel neck sweater is a continuous extension of the sweater to the neck instead of a collar. It looks similar to a turtle neck, but the funnel neckline is not a separate piece of the garment.

The funnel neck and turtle neck are different. The turtle neck can fold, but the funnel neck is just a single layer of the garment.

Grandpa

The grandpa sweater is a thick cardigan sweater with a cowl neckline and button opening in the front. It references a style that grandpas use, but the design is made in standard women’s and men’s sizes for all ages.

You can find this sweater style in a single color, but the classic style will have patterns in horizontal rows in brown-is colors and wood buttons. This style is excellent for all people who enjoy vintage fashion. 

Henley Sweater

A henley sweater is a classic style with a quarter button placket (goes down to the chest) and a crew neckline. These sweaters are mainly popular among elegant men but are also used by women. 

You can find the henley sweater in many colors and fibers and with a slim-fit style.

Hoodie Sweaters

A hoodie is a comfy sweater that has a hood attached to it. It can either be a pullover or have a zipper or buttons. Hoodies usually have pockets in the front center.

Merino

A Merino sweater is a type of sweater made with the wool of merino sheep. It is considered a luxury fiber due to its many properties. They are soft, they regulate the body’s temperature, and they are odor-resistant. The merino sheep are bred in Australia and New Zealand specifically for their wool for clothing.

Mock Turtleneck

The mock turtleneck Sweater is a variation of the classic turtle neck but much shorter. A turtle neckband goes up to the jawline. However, the mock neck will only rise to half of the neck (right below the adam’s apple).

Off-the-shoulder

Have you heard of off-the-shoulder sweaters? They’re super cute! They have a wide neckline that shows off one or both shoulders, and they’re perfect for women who want to look trendy and effortless. You can wear them with tops underneath or just rock them with a cute bralette.

Poncho

A poncho sweater is a variation of a poncho with sleeves. This type of sweater will have a flowy torso with an opening for sleeves on the sides.

You can get them in different materials, but usually, they are made of warm and cozy knit fabrics.

Puffed Sleeve

The puffed sleeve sweater is any type with roomie puffed sleeves. The puff of the sleeve can be on the whole sleeve, on the top, or on the bottom.  Depending on the area of the puff, each sleeve will have a different name. But the sweater will still be called a puffed-sleeve sweater.

Pullover Sweater

A pullover sweater references a completely closed sweater type with an opening for the head and arms. 

Pullover sweaters can come in all sorts of lengths, patterns, colors, and materials. And contrary to cardigans, which have full front openings, you will put on a pullover sweater head and arms first and pull it down to your waist.

Quarter-zip Sweater

A quarter-zip sweater is basically a sweater that you can open up with a zipper down to about one-quarter of the way down the sweater. These sweaters usually come with a Mock Neck. They’re extra thick to keep you warm on chilly days and they look super cool when you wear them with a long coat and dress shirt.

Raglan Sleeve

Raglan Sweaters feature a type of sleeve that extends from the armhole to the base of the neck on the front and back. Instead of having a classic set-in-sleeve, raglan sweaters have extended sleeves that cover the entire shoulder and have cuts on the shape of an inverted “V.”

The name raglan references this type of sleeve, which you can find in many other garments, including dresses, t-shirts, jackets, and more.

Ribbed

The ribbed sweater is made with a knitting stitch called a rib, creating long vertical lines across the garment.

You can find ribbed sweaters in many different styles, including the ones in this list. This is because the name references the fabric and not the sweater’s shape, length, or style.

Ribbed knits are one of the most popular materials for sweaters, but this knitting doesn’t allow for that much stretch. This can cause limitations in movement.

Roll Neck Sweater

A roll-neck sweater is a sweater that has a neckband extension that rolls over itself. The neckband has to be long enough (at least twice the length of the neck), so it can be folded in half over itself.

 These types of necks can be of different sizes and shapes. For example, a turtle neck that rolls over itself is considered a roll neck. But a cowl neck that rolls over itself is also a roll-neck sweater.

Scoop Neck

The Scoop Neck Sweater has a scoop neckline similar to a “U” neckline, but the base is wider than the base of the neck.

Scoop neckline sweaters are very popular among women because it has a line that elongates necks. This feature makes it great for short people or persons with short necks. 

Set-in-Sleeve

A set-in-sleeve sweater has a type of sleeve attached to the armhole of a garment, and it has a shape that will cover the arm just as it starts (after the shoulder bone).

Set-in-sleeves are your typical long sleeves. Usually, these sleeves have a better fit to the body as the shape of the sleeve pattern has to match the shoulder height of the user.

This type of sweater and the raglan sleeve can come in many different styles.

Shawl Neck

A shawl neck sweater has a band on the neck that extends from the back down to the “V” shape opening of the neckline and rolls down into itself. This type of collar resembles suits and jackets lapels, making this style an elegant choice for its wearer.

You can see Shawl Neck sweaters on pullover and cardigan versions, the latter the most popular ones.

Despite that, it is a type of sweater for both men and women and is used mainly by men in casual-elegant contexts.

Short-Sleeve Sweater

As the name states, a short-sleeved sweater is a sweater that has short sleeves. The short sleeves of these types of sweaters can be set-in sleeves or raglan.

This sweater style was widely popular in the early 2000s by women and in the 70s and 80s by men. It is a sweater you can find mainly with a close fit to the body.

Ski

A Ski sweater is a garment worn between your clothes and a ski jacket. These types of sweaters are medium-weight and have a close fit. You will find these typically made of wool and polyester combinations. 

This sweater works as a layer of protection for long days in the snow. They can have crew, turtle, or shawl necks and come in a wide variety of colors and patterns.

Ski sweaters are activewear garments.

Sweater Dress

A sweater dress is a type of sweater that works as a dress thanks to its length, which covers a few inches below the butt. These sweaters usually are just an extension of the bodice, turning a simple sweater into a dress. That is why the shape of the “skirt” of a sweater dress will often be a straight or a pencil skirt.

Sweater dresses look amazing with high-leg boots and thighs. They can come in many styles, colors, and materials.

Sweater Vest

A sweater vest is a sweater that covers the chest, back, and torso but with no sleeves for the arms.

The most common types of sweater vests are the “V” neckline and are worn over dress shirts. They can have all sorts of patterns, materials, and colors and are popular among men and women. 

Even though sweater vests have been around for a long time, recently, they have become a symbol of the preppy style.

Tennis

The tennis sweater is a pullover sweater with a “V” neckline and stripes of vibrant colors on the neck, the cuffs, and the hem of the garment. It might come with or without sleeves.

This style was popularized around the 20s by tennis players who used white sweaters with stripes to keep warm during winter matches.

Today, this style is used as a symbol of the sport on and off the court, and it even was adopted by the preppy style of the 60s.

Turtle Neck

A turtle neck sweater has a turtle neckband and a high neckline that extends up from the base of the neck and folds over itself.

This neckband type can be rolled up (see reference above) or with a single layer. You will find that this neckband goes up to the jawline, not like the mock turtle neck, which only goes halfway up the neck.

Twinset

A twinset sweater is a garment of two pieces, one of which is a pullover sweater top, and the second one is a cardigan. 

They used to be made with the same colors, but now you can see variations under the same color scheme or completely contrasting colors.

Ugly Christmas Sweater

The Ugly Christmas Sweater is officially the most researched type of sweater (all year long). This type of sweater has a crew neckline and comes in cheeky and exaggerated Christmas-themed designs. Use these sweaters as a joke and a fashion statement around the world. 

They first became popular in the 80s as a fashion statement but gained popularity around the early 2000s when accompanied by “Ugly Christmas Sweater” parties. 

Christmas sweaters traditionally feature winter motive patterns in horizontal rows on the garment’s bodice. But today, you can find them in all types of materials, prints, colors, sizes, and shapes.

V-Neck

A V-neck sweater is a sweater that has a “V” shaped neckline, which has a cut-down sharp point, which can be at the front or the back of a garment.

This neckline resembles the V letter shape and can have different depths and lengths. For example, you can find some “V” necklines slightly curved around the sides, making a bigger opening on the chest as a result.

Certainly, “V”-Neck sweaters are very popular, and they can greatly help people with short necks as they create the illusion of a longer neck.

You will find these sweaters mostly as pullovers, but they can have other variations, too.

Woolly-Pully

The Wolly-Pully Sweater is a crew neck pullover sweater with rib knit and nylon patches on the shoulders and elbows.

These sweaters were designed for the SAS during World War II and are made with 100% British wool.

Designers made this style initially for the military and came in navy, olive green, and black.

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