A wool knit cardigan cut trim enough to wear as a top on its own and plain enough to disappear under a coat without bulking out the shoulders. The ribbed crew neckband sits flat on the collarbone rather than rolling away from it, and the button placket runs the full length of the front, so the same piece works buttoned to the neck or hanging open over a shirt. The sleeves are set plain at the shoulder so the line stays narrow under a jacket.

The gauge is fine rather than chunky, which is what lets it slide under a jacket sleeve cleanly and still read as proper knitwear when the jacket comes off. Ribbing at the cuffs and hem holds those edges to shape through a season of pulling it on and off. It finishes at the hip and stays straight where it lands, sitting as well over tailored trousers as it does over a skirt or a pair of jeans.

• Fabric: fine-gauge wool knit
• Neck: ribbed crew neckband
• Front: full-length button placket
• Trims: ribbed cuffs and hem
• Fit: regular, ending at the hip