How to Wear the Four-Figure Sweater Trend Designers Love for Only $20

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(Image credit: @ellymcgaw)

If there's one thing about me, it's that I'm going to try my hardest to re-create a runway look for under $50. As a Gen Z fashion editor just starting her career, unfortunately, ready-to-wear pieces aren't exactly in my budget yet, but after months of waiting, I can finally say I might be close enough— perhaps not to buying a full look from Prada's Fall/Winter 2023 show, but at least to buying something that somewhat resembles it. Of course, I'm talking about grey sweaters.

While it seems trivial to call an incredibly basic, somewhat boring knit top the accessory of the season, looking at runway shows and Instagram posts, it's clear that everyone else is taking inspiration from this paradoxical timeless trend that's been everywhere the last few months. Just take a look at some of the most buzzed-about shows of the Fall/Winter 2023 season: Miu Miu, Fendi, and Prada all included a simple, boxy grey sweater paired with a bottom-du-jour. 

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On the runway:
(Image credit: Courtesy of Prada)

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Miu Miu)

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(Image credit: Courtesy of Fendi)

While I can only dream about owning a $1,000+ cashmere and wool sweater, frankly, it's just not realistic. Instead, I searched the internet's favorite brands to find a low-cost, high-joy alternative that makes me feel just as expensive (and, of course, is Mother Miuccia approved.)

Starting at just $20, shop all of our favorite grey sweaters below, along with some necessary fall outfit inspiration ranging from ultra-cool to comfy and casual.

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On Instagram:
(Image credit: @sylviemus_ )

How to style: grey sweater, poplin white undershirt, and a denim maxi skirt.

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(Image credit: @brittanybathgate)

How to style: grey sweater, wide-leg jeans and ballet flats.

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(Image credit: @ellymcgaw)

How to style: grey sweater, full-length volume skirt and pumps.

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(Image credit: @styleidealist)

How to style: grey sweater, metallic maxi skirt and a shoulder bag.

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(Image credit: @francescasaffari)

How to style: grey sweater, silk pants and statement sneakers.

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(Image credit: @modedamour)

How to style: grey sweater, tailored pants and a heavy-duty flight jacket.

Assistant Shopping Editor
Ana Escalante is an award-winning journalist and Gen Z editor whose work ranges from dissecting size inclusivity at fashion week to discussing how American Girl Doll meme accounts are the the answer to society's collective spiral. She's covered it all: Queen Elizabeth II's corgis, Roe v. Wade frontline protests, and the emergence of jorts (or jean shorts for the uninitated). At Who What Wear, Ana is responsible for delivering smart, insightful, personality-driven shopping guides and trend features for a digital-first generation.

Before joining Who What Wear, Ana was Glamour magazine's editorial assistant, where she focused on daily news and special packages, including leading the brand's 2022 Met Gala coverage. For more than half a decade, she has covered style, beauty, and digital culture for publications such as Paper magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue Japan, and Allure, among others. Ana has been called a rising star in media by publications such as Nylon and Teen Vogue. (Her mother, meanwhile, calls her "the coolest person" she knows.)