This $45 Waisted Cardigan From H&M Is a Compliment Machine

If compliments are what you're after this spring (whether you're willing to outwardly admit it or not), a waisted cardigan has to be a part of your regular rotation—period. Unlike oversize and even super-fitted button-down knits, a waisted cardigan, with its hourglass shape and overall expensive-looking structure, is always the cornerstone of any outfit. Never will it play second fiddle to whatever skirt, jeans, or trousers you pair with it. It's consistently the breadwinner.

Because of its continued superiority in the sweater arena, I wouldn't judge you for investing significantly in a designer waisted cardigan. Hell, I've done it myself. But if spending $1000+ on a cashmere version isn't currently in the cards for you, don't fret. You don't, by any means, need to blow your budget—not when H&M has a $45 option that looks just as expensive as any hyper-luxury waisted cardigan.

H&M's new waisted cardigan options are available in colors like black and cream and feature a variety of details like tortoiseshell and gold buttons, cool necklines, and chic textures that only add to their rich appearance. Usually, pieces this good would have already sold out by the time someone called them out and brought attention to them. Fortunately for all of you, though, I check H&M on days when new items drop, allowing me to catch these finds early—so early, in fact, that they are still available in just about every size. I call that a modern miracle.

After you've snatched up one in each color, come back here and scroll through more compliment-worthy new H&M items for spring.

More H&M new arrivals to shop:

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.