For most women, the chunky cardigan is a humble weekend staple. Soft, comfortable and about as far away from corporate tailoring as you can get, there is nothing quite like slopping around in its knitted charms on a cold Saturday afternoon. Stella McCartney clearly thought that this was selling the knitted cardigan short, however, and her winter collection is a study in how to wear knits from Monday to Friday too. This is good news for anyone who a) feels the cold and b) finds her arm movement restricted in tailored blazers. The chunky cardigan is all about bringing a bit of cosiness into your working life.

In general, there are sartorial expectations for the office, so you need to learn how to weave these slouchy knits into your usual corporate attire. A good place to start is with the Milano knit. The black sheep of the knitting world, it is distinctly un-fuzzy. You could easily see a Milano knit walk past and assume it was a regular piece of tailoring, so fine and dense is the weave. As you can see, a caramel Joseph tunic (pictured in carousel) is not a cardigan, but still slots into the chunky knit trend, looking sleek and smart. J&M Davidson are Milano experts and create any number of tailored pieces that could give your suit jackets a run for their money. If you want something more traditional, cable knits give you a dense interlace with added texture. The wide-neck TSE cardigan and the zipper style by Schumacher both manage to look contemporary and classic at the same time. The way to integrate these knits into a smart wardrobe is by mixing them with suiting, as McCartney does so effectively.

At first, you might think that the baggy Cameron Taylor cashmere cardigan could never be right for the office. But sling it over a delicate blouse and shapely skirt and the combination is modern and comfortable ­ not adjectives you can usually attribute to office wear. If you don¹t want to invest in lots of new pieces, accessorise carefully. Pull a chunky knit behind a shiny belt and it automatically looks neater and more elegant. If you¹re concerned about squeezing all this bulk under your winter coat (squashed arms and Michelin man proportions being a hazard) invest in a thermal vest and upgrade your cardigan to outerwear status.

Styling by Eve Thomas Pictures by Zac Frackelton. Hair and make-up: Helen Asher at Era Management using Chanel autumn/winter and Paul Mitchell. Model: Kate Ellery at Select. Fashion assistance: Rachael Miller

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