Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick) from Gossip Girl, above.

Oh Chuck Bass, with your suave countenance and chic three-pieces, how can a real, corporeal man compete? The resident bad boy depicted by Ed Westwick on the CW’s Gossip Girl has inspired a whole new fashion trend for men: The Cardigan.

 If you question the validity of this, you should know that show stylist Eric Daman has claimed that there are some colleges that hold Chuck Bass Fridays.

For the not so die-hard, add a little sophistication to your T-shirt and jeans staple by throwing on a cardigan.  They’re warm and fuzzy—they even have their own section at UrbanOutfitters.Com, and you can finally throw out that ratty old sweatshirt you’ve been pulling over for the last three years!

If you’re not sure the cardigan is right for you, try this on the next time you’re on State Street, and if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, the same sweater comes in a bright striped blue.

As per the more sophisticated taste, Bolongaro Trevor and K by Karl Lagerfeld both have cardigans that are a little more upscale and urbane in styling, but if finding the right tee in your closet to match your new cardigan is too daunting, just pick up this pair, pull on some pants and go.

Ninny C.