Men in cardigans - a step too far?

Has the man who puts on a cardigan passed a momentous milestone in his life? ask my That's Men for You column in today's Irish Times. Is he indicating that he is no longer for the wars and that, so to speak, “home is the sailor from the sea, the hunter from the hill”? Is it time for a good snooze, a mug of hot chocolate and early to bed? The column is part of the Irish Times' premium content so I can't reproduce it here.

In the UK, sales of cardigans have increased tenfold in some leading retailers in the past year, it says. Even David Beckham has taken to wearing a cardigan occasionally. There again, David Beckham has been known to wear his wife's hairband, her knickers and a sari so perhaps he is not the most reliable guide to what's coming next for today's man.

I learnt all this from listening to an item on Woman's Hour on BBC Radio Four. And, yes, I fully realise that this means I should probably be wearing a cardigan myself. But I have resisted and I hope to continue to resist any involvement with this garment.

What are the health implications of the cardigan? I suppose you could argue that the cardigan wearer could reduce his stress levels by fiddling by playing with his buttons, like worry beads. And I don’t suppose the cardigan wearer will want to go boy racing, taking drugs (except those prescribed by his doctor) or drinking cider at midnight on the canal bank. All that is to the good. But is it enough to justify the risk of hurtling down the slippery slope towards socks with sandals and handkerchiefs on heads?

I think not.....