Zara’s granny cardigan is the surprising sell-out of the season

Nothing haunts you quite like the Zara purchases you didn't make, especially when they go viral and sell out before you can change your mind. Well you can add another one to the list: the granny cardigan.

The granny-like knit has gone viral of late - like the TikTok Zara label hack - with every fashion influencer worth their salt either Instagramming it, or trying to get their hands on it.

Of course, I love a good knit, but even I couldn't have predicted the success of this item. The crochet top features belle sleeves and red and cream stripes, and comes with matching shorts, though the cardigan has been the star of the show.

It was released as part of the SS21 collection and has been so popular, it's now turning up on depop and eBay for around £50 (it was £25.99 full price).

Sadly, it won't be re-stocked since Zara has started to introduce its autumn/winter collection, so if you want to get your hands on it, you'll have to cough up the extra £25 and tell yourself you're buying a little piece of Zara history. Here are the best ones I've found online, and if you would rather shop in-store, do check our my Zara shopping hacks first.

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ZARA OPEN KNIT CARDIGAN COLLARED BUTTONS NEW SS2021 REF. 1822/019, £50 at depop

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ZARA OPEN KNIT CARDIGAN COLLARED BUTTONS NEW SS2021 SIZE M REF. 1822/019, £50 at eBay

Though it's a spring item, it'll look great this winter layered over a knitted skirt or with an oversized suit.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.