Eddie Bauer vs Madewell: which sweater wins?
Both land in the mid tier — the Eddie Bauer Open-Front Cardigan (women's) at $80, the Madewell Cotton-Blend Pullover Sweater at $88, just $8 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Eddie Bauer | Madewell | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $80 | $88 |
| Material | 60% cotton, 40% acrylic in a light open knit; verified buyers describe the weight as suited to summer layering rather than cold-weather warmth. | Cotton or cotton blend, mid gauge; some recycled-fibre and wool-blend styles. |
| Fit | An open front with a relaxed drape and no closure. Some owners find the shape easy to wear over anything; others report the loose cut reads shapeless, particularly on fuller midsections, so it is a style-dependent fit. | Relaxed lived-in fit, true to size. |
| Quality | The few verified buyers on the brand's site rate it well (4.4 across 14 reviews) and describe the knit as good quality for a light layer, but the sample is small. Forum discussion of the brand's knitwear over the years has been skeptical, so long-term durability is unproven. | Mid-tier — soft and easy-care; cotton-heavy and pills at the budget end. |
| Best for | Shoppers who want an inexpensive-on-sale, lightweight layering cardigan for offices and summer air conditioning rather than a warm winter knit. | Casual relaxed knits, easy cotton care, and a lived-in everyday look. |
| Care | The cotton-acrylic blend is machine washable; wash cold and dry flat or on low heat, since acrylic content is prone to pilling and heat damage with rough treatment. | Machine wash cold gentle and lay flat; shave any pilling. |
Both are cotton-blend knits suited to casual layering rather than warmth, and both are best purchased on promotion rather than at list price. The $8 gap between them is narrow enough that it is functionally irrelevant — the real question is what each brand's markup actually reflects in construction and positioning.
- The case for Eddie Bauer
- The Eddie Bauer is the slightly lighter, more summer-specific layer, and its lower effective sale price (low $60s on frequent markdown) makes it the cheaper entry point for air-conditioning-weight coverage.
- The case for Madewell
- Madewell offers a more consistent fit reputation with a true-to-size relaxed cut and occasional wool-blend or recycled-fibre options that give some styles a marginal material edge over a straight cotton-acrylic mix.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the Eddie Bauer if the purchase will be made on sale and the sole use case is lightweight office or summer layering — at $60-odd it is adequate for that narrow purpose, and the $8 saved over Madewell is real even if small. Step up to the Madewell if fit consistency and a lived-in everyday knit for repeated casual wear matter more, since its relaxed cut has a stronger track record across body types than Eddie Bauer's shape, which reviewers flag as reading shapeless on fuller frames. At full price, neither knit justifies its list tag — both are cotton-heavy blends prone to pilling, and the $8 gap between them buys no meaningful upgrade in material or durability; it is largely brand positioning on both sides.
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