Is it possible for a sweater to take over your mind, body, and soul? That's precisely what happened to me once

Marni's striped mohair cardigan entered the scene. Deliciously fluffy and appealingly oversized, it was such a breakout star of the Italian label's SS/21 collection, that celebs have been flocking to it in droves.

A "boring" staple rarely receives so much attention, but maybe that's a testament to how transformative a statement piece can be. Marni's version has been on my wishlist since the summer, but with a $1,000 price tag, that's likely where it'll stay. For now, I'm scratching the itch by browsing for inexpensive, equally quirky alternatives and window-shopping for ones I dream of wearing. Below I'm sharing the results of my research by presenting all of the coolest cardigans I've discovered thus far, along with a few of the looks that have inspired my obsession—scroll down to see what I mean.