I'M A self-confessed cardigan wearer. And yes I've heard all the insults before, thank you very much. I picked up my first one several years ago in Barcelona and from that day forth was referred to as "Granddad" or "Geography Teacher".

But all that looks set to change with the cardigan now making a mainstream comeback.

According to fashion experts, the woollen garment has shaken off its Val Doonican and Leonard Rossiter associations and become an emblem of stylish panache.

Pin-up boys such as myself, footballer David Beckham and Hollywood heartthrobs Daniel Craig and Jude Law have all been recently seen donning a cardie.

Supermarket giant Asda, has reported a huge surge in sales of the once nerdy garment as young men flock to embrace the sensible knitwear.

The store's George label sold more men's cardigans in the first two months of this year than in the past three years, with 226,000 sold in January alone.

A phone survey of 1,000 British adults conducted by George Menswear confirmed the cardigans miraculous image transformation from fashion disaster to catwalk chic.

Nearly three quarters of women (72 per cent) found men in cardigans sexy and 87 per cent said the garment denotes "a man who is comfortable and confident with his sexuality."

Being a connoisseur of the cardigan, the main attraction for me lies in its versatility. For instance, you can do all the buttons up and look slightly bookish and intellectual or you could leave a few undone and raise the temperature in your local library. With the addition of handy front pockets you can also keep a pipe or some Werther's Originals within easy reach. Not forgetting to mention the elbow patches, leather or tweed, the possibilities are endless.

Impress fellow cardigan wearers by telling them the garment is named after James Brudenell, the 7th Earl of Cardigan, who kitted his troops out in knitted woollen jackets in the Crimean war in the 1850s.