Many girls lament the days of Catholic school where they were forced into a uniform day after day. But, now that enough time has passed, Lynne Hiriak remembers them fondly. “As an adult, I understand the merit of uniforms; there is a camaraderie and a sense of belonging,” says the designer, who had a second requisite ensemble, too, growing up as an aspiring ballet dancer. “I really appreciate that now, and my designs are a slightly tongue-in-cheek nod to my past—but cuter, more humorous, better fitting.” When she realized (before her mother) that she was never going to be in the New York City Ballet, she started checking out library books on dance that moved her in a different way. “I would sketch the dancers in their costumes, learning the beauty and allure of movement in fashion through dance and drawing,” Lynne recalls. The restrictive nature of her childhood getups is ultimately how she arrived at her present line Cardigan, and though she admits from her closet of 400-plus button-up sweaters that “there is comfort in wearing the familiar,” she also loves to combine her standards with splashy prints—“stars, stripes and—of course!—polka-dots.” Because even as a grown-up, there’s room for irreverence. —carly pifer cardigannewyork.com