Recently a few readers have asked about my dislike of quarter-zip (and half-zip) sweaters. This is probably, at least in part, because they have become very popular – both as a basis for the financial office and as fashion.
Vice versanavy chinos,My objection to quarter zips is less than people often remember. The problem is also partly a result of that popularity (also like beach chinos). Men think they are the answer to everything because they go with everything; but they are not, because they do not. Just some things.
The idea is that the fourth zip is good because it can be worn with a shirt, but also with a T-shirt. So you can wear the same thing at work and on weekends, and you don’t have to think about it.
Unfortunately, most of the time a quarter zip doesn’t look good with a shirt. The sharp collar of the shirt is facing down, diagonally towards the arms, and the soft collar is facing upwards, diagonally towards the ears. The two are always in competition with each other, and do not coexist effectively or aesthetically.
The quarter-zip sweater was originally a piece of sportswear, and is more functional today than something like a t-shirt, with a free rein that must be zipped or unzipped. In that case it’s both functional and flattering – framing the face nicely when open, and having a plunging neckline effect when zipped up under a coat.
A collared shirt has other knits designed to work with it – crewneck or V-neck – and they usually sit better with a collar.
The only problem with a crewneck or V-neck is that it is very difficult to wear with a t-shirt – a topic that is probably worth doing a separate article at some point. And, to put it mildly, sometimes people say they are too argumentative.
This came up recently in another article, where a reader said that a crewneck is too difficult to take off and leave the office, so he wears a gilet.
Now, I get that some people work very hard, are very tired, and clothes are not at all on the priority list. But it seems odd to take the time to read a niche blog about menswear, yet feel that taking off a crewneck is too much of a faff.
Perhaps there is another topic here at some point – taking the time to enjoy, feel and keep beautiful clothes, equal to the time of buying them. It’s something I’m really guilty of – I have to spend more time changing my clothes and getting cleaned, and actually polishing my shoes, and less time browsing the internet for something new.
But I’m sorry. I mean, quarter zips can be nice but they should be thought of primarily as sportswear. Now here are the caveats.
First, some shirt collars work better than others. A soft button-down oxford will stand out more with a quarter neck, and is a better partner than a solid shirt. But still, I usually choose a crewneck or a V-neck.
Second, sometimes the point of wearing a fourth zip is by sewing the difference with sportswear. This is common in Ivy clothing. But, the point is that it is a conflict of ideas. If conflict isn’t what you want, don’t wear it.
Third, wearing a quarter zip with a tie is better in other ways, because the shirt collar is tied down and soft. It’s the way they were originally worn, like ski clothes and then for sports like golf. But still, these are different times and I would like a V-neck.
Modern office uniforms are a little less complicated than the suits and ties we had in the past, but they are not that difficult.
Wear a soft collared shirt, a nice crewneck sweater, chinos or tailored pants, and a loafer/boot/derby. As with a suit and tie, focus on good quality and a small number of matching pieces. Top it off with a lightweight coat or jacket, and a heavy one. Sprinkle resources for profit.
A quarter zip is great for the weekend, over a t-shirt, even if I personally wear collared knits like Cashmere Rugby. And actually prefer a half zip over stays – the latter can look like V-necks which are all too shallow, at least short.
Finally, there is the current trend of very long zip-up collars, which wrap around the shoulders.I tried this (above)and finally found it very annoying that it doesn’t actually zip up, at least comfortably. There’s a lot to take from women’s fashion when it comes to half zips (see Chanel, below) but I don’t think that’s one of them.
