The quarter-zip comeback

The quarter-zip sweater is quietly shaping up as one of the defining garments of the moment.

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Once dismissed as practical but dull, a staple of suburban dads or conservative office wardrobes, this unassuming pullover has resurfaced with new energy and fresh purpose. What began as an item for sport and comfort is now becoming a statement of identity, intention, and understated style.

At its heart the quarter-zip remains simple. A sweater or pullover with a zipper that runs only partway down from the collar to the chest offering a collar that can be worn high or laid open. That design was meant to give athletes in the middle of the twentieth century enough flexibility to regulate temperature while staying active on golf course or tennis court. The partial zipper allowed warmth when needed and ventilation whenever exertion or outdoor weather demanded it. Over the decades it drifted out of strict sportswear and became part of casual wardrobes.