The Best Men's Zip-Up Sweaters Will Revolutionize Your Fits

Best Upgrade Zip-Up Sweater: Todd Snyder Merino Quarter-Zip Sweater

Todd Snyder

Merino Quarter-Zip Sweater

Lofty, luscious merino wool in a lovely shade of olive green? Something about this makes us want a dirty martini. Todd Snyder’s slate of knitwear has evolved in recent seasons from a whirlwind of midcentury prints and patterns to a calm, collected stable of minimalist designs, each with the same great knack for construction, materials, and fit.

These merino wool quarter-zips are the perfect example. The wool is supremely soft and luxuriously silky, plus the contrasting knits from between the torso and the saddle shoulder sleeves is a subtle, yet distinguishing feature. It’s cut into a tastefully tailored fit that can look dapper tucked into some high-waisted pleated trousers, or untucked with a plain white tee peaking out from underneath, paired over some baggy cargo pants.

Best Zip-Up Sweater for Fashion Guys: Mfpen Editor Cable-Knit Wool Zip-Up Cardigan

Mfpen

Editor Cable-Knit Wool Zip-Up Cardigan

Zip-up sweaters can take a million different forms and some of the coolest iterations are coming from Copenhagen’s Mfpen. The label has been harping on tropes of corporate uniforms and giving them an edge. While this cable-knit, collarless version of the zip-up sweater isn’t what you’d normally think of, it’s one that you won’t stop dreaming about. It’s made of a 100% wool and features a relaxed fit for maximum layering options, and the crew-style neck is the perfect frame for collared shirts or even hoodies. But don’t be caught off guard if all of a sudden the hip geriatrics in your vicinity try to steal it off your back.

Best Zip-Up Sweater for Vintage Fiends: Inis Meáin Wool and Linen-Blend Half-Zip Sweater

Inis Meáin

Wool and Linen-Blend Half-Zip Sweater

The legendary knitwear label Inis Meáin knows how to make a damned good sweater. After all, they’ve been doing knits for fifty years. Crafted by skilled artisans on the isle after which the company gets its name, each piece is produced in small batches and finished by hand. This indulgent blend of wool and linen gives its zip-up a gorgeous texture you’re not likely to see anywhere else and feels both rustic and refined. Paired with some vintage jeans and canvas sneakers or crisply pressed slacks and polished derbies, it’s well-suited for any stylish situation.

More Zip Up Sweaters We Love

Stone Island

Logo-Appliquéd Ribbed Wool-Blend Half-Zip Sweater

Longtime hooligans are quick to tell you that the zip sweater isn’t a new thing. But better late than never, so follow suit and pair this with some relaxed cargo pants and your favorite pair of Adidas—blokecore at its finest.

Frizmworks

Deck Ribbed Wool-Blend Zip-Up Cardigan

No collar? No problem. FrizmWorks’ minimal take on the zip-up cardigan looks just as chic under a topcoat as it does over a vintage graphic tee.

NN07

Quarter Zip Wool Polo Sweater

This isn’t technically what we mean when we say zip-up sweater, but this just goes to show how many different ways you can take it. Polo sweater, meet zipper.

Banana Republic

Alpaca-Wool Blend Half-Zip Sweater

Thick yarns, a relaxed fit, and a tall mock neck make this sweater feel right at home on the romantic lead of a ’90s drama.

Batoner

Signature Drivers Knit

Knit in Japan, Batoner’s distinct sweater features strong, thick-guage yarns that swoop dramatically through the shoulders. In a sea of same-same sweaters, this one walks on water.

Dries Van Noten

Ribbed Wool Zip-Up Sweater

Because one zipper sometimes isn’t enough, Dries Van Noten presents a zip-up that’s prone to elicit double-takes.

Prada

Cashmere Zipper Cardigan

Prada’s zip cardigan is a blast from the early 2000s and features a decadent cashmere wool mixed with panels of the label’s iconic nylon.

Yoko Sakomoto

Driver’s Knit

Fully-fashioned from a decadent blend of wool, cashmere, and silk, Yoko Sakomoto’s full-zip sweater comes wtih hand-linked construction, two-way zip, and hand pockets. Think of it as the Rolls Royce of your dad’s favorite sweater.

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