Quarter zips move from dad's closet to latest fashion talking point
Last week, Chanel staged its 2026 Metiers d’Art show in a New York City subway station, sending out the kind of clothes real New Yorkers might actually wear from morning commute to late-night drinks. Among the tweed coats and perfect jeans, one item kept reappearing: a trim knit with a short zipper at the neck. The quarter-zip sweater, once associated with engineering uniforms and corporate leisure wear, has become fashion’s latest talking point.
Quarter zips, named for the zipper that runs roughly a quarter of the garment's length, have traditionally served as business-casual staples. They sat in office wardrobes, embroidered with company logos, or on golf courses layered over polos. On TikTok and the runways, they are now signaling something different: a cleaner, more grounded approach to menswear that Gen Z is eager to claim.
The shift exploded in November, when TikToker Jason Gyamfi posted a video declaring that “life changes” when you swap out Nike tech fleece and coffee for a quarter-zip sweater and iced matcha. In the clip, two young men in navy pullovers, rimmed glasses and matcha drinks frame quarter zips as a lifestyle upgrade, not just a wardrobe tweak. The look quickly spread across feeds.
Part of the appeal is the balance the piece strikes. A quarter zip looks unfussy and relaxed, yet still reads as neat and put-together. It is familiar “dad wear,” but worn with a wink. For a generation wary of hyper-styled “fashion guy” stereotypes, it offers a way to dress well without seeming to try too hard.
On social media, some women have openly pushed back against guys who chase every runway microtrend, from flared pants to pearl necklaces. That backlash has made room for a quieter kind of style.
Celebrities and idols are reinforcing the look. British rapper Central Cee has been photographed in a Polo Ralph Lauren quarter zip, beige trousers and a heavy diamond chain — a mix of classic American prep and contemporary street polish. In K-pop, NCT Wish member Jaehee has layered a striped quarter zip over a shirt and tie, adding rimmed glasses for a sharp but approachable campus feel.
While the movement is rooted in menswear, the quarter zip’s comeback is increasingly visible in womenswear, where practicality and clean lines are resonating. Variations on the knit have appeared in recent collections from Miu Miu, Lemaire, Courreges and Jacquemus, where the silhouette is tweaked, cropped or paired with tailored trousers and slingback pumps. Chanel’s subway show, with its perfect jeans, pumps and slim zip-front sweaters, suggests the look has staying power beyond a single TikTok cycle.
Whether the quarter zip becomes the uniform everyone is secretly hoping for remains to be seen. For now, it captures a mood: practical, slightly nostalgic and quietly aspirational — an everyday piece that lets its wearer look like they have grown up, without giving up the comfort of a favorite knit.
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