"It's long been the uniform of management consultants and finance bros, but now the humble quarter zip is being embraced by a rather unexpected demographic. Over the past few weeks, FYPs have become dominated by the workwear staple. Young men who previously might've been seen exclusively in Nike Tech, have now traded them in for quarter zip sweaters. Across social media, they are sharing styling tips and hosting meetups at malls, all clad in business-casual."
"The trend gained widespread attention when, in early November, TikToker @whois.jason shared a video of himself sipping a matcha (the beverage of choice for the 'performative male') with a friend. Both are wearing quarter zip sweaters. "We don't do Nike Tech, we don't do coffee. It's straight quarter zips and matchas around here," he says in the clip. "We upgraded in life; we wear glasses now.""
Quarter zip sweaters have surged in popularity among young men on social media, replacing the previously dominant Nike Tech. TikTok videos and hashtags show users sharing styling tips, hosting mall meetups, and mimicking office tropes like matcha drinks, Outlook and LinkedIn references. Viral clips have amassed millions of views and prompted celebrities and brands to adopt the look, including mentions by T-Pain, Central Cee swapping fleeces for Ralph Lauren, and NBA 2K adding quarter zips to 2K26. Media outlets interpret the shift as a move toward business-casual aesthetics and a signal of ambition amid a difficult job market.
Read at Fast Company
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