Men's Quarter Zip Jumpers: How to Choose and Wear One

The men's quarter zip jumper started on the golf course and spent the next few decades quietly taking over the rest of the week. It goes over a shirt collar on a Friday and gets zipped up to the chin for the walk home, which is more than most knitwear manages in a day. We have them from DG's Drifter and Glenmuir this autumn, in marled knits, cotton and a cashmere blend.

At a glance

• Quarter zip, half zip and zip neck describe much the same jumper. The collar matters more than the name.
• Over a collared shirt is the classic way to wear one.
• Navy and grey marl go with nearly everything you own.
• Cotton blends suit men who run warm.
• Close at the cuff and hem, easy across the chest.

• Quarter zip, half zip or zip neck
• Marl knit, cotton or cashmere blend
• What goes underneath
• Getting the fit right

Quarter zip, half zip or zip neck

The labels mean less than they suggest. A quarter zip runs a short way down from the collar, a half zip goes a little further, and zip neck covers both. Look at the collar instead.

A stand or funnel collar, like the one on the DG's Drifter 55642, sits up against the neck when it is zipped and folds back neatly when it is open. The 55329 half zip has a taller mock neck. It keeps out more cold and looks its best done right up, which makes it the one for a December afternoon at the football or on the ferry across to Sandbanks.

Marl knit, cotton or cashmere blend

Marl is two shades of yarn knitted together. On the 55642 it gives navy some depth, so it never looks flat in daylight, and the ribbed cuffs and hem hold their shape after a winter of being pushed up the forearm.

Glenmuir's g.Biggar takes a different route: 95% combed cotton with 5% cashmere. The cotton keeps it lighter than a wool jumper and easy to wash, and the cashmere takes the edge off. It is the better choice for anyone who overheats in a lambswool knit, or for the first cool weeks of October. Navy, navy marl and a charcoal grey marl are all in.

What goes underneath

A collared shirt, most of the time. It is the reason a quarter zip passes for smart, and the trick is to let the collar sit outside the zip rather than tucking it in. A plain Oxford works. So does one of the small prints in our long sleeve shirts, where a little pattern at the neck lifts a plain navy knit.

For golf or a Sunday, a polo shirt does the same job with less fuss. A plain tee is fine at the weekend with the zip half down. As a middle layer, a quarter zip sits comfortably under an overshirt or a casual blazer, provided the knit is fine enough not to bunch at the shoulders.

Getting the fit right

Look for a jumper that sits close at the cuffs and hem, with some ease through the chest.

• Shoulder seam sitting on the shoulder, not halfway down the arm
• Ribbed cuffs gripping at the wrist bone
• Hem resting at the belt, staying there when you lift your arms
• Enough room across the chest for a shirt underneath

If it is going under a jacket, size for the jacket. A close, fine knit disappears under tailoring. A chunkier one belongs on its own, or under a roomy coat from our coats and jackets.

Colour is the last thing to settle. Navy and grey marl go with everything. The DG's Drifter 55120 comes in a light green and a light brown marl, both with a contrast lining inside the collar, and they are the ones to try if your knitwear drawer is already mostly navy. They are all on the shop floor at 30 Seamoor Road, Westbourne, next to the rest of our knitwear.

See the jumpers

Frequently asked questions