The colder months are finally upon us, and we can’t wait to embrace all the fall and winter essentials. Get ready for coffee, soups, bonfires, shoveling snow, and last but not least, sweaters! Lightweight, thick, high neck or not, sweaters of all kinds top the list of garments that add comfort and style to a man’s winter looks. Let’s decode the sweater style for men here.
When we talk about winter outfits for men, most men would prefer to pick a classy sweater over any other staple. This is because sweaters suit all body types and give you that perfect coziness desired in the chilly weather. A good sweater is all you need to keep the worry of brisk winds aside as it will keep you toasty. Plus, it is the answer to every fashion question, whether you want a pop of color in a monotone outfit or need to jazz up a casual look.
What To Expect In This Article?
Men’s Sweater Fashion: The Cozy and Stylish Winter Essential
Sweaters come in all colors, shapes and designs. They can be light, heavy, form-fitted or baggy. They are quite durable and never go out of fashion. Above all, you can dress up and down with a sweater.
Depending upon the type of sweater and the weather, a sweater can be the highlight of your whole look or provide a warm and comforting layer that also takes the style reading meter upwards. As it is mostly made of wool, it provides adequate insulation and maintains the body temperature. You can wear it over a collared shirt, under a suit, or wear an oversized pullover for a laid back look.
We have crafted an in depth sweater tell-all here for you. Let’s dive deeper into the different types of sweaters and numerous ways to style them.
Types of Sweaters
There is a huge variety of sweaters out there. It won’t be wrong to say that you can never have enough of this woolen garment. Here are the most popular types of sweaters that are a must have in every man’s wardrobe.
Crewneck Sweaters
Pullover style sweaters with round necks go by the name of crewnecks. They are definitely the most commonly worn sweaters in men’s fashion. Crewneck sweaters come in handy for casual looks or layering trendy street style outfits. One of the most sought after fall and winter outfits for men is to wear a crewneck sweater over a button down shirt in a contrasting color.
Turtleneck Sweaters
Turtlenecks are sweaters with raised roll-able collars, which is admittedly a great feature for the cold season. They are usually fitted with tight ribbed cuffs and hems. Wearing a turtleneck is made easy by the stretchy material it is made of.
The easiest way to rock the turtleneck is to pair it with slim fit jeans. Due to its neck style, it will also look very stylish under a men’s leather bomber jacket. Another great thing about turtleneck sweaters is that they make you appear taller.
V-Neck Sweaters
As opposed to the crewneck style, v neck sweaters are more appropriate for dressier outfits. You can even incorporate a V-neck into a suit. The neck and top of your chest area are exposed, which helps reveal the shirt (and tie) that you’re wearing underneath in a better way.
V-neck sweaters makes you appear slimmer as its shape draws attention downward.
Cable Knit Sweaters
Cable knit sweaters are those which have a highly appealing knit design. They work perfectly as an insulating layer in harsh winter. Cable knits can be thin or thick depending upon the type of wool used.
Ribbed Sweaters
Another kind of knit which is a classic is the ribbed sweater. Although plain and fitted, a ribbed sweater indeed looks very stylish and can be worn alone with jeans or with various other staples. Most winter smart casual outfits for men are incomplete without a well fitted ribbed sweater.
Waffle Knit Sweaters
If you are striving for a charming look, your go to option should be a stylish waffle knit sweater. Waffle knit sweaters give a break from the usually popular knitted, ribbed, or cable knit varieties so that you can use them as an opportunity to create a unique style.
Half Zipped Sweaters
Sweaters with a half zipped collar lean towards a sporty style, giving you the perfect warm layer for the gym or other athletic activities. Half zipped sweaters with a round neck are truly for athleisure wear, but those with a raised collar that can be turned down may be used for dressy looks, like with a nice casual dress shirt underneath.
Shawl Collar Sweaters
The shawl collar sweater has a rounded collar that is turned down on a V-neck sweater, and you get the shawl collar sweater. The collar fabric overlaps and meets in the center, usually at the top chest area. The style looks immensely sophisticated and looks great even when you pair it with jeans.
Sweater Vests
Sweater vests are versatile in men’s fashion. You can wear them with a variety of shirts, including dress shirts, button downs, Henleys and polo shirts. They are best worn under tailored suits, where a full sleeved V-neck sweater would be hard to wear comfortably.
Cardigans
Sweaters that open from the front and have a button closure are called cardigans. When you need to take off your sweater somewhere, opt for a cardigan instead of a pullover to avoid ruining your hair. You can easily take it off and put it back on.
Heavyweight Sweaters
Heavyweight sweaters are made with coarse wool. They are thick and weighty, which makes them befitting for minus temperatures. They retain heat quite well, so don’t put it on in mildly cold weather when a lightweight crewneck or a fleece jacket would be more appropriate.
Acrylic Sweaters
Acrylic yarn is synthetic wool that is intended to mimic natural wool. Sweaters made from acrylic yarn are less costly than their natural counterparts as they are produced on a mass scale in less time. The main difference between acrylic and natural wool sweaters is that the former is a little coarse to touch and not breathable, making them a good option when you need to trap that body heat in extreme temperatures.
Cashmere Sweaters
Talk about luxury wear, and the cashmere sweater would top the list. The wool for cashmere sweaters comes from the cashmere goats and pashmina goats. Cashmere sweaters are super soft to touch and great at retaining heat.
As they are thinner than other types of sweaters, they make an ideal pair with various types of jackets and coats.
Sweater Patterns
Among the numerous kinds of sweaters are the patterned ones, which offer a visually appealing break from the solid colored sweaters. Patterned sweaters fall into a less formal dressing category. There are a lot of patterns that will help you achieve the oh-so-charismatic look, but we will state the most popular ones here.
- Stripes: horizontal stripes of contrasting color that look very sophisticated.
- Argyle: Colored, interlocking diamonds design.
- Fair isle: Multicolored knitted patterns.
- Hounds-tooth: Very small intertwined pattern that gives a decent look.
- Checkered: A checked pattern that makes the sweater more casual.
Fashion Gurus may come up with multiple ways to style a sweater, and there is no harm in trying on different styles to check what suits you the best. But those who are intrigued by the fashion do’s, and don’ts often ask:
Should You Wear a Shirt Under a Sweater?
A nice dress shirt worn under a sweater is definitely a style ‘do’, given you take care of a few things. Firstly, never wear a baggy shirt under your sweater to avoid fabric bunching as it looks very unappealing. You can also go for a half sleeved shirt to further avoid this issue. Secondly, opt for a shirt wisely and go for ones with thin material.
Go for classic styles to say safe, a blue shirt under a grey crewneck sweater or a v-neck if you want to show off your tie.
What to Wear With Sweaters? Sweater Outfit Suggestions for Men
Forget about spending a lot of time in front of your closet. Sweaters for men’s style are highly versatile, and you can pair them with a variety of staples. Consider a few things in mind when opting for a sweater for your outfit.
For casual wear, you can go with light or vivid colors. Stick to dark shades like brown and blue for semi-formal wear. As for the fit and style, loose ones work best in a casual setting, while tailored, form fitting sweaters give a neat look that is required in formal outfits.
Here are some ideas to inspire your next men’s sweater outfit
Sweater With Leather Jacket
Go for a red crewneck sweater in a cable knit style under a classy men’s leather jacket. Leave the front closure open to reveal your stylish sweater, or zip it up when you want to feel warm.
Sweater With Blazer
Team up a black turtleneck sweater and black jeans along with a tan blazer for a refined look that is fit for work and important meetups. To keep up with the dressy look, opt for black monk strap leather shoes.
Sweater With Denim Jacket
When worn under a black denim jacket, a beige crewneck sweater is sure to give you a dapper look. Consider wearing black jeans and brown Chukka boots with this outfit.
Sweater With Chambray Shirt
Chambray shirts hold a special place in menswear as they can make any man look handsome. Pair a light grey chambray shirt with a white fair isle sweater and dark blue jeans. Finish off the look with brown leather loafers.
Sweater With Camo Pants
Pull off a voguish winter look with a brown v-neck sweater by teaming it up with camo pants and a grey down jacket. The combination of a plain brown sweater and camo pants is the new favorite as it is both comfortable and stylish.
Sweater With Shackets
Try the flannel shacket and sweater combo to build a fall outfit. Go with dark brown corduroy pants and white leather sneakers to match this trendy outfit.
Sweater With Black Jeans
Almost every kind of sweater can be worn with black jeans, but a burgundy ribbed one is recommended for a fashionable look.
Sweater With Beanie
Wear a pullover hoodie under a blue sweater and go for a yellow beanie to rock this stylish look.
Sweater With High Tops
A sweater outfit can be elevated if you select high top sneakers as your footwear choice. For instance, a man wearing a patterned sweater under a leather café racer jacket and blue stonewash jeans is an epitome of style.
Sweater With Snapbacks
Another day, another cap choice. Wear a red sweater and black joggers with a red snapback. Try to match the snapback with the sweater or your jacket for a coherent look.
Sweater With Trench Coats
You can go with a blue quarter zipped sweater and pair it with a black trench coat for a well groomed look. Wear black chinos with this outfit.
Sweater With Plaid Pants
Why not add some jazzy vibes to our style by opting for a black turtleneck and plaid pants. Make sure your pant is well tailored to nail the look.
Sweater With Suit
A grey turtleneck looks great under a suit jacket, but you can also choose to wear a sweater vest in dark color.
Cardigan Outfits for Men
Pair a basic white t-shirt with a brown cardigan and blue jeans for an outfit that will definitely turn heads due to its appeal. Round off the look with white leather sneakers and a woolen scarf.
White Sweater Outfit
A white scoop neck cable knit sweater with full sleeves looks incredibly stylish when paired with black jeans and a black biker jacket.
Black Sweater Outfit
A simple yet classy outfit suggestion is to pair an oversized black sweatshirt with ripped black jeans and black lace-up boots.
Grey Sweater Outfit
Try a black henley under a light grey half zipped sweater and choose black cargo pants along with it.
Brown Sweater Outfit
Team up a brown and black argyle sweater with jeans for an effortless outfit.
Red Sweater Outfit
A red baggy sweater when paired with blue jeans and muffler to build a street style outfit that is fit for travel.
Blue Sweater Outfit
A blue cable knit is all you need for a bright and young look. Pair it with distressed grey jeans to stay comfortable.
Yellow Sweater Outfit
Mix and match a yellow ribbed sweater along with a blue denim jacket for a fashion forward look that can never go wrong.
FAQs
Are Sweaters Casual?
No, sweaters are available in so many types, and not all fall under the casual wear category. Loose crewneck sweatshirts, cardigans, half zipped styles are for casual wear, while v necks and ribbed turtlenecks are more suited for semi-formal wear.
How Do You Style a Knitted Sweater for Men?
There are multiple ways to style a men’s knitted sweater. You can experiment with looks, like blue jeans paired with a charcoal grey crewneck knitted sweater. Or, you can style a v neck knitted sweater by wearing a button down in a lighter shade under it and pairing it with black chinos.
How Do Men Wear Oversized Sweatshirts?
The best way to rock an oversized sweatshirt is to pair it with sleek chinos or straight fit jeans. If you want to go with a laid back style, you can wear baggy joggers or cargo pants with the sweatshirt.
Are Cable Knit Sweaters in Style?
Cable knit sweaters were all the rage in the 1920s, but they are back in style as a fashion statement for menswear and womenswear.
How Do You Wear a Sweater With Jeans?
For a fashion forward look, always opt for slim fit or straight fit jeans with a sweater. Make a light and dark, monochrome or an appealing color contrast to pull off the jeans and sweater.
Takeaway
Summing up the men’s sweater style guide, we can say that it is good to invest in some stylish sweaters as they will definitely elevate your looks. It is wise to buy a few casual and two fitted, dark colored ones for dressier styles. It is definitely an article of clothing that will serve layering and style purposes effectively.
