Sweatshirts have made a huge comeback in modern fashion – you can find fashionable people all over the world raiding their local thrift stores trying to find old school vintage sweatshirt styles featuring everything from your favourite sport teams, colleges and even Disney characters that are cropped and tapered on the bottom.
If you opt for a more modern crew neck sweatshirt, you’ll most likely lean towards a sweatshirt in a grey color made with high quality fabrics such as French-terry. Whatever style you’re looking for, we’ve got you covered in this guide to the best sweatshirts for men.
Breaking Down The Sweatshirt
The sweatshirt has become an integral part of American culture. Originating in the 1920s by Russell Athletic Co. The idea of the sweatshirt came to be when Ben Russell Jr who was a football player, mentioned to his dad how uncomfortable the wool jerseys they wore during practice were.
His suggestion of a lightweight cotton jersey fabric would eventually become the sweatshirt we know and love today.
Sweatshirt Fit
A sweatshirt should fit tight and hug the body or be loose and boxy. Vintage sweatshirts will generally fit loose and short in the body and narrow in the arms.
Fabric/Construction
French terry: French terry is woven the same way as terrycloth fabrics. This means that it has a lot of loops and can absorb a lot of water or sweat. The cotton content of the French terry may be 100% or it could be a cotton-polyester blend.
Cotton Fleece: Fleece is a wide range of cotton fabrics that are soft, warm, and comfortable to the touch with a fuzzy, soft pile.
The purpose of that V on Sweatshirts: The double-V gusset found on many 1930s and 1940s sweatshirts had two purposes: improving the fit of the collar and absorbing sweat.
Nike: Sportswear Club Fleece
From modern styles to vintage, the Nike sweatshirt remains one of the most coveted and sought after sweatshirts in the game.
This sportswear fleece from Nike comes in a variety of neutral colors, with the only stand out being baby blue. Made with fleece, this is a softer and warmer sweatshirt than other available Nike sweatshirts.
The fit is slightly relaxed with dropped shoulders giving a cozy slightly oversized look. This is a great standalone sweatshirt or a mid-layer for those colder temperatures.
Champion: Reverse Weave Crew
Champion has been making it’s iconic reverse weave sweatshirt for over 80 years, perfect for those looking for a tried and true sweatshirt brand you can trust.
Made with heavyweight fleece in a slightly boxy fit, you’ll never worry about this sweatshirt getting destroyed or shrinking in the wash. This sweatshirt comes in every color imaginable to suit every pallet. If you’re looking for a quintessential classic sweatshirt, this is the one for you.
Carhartt WIP: Chase Sweater
Carhartt is trusted by millions of people for there hard working, high quality workwear clothing – their WIP brand features more fashionable pieces with the same high quality they’re known for.
This sweatshirt can be bought in 3 classic colors – grey, black and navy. With subtle logo embroidery, this is a clean and understated sweatshirt where the focus has been put on quality materials (lambswool and nylon) and construction. If you’re looking for a “wear it for life” piece, look no further.
adidas: Basics Crew Sweatshirt
No sweatshirt list is complete without mentioning adidas. This adidas and Pharrell Williams collaboration sweatshirt features a ribbed crew neck, with the sweatshirt being made from french terry.
The sweatshirt is advertised as a “basic” so if you’re looking for a fashionable, simple and minimal crewneck sweatshirt from a sportswear giant that you can trust – opt for this adidas sweatshirt.
Patagonia: Fitz Roy Horizons Uprisal Crew Sweatshirt
If the environment and sustainability are huge factors in your purchasing decision, you’ll love this recycled polyester/cotton crewneck sweatshirt from Patagonia.
The sweatshirt features the classic Patagonia logo on the chest, and comes in earthy green, brown and navy tones. The fit is pretty standard as far as sweatshirts go, with a bit looseness around the arms and midsection.
The North Face: Men’s Coordinates Crew
This oversized relaxed fit sweatshirt from The North Face is the perfect chill “hang around the house” piece. Made with a poly-cotton fleece with a classic North Face logo on the left chest and back. If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort piece, we highly recommend this.
Polo Ralph Lauren: The RL Fleece Sweatshirt
If you’re looking for a sweatshirt to pair with a pair of chinos, look no further than this Ralph Lauren fleece sweatshirt. The classic preppy aesthetic with pastel colors is sure to pair perfectly with your favorite pair of shorts or chinos. The sweatshirt features a slightly oversized fit with the iconic Polo logo on the left chest.
Amazon: Hanes Men’s EcoSmart Sweatshirt
This sweatshirt is perfect if you’re looking for comfy, a good price, and just the right amount of oversized. In addition, you’ll find various colors that’ll suit your personality and taste.
If you’re interested in eco-friendly products, this sweatshirt is made with up to 5% polyester created from recycled plastic.
Reigning Champ: Midweight Terry Crewneck
Quality, aesthetics and one of the only slimmer fitting sweatshirts on our list. No sweatshirt list is complete without Canada’s Reigning Champ. Premium quality midweight terry that comes in four different colorways – midnight, heather grey, navy and earth. This handcrafted sweatshirt makes our coveted “wear it for life” list meaning you can expect to have this sweatshirt for years and years.
Wahts: Moore Plain Crewneck Sweater
A luxury crew neck sweatshirt from European brand Wahts is our pick for a slim fitting luxury alternative. The sweatshirt comes in a tailored fit, so it’s perfect if you want a tighter fit that hugs the body and shows off your physique.
Compared to a classic fit, the shoulders are fitted and not droopy, so it’s a lot more masculine looking. If having a perfect tailor fit is what you’re looking for check out our pick from Wahts.
Kenzo: The Winter Capsule’ Tiger sweatshirt
The ultimate statement piece is a sweatshirt from designer French brand Kenzo. This designer organic cotton sweatshirt features an embroidery of the Kenzo Paris logo alongside a giant tiger.
If you want an eye grabbing sweatshirt in a more tailored and slim fit made from high quality materials and perfect construction – invest in this Kenzo piece.
Vintage Crewneck Sweatshirts
Our previous list featured modern crew neck sweatshirts that are available on the market today, but a lot of people are seeking an authentic vintage crewneck.
Crewnecks have been a thing since the 1920s, so you can find vintage crewnecks stamped with a variety of different logos. Vintage crewnecks usually have a very standard fit – being baggy around the mid section, slightly cropped and shorter than modern crewnecks with an elastic waist for a tighter look at the bottom.
Nike vintage sweatshirts
Vintage Nike Crewnecks are super popular, especially amongst gen z and tiktok fashion.
College vintage sweatshirts
Sweatshirts from famous colleges such as Ohio state, Harvard and Notre Dame are also super popular.
Sport team vintage Sweatshirts
Crew necks from teams in the NFL and NBA are also super hot right now
Where to buy vintage crew necks
As the name suggests you’re not going to fine this style brand new, and most thrift stores have been raided for all of their sweatshirts, so your best bet is to find markets that specialize in buying and repairing old sweatshirts. Here is where you can buy vintage sweatshirts:
- Amazon
- Ebay
- Etsy
- Thrift stores