Used to be, there were only three kinds of people who would ever be caught dead in a fleece jacket: crunchy climber types with a dozen REI stickers plastered on
target="_blank">their Nalgenes; Bay Area startup wonks who love the feel of their Allbirds against the pedals of their Teslas; and finance bros whose personal style never outgrew their frat house days. All of that changed a few years ago, when swiftly and suddenly—perhaps prompted by an intrinsic fear that the world was ending—the entire fashion world started dressing like they were halfway through a weeklong canoe trip in Maine. Hiking sneakers trekked their way onto red carpets, technical puffers posted up front row at Paris Fashion Week, and best of all, cozy fleece zip-ups became acceptable non-dad attire.
That’s great news for you, because bundling up in a fuzzy, furry fleece is one of the kindest things you can do for yourself in the depths of a long winter. They are impenetrably warm, impossibly comfy, and bring more texture to a single fit than all the cords in your closet combined. And with seemingly every outdoors outfitter, designer label, and underground streetwear brand on the planet getting into the men's fleece jacket game, you’ve got more shaggy options at your fingertips than ever before. Here are 22 of the fleeces that matter most.
The Best Men's Fleece Jacket, Period
Patagonia classic Retro-X fleece jacket
Patagonia invented fleece as we know it. The mountaineering OGs were the first to bring synthetic pile into outdoors wear in the ‘70s, the first to fix its problematic pilling by developing its signature Synchilla fabric in the ‘80s, and they dropped the first fleece jacket ever to reach icon status later that decade. The Retro-X is the Air Jordan 3 of fluffy zip-ups: instantly recognizable, eternally in style, still up to snuff performance-wise decades after its release. The shaggy sherpa exterior repels moisture and dries in a snap, the mesh lining blocks wind and controls odors, and both are built from 50% recycled materials. If you're a first time fleecer, this is the only place to start.
Rising NYC designer Sandy Liang is a big reason why we're even talking about fleece in a fashion context. Back in 2018, her Ollie jacket—ostensibly designed for women—became a crossover hit among menswear aficionados thanks to its oversized fit, offbeat details like a neon lining and leopard print trim, and, as one GQ editor put it, its "extremely pettable" outer. Liang's Ollie sequel, the Otto, shares a lot in common with its predecessor, with the addition of an exploded camo print and a trio of additional zip pockets on the chest, sleeve, and rear.
One thing fleece isn't always great for? Layering under anything but the roomiest of technical shells. This collarless Snow Peak joint, though, will slide right into all manner of multifaceted fits, thanks to a slimmer layer of Polartec fleece that'll still pack in the heat with the best of 'em.
Given Martine Rose's affinity for '80s- and '90s-era ephemera—like square-toed loafers and swishy track bottoms—it's no surprise that the British fashion queen has made fleece jackets a staple of her ongoing collaboration with Italian outerwear savants Napapijri. Her latest take, exploding with neon orange roses, would fit right in during the wee hours of an East London rave.
For a high fashion flip on an outdoorsy staple, Loewe's fleece jacket is surprisingly true to the source material—from the high collar to the thumb loops you'd find on plenty of real-deal performance gear at REI. But the sharply tailored cut, leather zip pulls, and painterly chest patch are all dead giveaways of its provenance (and the according price tag).
If you were a child in the mid-1990s, and it was a brisk November evening at the playground, you were probably wearing a fleece. And your fleece, like your Spacemaker pencil box, had to be doused in the blindingest tones possible. This 18 East banger would’ve crowned you king of the jungle gym back then—and you’ll still look plenty fly in it right now. The recycled deep pile fleece comes in a striking Charlotte Hornets-y palette, and the whole thing is elevated by a meticulously hand-printed corduroy chest pocket. To really bring the recess vibes home, don't forget to cop the matching pants.
The Elder Statesman tie-dyed cotton blend fleece jacket
Greg Chait, the Angeleno behind The Elder Statesman, has a knack for taking cold climate essentials like cashmere sweaters and beanies and making them feel unmistakably West Coast. Thanks to some vibey shibori dye and a boxy, laidback cut, this lush spin on a fleece zip-up is better suited to a bonfire on the beach than a snowy hike through the woods.
Designer Somsack Sikhounmuong based this zip-up on one his dad has owned since the '80s, and then improved upon it ever so slightly by adding a two-way zipper for extra ventilation.
