Wear A Turtleneck To Look Cool and Stay Warm
Men’s turtleneck sweaters have suffered a style decline thanks to some pretty poor pairings. It’s time we taught you the turtleneck with suit look.
Poor turtlenecks. Even when they’re not worn with a custom suit they’re so simple yet so easy to screw up. They can be pulled off capably and clumsily even when they’re almost exactly the same.
Take the case of the two Steves. The black turtleneck Steve McQueen wore while playing a badass San Francisco cop in Bullitt should have been nominated for best-supporting actor award when the movie came out. Just a short drive south in Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs must have seen that movie and thought he’d channel his inner badass with a similar black turtleneck. Jobs was gravely mistaken.
Men’s turtlenecks have been abused so badly, they even inspired a comedy album, Lonely Island’s Grammy winning Turtleneck & Chain. The title track features Snoop Dogg and the classic line “Turtleneck and chain sippin’ on a light beer.”
Women seem to have figured them out, but men’s turtleneck style is trailing way behind. But there is a way to salvage the turtleneck from the cruel fate of being famously mocked by comedians. Men in turtlenecks have also been famously praised by style types who get it. This leads us to only one conclusion: You can wear a turtleneck well, but it’s all in how you wear it. So we thought we’d offer men up one surefire way to pull of the turtleneck. Keep scrolling
What exactly is a turtleneck?
Before we go too deep, let’s address one of the turtleneck’s biggest problems: it’s identity issues. What the hell is a turtleneck?
Even knowing what category to put them in gives us fits. Say turtleneck to some and they’re picturing thick, chunky turtleneck sweaters. Say it to others and they think of a form fitting turtleneck base layer to be worn like long johns that adds insulation.
Of course, there are plenty of turtlenecks of both of these varieties. But the sweet spot for a turtleneck to look both sleek and stylish is somewhere between these two poles. A mid-weight turtleneck is heavy enough to keep you warm during winter’s coldest days but not so thick that it can’t be used as a replacement for your dress shirt and tie.
Featured: the Indigo Check Saxony Custom Suit by Black Lapel.
In fact, the turtleneck under a suit look is exactly what we suggest for a stylish look. Here’s how and why it works:
Form: The Turtleneck Adds Style
Featured: the Ash Gray Flannel Custom Suit by Black Lapel.
In this studio shot you can see how a turtleneck does a great job of tying the whole outfit together. It echoes the color of the windowpanes in this gray windowpane suit. The turtleneck punches up the pattern which, though large, is only subtly different from the dark gray base color of the suit. Since the turtleneck plays up the accent color, putting together the rest of the outfit couldn’t be simpler. Just add black shoes, bag and pocket square and the look is complete.
Function: The Turtleneck Adds Warmth
Featured: the Ash Gray Flannel Custom Suit and Pepper Gray Custom Topcoat by Black Lapel.
On the street the turtleneck serves its purpose. It’s not just an alternative look to a shirt and tie. The turtleneck’s insulating qualities make it the perfect choice for cool crisp transitional weather. Instead of covering up a great suit like this gray windowpane with a coat, we added the turtleneck underneath for warmth. The result is you get to keep your style on display and still keep yourself warm.
So, as it turns out, you can look well turned out in a turtleneck. Let the above example inspire you and you can channel your inner Steve…McQueen that is.
Turtlenecks with Blazers
Turtlenecks with Suits
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Hi, what color turtle neck goes good with a navy plaid suit ?
I have a plaid red/navy double-breasted blazer. What is the best color for this pattern? Black? Do you recommend ribbed vs non-ribbed?
Thank you!
Hey sorry for a very late reply but I need some help but what would be the best colour Turtle neck for a medium gray/charcoal checkered suit whose lines are a light/fading black? I’d love for a quick reply I’m in a bit of a pickle.
Is a emerald green blazer with black turtle neck a great idea as a wedding guest?? Also what color pants or dress pants should I where??
would navy blue suit with white sneakers match with grey turtle neck??
Good little article. Have you got an idea about what to wear under a turtleneck sweater at a formal occasion?
Collared shirts don’t look right under a turtleneck sweater, so what happens if you get too warm and need to take the turtleneck off?
What color Turtleneck would best go with a Navy Blue Blazer
Light gray would be the perfect layering color.
What is the preferred color of turtle neck for a black suit.
No specific color is best, but you’ll want to go with a darker hue. Dark olive green is quite nice.
Do you think that this suit (https://imgur.com/a/9fWiBcE) matches with that turtleneck? Or what color turtleneck would go well with that suit?
Thanks for the article. What colour turtleneck would you suggest with a grey suit?
Hey Laurent! You can pair almost any turtleneck with a gray suit. The exceptions would be another gray turtleneck with the same shade. All you need to do is create some contrast, so you can go darker or lighter depending on the shade of your gray suit. A nice dark green would look great against a gray suit.
What kind of suit would match with a dark emerald turtleneck?
Hey Brad! A dark emerald turtleneck — bold, we like it!
This one is fairly straight forward, a light or medium gray would be best. All you need to do is create some contrast with something on the other end of the color wheel.
What would be a good color to go with on a turtleneck that would go well with a navy blue suit?
Good artical by the way!
Hey there!
Thanks for the high praise, we try our best. SO, what color turtleneck would go with a navy blue suit. Depends, if it’s a traditional navy suit like this one, a gray turtleneck is a great option. Another option is a thick beige turtleneck. If your suit is a lighter blue like this, you can wear a dark navy turtleneck to bring in the bold.
Been making this style move a lot lately. Always enjoy reading your pieces.
What brand turtle neck is the one in the images, he burgundy one
That turtleneck comes the personal stash of one of our stylists who couldn’t recall where he got it. While it may not be that exact one, similar turtlenecks are available (in season) at Uniqlo.
Where can I buy quality turtleneck sweaters. Unfortunately there is no need for them in Socal until recently and the selection I’ve seen has been pedestrian at best.
Since you’re in SoCal, ordering a turtleneck online might be your best option. J.Crew has a limited selection but of good quality, and Club Monaco is a little more upmarket. Uniqlo is better if you’re shopping on a tighter budget.
Great article! the Burgundy T-neck matches flawlessly well with the windowpane accent of the suit. On a side note, the article didn’t even mention how Steve thought it was cool to wear blue dad jeans with white trainers and no belt like it’s a completely acceptable thing to do muahahaha
Yeah, Steve Jobs was normcore before normcore was a thing. Wait, is that still a thing?
I think the first step to looking good in a turtleneck is having pecs. Gotta get those pushups in!
That’s right, Matthew. Pushups. No gym required, no weights required, no excuses, guys.