28 Best Men's Sweatshirts in 2024, According to GQ Editors
GQ RecommendsFrom cheap-and-cheery crewnecks to high-end designer hoodies, these are the sweats that warrant pride of place in your hibernation rotation.By Gerald OrtizDecember 17, 2024Collage by Brittany LogginsSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.If there was a menswear equivalent of the food pyramid, men's sweatshirts would take up a significant portion. They’d occupy the second layer, just above a foundation made up of T-shirts, underwear, and jeans. The garment born out of sports uniforms have become so enmeshed into the fashion matrix that it’s impossible to ignore. Surplus stores are packed with hearty versions of the humble knitwear. Screenprinted sweats and hoodies give streetwear upstarts their shot at glory. And even avant-garde designers aren’t immune to the challenge of spinning the ubiquitous garment.You could eke by without a sweatshirt or hoodie in your closet, but you’d be missing a crucial part of your diet. Even if you’re the kind of snob who wouldn’t dare wear something as casual as a hoodie out in public, your time spent lounging at home could be suffering without a fluffy, cozy sweatshirt on hand. Whether you’re a grubby skate rat or spoiled preppy, fashion-illiterate or menswear-obsessed, there’s a sweatshirt for everyone. So we fired up the GQ Recommends machine to break down every kind of sweatshirt so you can finally get back to a well-rounded sartorial diet.The Best Men's Sweatshirts, According to GQThe Best Crewneck Sweatshirt: Reigning Champ Crewneck Sweatshirt, $95The Best Pullover Hoodie: Champion Reverse Weave Hoodie, $55The Best Graphic Hoodie: Gap Reissue Logo Zip Hoodie, $60 $29The Best Zip-Up Hoodie: Uniqlo Full-Zip Hoodie, $50The Best Quarter-Zip Sweatshirt: American Trench Terry Quarter Zip, $155The Best Mockneck Sweatshirt: Percival Frequency Mock Neck Sweatshirt, $180The Best Short-Sleeve Sweatshirt: Todd Snyder x Champion Short-Sleeve Sweatshirt, $88Looking for Something Specific?AccordionItemContainerButtonLargeChevronCrewneck SweatshirtsPullover HoodiesZip-Up HoodiesZip-Up SweatshirtsGraphic SweatshirtsTurtleneck SweatshirtsShort-Sleeved SweatshirtsCrewneck SweatshirtsThe crewneck sweatshirt dates back to nearly a century ago when professional football player Benjamin Russell, Jr. introduced his newfangled sportswear garment sometime in the 1930s. Up until then, the de facto football uniforms where made of thick, scratchy wool. As you can imagine, that made playing football really fun. So, Russell Jr. came up with an alternative which was a soft, cotton fleece pullover with a crewneck-style collar. Almost a century later and we’re still wearing his invention to warm up on chilly evenings and lounge at home.Read more: The Best Crewneck Sweatshirts for MenBowen FernieChevronChevronReigning ChampMidweight Terry Standard Crewneck$95 Amazon$125 HuckberryChampionReverse Weave Crewneck Sweatshirt$48 AmazonBowen FernieChevronChevronTrumbullVintage Wash Crewneck Sweatshirt$138 HuckberryBowen FernieChevronChevronLady White Co.44 Fleece Sweatshirt$185 $167 SSENSEPullover HoodiesSometime after Russell, Jr.’s invention came the hoodie, a variation on the OG sweatshirt that featured—you guessed it—an attached hood to keep the wearer’s head warm. It was invented by the Knickerbocker Knitting Company which would later change its name to Champion. Today, the sportswear staple is everywhere and has evolved far beyond its athletic origins. Now you can find ultra luxe versions made from silky cashmere as well as wild riffs from the likes of streetwear and avant-garde designers alike.Read more: The Best Hoodies for MenBowen FernieBowen FernieChevronChevronReigning ChampMidweight Terry Standard Hoodie$125 Nordstrom$125 Amazon$150 HuckberryAbercrombie & FitchEssential Cropped Popover Hoodie$60 Abercrombie & FitchBowen FernieBowen FernieChevronChevronRussell AthleticDri-Power Fleece Zip-Up Hoodie$26 $24 AmazonBowen FernieChevronChevronChampionReverse Weave Hoodie$55 $32 Amazon$52 WalmartZip-Up HoodiesEventually, zippers made their way to hoodies and allowed the design to be donned and doffed more easily. It also made the hoodie more flexible in terms of temperature control. But more than that, it also turned the hoodie into a more dynamic layering piece. Not only could you style the hoodie underneath a jacket or coat, you could even show off your prized graphic tee or burly flannel underneath. The last time zip-up hoodies had their reign was during the 2000s, when emo and indie music was gaining steam. Thanks to a resurgence of Y2k style, indie sleaze, and the advanced layering the zip hoodie affords, the style has come back into prominence.Read more: The Best Zip Hoodies for MenBowen FernieBowen FernieBowen FernieChevronChevronUniqloSweat Full-Zip Hoodie$50 UniqloLes TienGarment-Dyed Distressed Cotton-Jersey Zip-Up Hoodie$285 Mr PorterHanesEcoSmart Fleece Full-Zip Hoodie$24
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
If there was a menswear equivalent of the food pyramid, men's sweatshirts would take up a significant portion. They’d occupy the second layer, just above a foundation made up of T-shirts, underwear, and jeans. The garment born out of sports uniforms have become so enmeshed into the fashion matrix that it’s impossible to ignore. Surplus stores are packed with hearty versions of the humble knitwear. Screenprinted sweats and hoodies give streetwear upstarts their shot at glory. And even avant-garde designers aren’t immune to the challenge of spinning the ubiquitous garment.
You could eke by without a sweatshirt or hoodie in your closet, but you’d be missing a crucial part of your diet. Even if you’re the kind of snob who wouldn’t dare wear something as casual as a hoodie out in public, your time spent lounging at home could be suffering without a fluffy, cozy sweatshirt on hand. Whether you’re a grubby skate rat or spoiled preppy, fashion-illiterate or menswear-obsessed, there’s a sweatshirt for everyone. So we fired up the GQ Recommends machine to break down every kind of sweatshirt so you can finally get back to a well-rounded sartorial diet.
The Best Men's Sweatshirts, According to GQ
- The Best Crewneck Sweatshirt: Reigning Champ Crewneck Sweatshirt, $95
- The Best Pullover Hoodie: Champion Reverse Weave Hoodie, $55
- The Best Graphic Hoodie: Gap Reissue Logo Zip Hoodie,
$60$29 - The Best Zip-Up Hoodie: Uniqlo Full-Zip Hoodie, $50
- The Best Quarter-Zip Sweatshirt: American Trench Terry Quarter Zip, $155
- The Best Mockneck Sweatshirt: Percival Frequency Mock Neck Sweatshirt, $180
- The Best Short-Sleeve Sweatshirt: Todd Snyder x Champion Short-Sleeve Sweatshirt, $88
Crewneck Sweatshirts
The crewneck sweatshirt dates back to nearly a century ago when professional football player Benjamin Russell, Jr. introduced his newfangled sportswear garment sometime in the 1930s. Up until then, the de facto football uniforms where made of thick, scratchy wool. As you can imagine, that made playing football really fun. So, Russell Jr. came up with an alternative which was a soft, cotton fleece pullover with a crewneck-style collar. Almost a century later and we’re still wearing his invention to warm up on chilly evenings and lounge at home.
Read more: The Best Crewneck Sweatshirts for Men
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Pullover Hoodies
Sometime after Russell, Jr.’s invention came the hoodie, a variation on the OG sweatshirt that featured—you guessed it—an attached hood to keep the wearer’s head warm. It was invented by the Knickerbocker Knitting Company which would later change its name to Champion. Today, the sportswear staple is everywhere and has evolved far beyond its athletic origins. Now you can find ultra luxe versions made from silky cashmere as well as wild riffs from the likes of streetwear and avant-garde designers alike.
Read more: The Best Hoodies for Men
Zip-Up Hoodies
Eventually, zippers made their way to hoodies and allowed the design to be donned and doffed more easily. It also made the hoodie more flexible in terms of temperature control. But more than that, it also turned the hoodie into a more dynamic layering piece. Not only could you style the hoodie underneath a jacket or coat, you could even show off your prized graphic tee or burly flannel underneath. The last time zip-up hoodies had their reign was during the 2000s, when emo and indie music was gaining steam. Thanks to a resurgence of Y2k style, indie sleaze, and the advanced layering the zip hoodie affords, the style has come back into prominence.
Read more: The Best Zip Hoodies for Men
Zip Sweatshirts
Those half-zips and quarter-zips your pops used to wear when coaching your childhood soccer team? They're cool as all hell right now. Leave ‘em unzipped to show off that wild new necklace you just copped, or zip up straight to the top when a cold wind blows in from nowhere.
Read more: The Best Quarter Zip Sweatshirts
Graphic Sweatshirts
Hoodies nowadays are hard to separate from splashy graphics and box logos. We have streetwear to thank for that. Brands like Supreme and Stussy helped turn hoodies and sweatshirts into canvases for art, self-expression, and virtue signalling. Before them, colleges emblazoned their seals and logos onto sweatshirts to build school spirit. These days, designers continue to push the boundaries of graphic sweats with trippy dye techniques and next-level printing. Like their graphic tee counterparts, graphic sweats can give a sneak peek into your personality, where you’re from, what music you listen to, or even what furniture you have. And even if there’s no deeper personal connection to the graphic you’re rocking, the coolest ones can still add a ton of style to your outfit.
Turtleneck Sweatshirts
Turtleneck and mockneck sweatshirts are rare, but they are out there. They give off a certain late ‘80s aura that could easily pair with some light wash jeans and retro sneakers. But if you don’t want to be mistaken for a character from Family Matters or Full House, try styling these offbeat sweatshirts with a cropped jacket and some cords.
Short-Sleeve Sweatshirts
This might be the rarest and most advanced kind of sweatshirt out there. Short-sleeved sweatshirts have been around forever but have never made it to mainstream status because, well, they’re kind of a paradox—kind of like wearing Uggs with shorts. Our suggestion might be to go with a throwback look with some vintage 501s and Converse sneakers. Or, lean into something a little more edgy like layering it over a thermal and thrashed jeans and boots.
