Here’s How Our Fashion Editor Would Style The Viral Half Zip Jumper
The half zip jumper has officially claimed its in-Vogue status thanks to the iconic Chanel Métiers d’Art 2026 show staged on the NYC subway back in December. Here, our Contributing Fashion Editor, Astrid Carter, tries the trend for herself (sadly not Chanel), and explains why this surprisingly low-key staple has become the season’s most viral look.
When model Bhavitha Mandava opened Matthiew Blazy’s second show for Chanel, wearing baggy jeans and a relaxed camel quarter zip, it felt like a radical departure from the pearls and bouclé suits we know and love.
While the quarter-zip usually reeks of finance bros and golf dads, this felt fresh, cool, and surprisingly edgy.
It did, however, feel fresh, cool, and surprisingly edgy. How a quarter-zip can feel edgy is beyond me, but it did. It was a bit of a paradox, as, for me, the quarter zip (or half zip – let’s call a spade a spade) usually reeks of finance bros or golf dads at the weekend. But somehow, between the gritty Bowery subway backdrop, the cool elegance of Bhavitha, and Mattiew’s new energy injected into the world’s most iconic fashion house, it felt like a genuine moment.
As with the natural cycle of the fashion eco-system, the Instagram set, and high street collections followed suit, with plenty of takes on the Chanel look. And, thank goodness. While I’d love a piece of Chanel hanging in the closet, upwards of £1k for a quarter-zip is utterly insane, even if it is cashmere.
I headed to H&M for a more palatable price tag, and their Studio Collection has a great, grey marl dupe. It’s a sweatshirt material rather than wool, and the cuffed sleeves and hem give it a really sporty edge. With that said, I’d style it with more put-together pieces, like straight-leg dark denim, a leather bomber and point-toe boots. But baggy denim and a pop of red tee or trainers would work equally as well.
Scroll on to shop some more quarter-zip looks spotted on Instagram…
Look 1
We couldn’t pass up recreating the OG look in classic camel, with wide-leg denim and polished accessories.
GET THE LOOK…
Look 2
The perfect layered look for these in-between months. Don’t overlook the menswear sections for this trend – I love COS’ cosy cashmere version and NN07’s plaid shirt, tied as a belt.
GET THE LOOK…
Look 3
Keep things simple with a monochromatic colour palette, but just on the right side of edgy with oversized denim and black loafers.
GET THE LOOK…
Look 4
Anouk is the master of low-key dressing, but always makes it feel polished.
GET THE LOOK…
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