Men's Turtlenecks: How to Choose, Fit and Wear a Rollneck This Winter

Of all the men's turtlenecks you could buy, start with a fine-gauge rollneck in merino wool or a cashmere and silk blend, in black, navy, gray or ivory: thin enough to sit under a jacket where a shirt and tie would go. Add a chunky ribbed or cable rollneck for weekends under an overcoat, and a mock neck if a full roll feels too close at the throat. Fit decides the rest. The folded collar should sit just under the jaw without pressing when you turn your head, and the knit must be thin enough to lie flat under whatever jacket goes over it.

Below: what the names mean on each side of the Atlantic, fabric and gauge, fit, how to wear one with a suit, an overcoat and jeans, color and care, each with the pieces to buy now.

Men's turtlenecks, rollnecks, mock necks and polo necks: the names, decoded

The words travel badly across the Atlantic. In American English, a turtleneck is a high collar folded back over itself. Oxford Learner's Dictionaries gives that as the North American sense, which the British call a polo neck; in British English, its "turtleneck" is a high round collar, what Americans call a mock turtleneck. A third word turns up when you shop: in our own catalogue, the luxury knits titled "rollneck" all come from one London-based retailer, while American stores and most houses call the same folded collar a turtleneck.

So read the photograph, not the product name. Several Brunello Cucinelli knits sold as "Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater" turn out, by their own descriptions, to be ribbed quarter-zip mock necks; one is in our zip-neck edit below.

The fold itself is adjustable. The listing for Dries Van Noten's merino rollneck says its neck can be worn folded or extended: folded, it sits at the base of the jaw; pulled up, it behaves like a funnel neck. Our stylists give a long neck a double fold, and a shorter neck or a full beard a single, lower fold or a mock neck, which leaves a strip of neck showing.

Fabric and gauge: the neck is where quality shows

A turtleneck is the one sweater whose fabric spends all day against the skin of your neck, so fiber matters more here than anywhere else in knitwear. The Woolmark Company puts it plainly: when a garment itches, the cause is the coarseness of its fiber rather than the kind of fiber, and merino is finer than a human hair and can feel softer than cashmere. In practice, a fine merino rollneck beats a cheap, coarse cashmere one at the collar.

• Extra-fine merino. Smooth, crisp and the easiest fiber to wear under a jacket and to wash. Gabriela Hearst's Jermaine is extra-fine merino. Loro Piana's listing says its Wish wool comes from merino sheep in New Zealand and Australia, and Kiton names the fineness of its mock neck outright: 14-micron wool.
• Cashmere. Warmer for its weight and softer at the throat, but the inside of the collar is the first place it pills. Look for a dense yarn: Brunello Cucinelli specifies two-ply cashmere on its plain turtlenecks.
• Cashmere and silk. Zegna's Cashseta yarn is 70 percent cashmere and 30 percent mulberry silk; Brunello Cucinelli's lightweight black turtleneck uses the same proportions. Silk adds a low sheen, so these are the evening turtlenecks.
• Silk alone. Gabriela Hearst's Almoner is 100 percent silk: the turtleneck our stylists reach for in an overheated room, and the richest-looking in candlelight.
• Cotton. Brunello Cucinelli's long-sleeved mock necks are cotton jersey, machine washable on a delicate cycle by the listing: a better T-shirt for under an overshirt.
• Alpaca and yak. Hairier than merino, with a soft halo and a lot of warmth for their weight. Givenchy's Couture Seam turtleneck is 53 percent alpaca and 47 percent yak. These yarns read casual and can shed onto a dark coat.

Gauge counts the knitting machine's needles per inch: the higher the number, the finer the knit, and on a turtleneck it decides the layering. Where the listings in this guide state a gauge, they run from Canali's 21-gauge wool rollneck, the finest of them, through Zegna's 18-gauge Cashseta and Kiton's 12-gauge cashmere quarter-zip; the cables and ribs further down are far coarser. Our stylists' rule of thumb, not an industry standard: a turtleneck needs a finer gauge than a crewneck to go under the same jacket, because the fold doubles the knit exactly where the jacket collar has to lie flat. Under a structured jacket we look for 18 gauge or finer; 12 gauge can work under a soft, unlined one; anything chunkier is for wearing on its own or under a coat.

How a turtleneck should fit

Our stylists' fitting-room checks, which are judgement rather than any house's size chart:

• The neck. Fold the collar once, then turn your head both ways and swallow. The fold should sit just under the jaw and move with you without pressing on your throat. If it climbs over your chin, fold it lower or choose a mock neck; if it slumps into a loose ring at the base of the neck, the rib has lost its spring or the size is too big.
• The body. Close but not tight under a jacket, so it does not bunch at the waist when you button up. Zegna's Cashseta is listed as a regular fit and Dries Van Noten's merino rollneck as relaxed; under a jacket, regular and slim cuts lie flattest.
• The length. Sit down and reach forward: the hem should still cover your waistband. Under a jacket, it should not drop below the jacket's front edge.
• The sleeves. The rib cuff should end at the wrist bone. Under a jacket, a sliver of knit cuff can show where a shirt cuff would; extra length that concertinas at the wrist looks careless.
• The size label. Luxury knitwear comes in Italian sizes (IT 46 to 60 on Canali's wool rollnecks), US chest sizes (36 to 48 on Zegna's Cashseta) and letters (Gabriela Hearst, Moncler). Conversions are not consistent: on the day we checked, a Brioni listing paired EU 52 with US 42, while a Brunello Cucinelli listing paired IT 52 with US 40. Measure a sweater that fits you flat, armpit to armpit, and compare it with the house's chart.

How to wear a turtleneck with a suit or a jacket

A fine rollneck does the job of a shirt and tie, so it takes a suit from the office to dinner without a change: right for business-casual offices, most "jacket required" dining rooms and any party whose invitation does not ask for a tie. Where an invitation says black tie, wear the dress shirt and bow tie; our men's holiday party outfits guide explains when a black rollneck under a dinner jacket is the creative answer, and our men's work outfits cover the office week.

Three checks our stylists make before a client walks out in one. First, the jacket collar should hug the back of the turtleneck with no gap; if it stands away, the roll is too thick or folded too high. Second, about a finger's width of the roll should show above the jacket collar at the back of the neck. Third, peak lapels and double-breasted fronts point up toward the roll and frame it, and a soft, unlined jacket forgives a heavier knit than a structured one.

• A charcoal flannel suit, a black fine-gauge rollneck and black suede Chelsea boots: the city evening.
• A navy suit, a mid-gray merino rollneck and black penny loafers: the office version.
• A mid-gray flannel suit, an ivory rollneck and dark brown suede loafers, for a lunch that runs into the afternoon.
• An olive double-breasted jacket like Dior's khaki flannel, a cream rollneck, mid-gray trousers and dark brown loafers.

Tom Ford's gray rollneck, Zegna's Cashseta in light taupe and Canali's 21-gauge black wool are the three we would reach for first under a suit; the Cashseta's slight sheen makes it the one for evening.

In the jacket edit below, Dior's olive flannel, Gabriela Hearst's dark navy Angelo and Dries Van Noten's petrol herringbone are double-breasted with peak lapels, the front that frames a roll best; wear the petrol one with a navy rollneck and black loafers. TOTEME's flannel jacket has structured shoulders and a close, darted body by its listing, so give it the finest knits; Zegna's cashmere plaid sport coat, with patch pockets, is the most casual. Versace's black velvet, with peak lapels and a single Medusa button, is for a black rollneck after dark. Browse more in men's blazers.

The black turtleneck

The best-known black turtleneck story in business belongs to Steve Jobs. In 2011 The Christian Science Monitor summarized how Walter Isaacson's biography traces it: on an early-1980s visit to Sony in Japan, Jobs saw the uniform Issey Miyake had designed for its workers and asked Miyake to make a vest for Apple, an idea Apple's staff booed. He kept the idea of a signature outfit for himself, turned to Miyake's black turtleneck and, in the Monitor's account, ordered "like a hundred." The lesson is less about uniforms than about lines: a black turtleneck removes collar, placket and tie, so the face and the jacket are all anyone sees.

Match the finish to the hour. Matte wool, such as The Row's Adlan and Tom Ford's fine-gauge rollneck, belongs to the day. Cashmere and silk carry a low sheen for dinner, and Saint Laurent's jersey turtleneck, 88 percent cupro by its listing and close to sheer in the photograph, is for evenings only, under a dark jacket. Moncler's wool and cashmere version zips at the neck and has a chest pocket: the weekend black. Black shows lint and pilling first, so keep a clothes brush by the door.

Our stylists pair a black rollneck with black, charcoal, gray, white, cream, burgundy or navy, and put black shoes under it.

• A black rollneck, black jeans, a charcoal overcoat and black Chelsea boots.
• A black rollneck under a navy blazer, mid-gray flannel trousers and black suede loafers.
• A black rollneck, a burgundy corduroy jacket, charcoal trousers and black loafers.

Cashmere turtlenecks for men: what the premium buys at the neck

A cashmere turtleneck is warmer for its weight than wool and softer against the throat, which is the whole argument for paying more. Its weak point is the collar: in our experience stubble rubs the inside of the roll all day, so pills appear there first. A dense, two-ply yarn holds up best, and a gentle pass with a cashmere comb inside the collar keeps it clean. A bearded man may be better served by merino or cashmere and silk.

For quality checks from fiber to seams, see our guide to the best cashmere sweaters for men. Here, look at the collar: Canali's ribbed cashmere rollneck has a close-fitting neckline that its listing recommends for layering under tailoring, and Loro Piana's navy turtleneck is listed as machine washable at 30°C (the label inside has the final word). Zegna's intarsia version, white banded in fuchsia, purple and brown by its listing, is the weekend pattern; wear it with gray flannel or ecru jeans and nothing else patterned.

Chunky rollnecks, and how to wear a turtleneck with an overcoat

Once you can count the stitches from across the room, the turtleneck is the outfit rather than a layer: wear it alone or under an overcoat, a peacoat or a shearling jacket, and keep it out from under tailoring. TOTEME knits its cable rollneck mid-gauge without seams, according to the listing. Tom Ford's white cashmere rib, chunky by its own description, is the dressiest of these; Brunello Cucinelli's navy alpaca blend, its listing says, gives warmth without undue weight.

The coat's collar decides whether a chunky roll works under it. Notch and peak lapels open around the roll and frame it; a coat with a tall stand or funnel collar fights it, so wear a mock neck under that one. On a dry, still day the roll can replace a scarf; in wind or rain, wear both. For the coats themselves, our best men's winter coats guide covers cloth and fit, and our men's winter boots cover what goes underneath.

• A charcoal overcoat, an ivory cable rollneck, gray flannel trousers and black lace-up boots.
• A camel overcoat, an oatmeal or ivory rollneck, mid-gray flannels and dark brown suede boots.
• A navy peacoat, a gray chunky rollneck, charcoal trousers and black boots.
• A brown cable rollneck like TOTEME's, cream wool trousers and dark brown boots, under an olive coat.

Men's turtleneck outfits with jeans

A turtleneck with dark, clean jeans, hemmed to break once or not at all, is the easiest weekend outfit there is. Ordinary blue jeans count as blue in our stylists' color rules, so with them we choose navy, gray, black, ivory, cream, burgundy, plum or olive knits and black or white shoes. Tan and brown rollnecks we save for ecru, white or gray jeans.

• A navy merino rollneck, dark rinse jeans, black suede Chelsea boots and a charcoal overcoat.
• An ivory cable rollneck, mid-blue jeans, white leather sneakers and a navy peacoat.
• A plum silk turtleneck, black jeans, a black leather jacket and black boots, for dinner.
• A tan wool rollneck, ecru jeans and dark brown boots.
• A burgundy cotton mock neck, dark jeans, a gray overshirt and white sneakers.

Mock necks and zip necks: turtlenecks for men who don't like turtlenecks

The mock neck suits anyone who finds a full roll claustrophobic, works in an overheated office or has a short neck; the strip of skin above the collar makes it look lighter. Kiton's mock, knitted from 14-micron wool, has the finest wool of the group; Tom Ford's black wool mock is listed as hand wash; Ferragamo's adds a chest patch pocket. Brunello Cucinelli's silk mock neck, sold as a ski sweatshirt and machine washable at 30°C by its listing, works just as well under a sport coat. Kiton's three-ply cable with a four-button placket is the heavy one: wear it alone with flannel. Thom Browne's cotton piqué funnel neck buttons partway down the front, and the house shows it over a shirt and tie; on a weekend it goes under a quilted jacket.

A zip neck lets you control the temperature on a flight or a commute, but the zip and its pull add bulk exactly where a lapel lies. Keep zip necks for knitwear worn as the top layer, for under coats and for weekends; under a jacket, choose a fine one, like Zegna's 18-gauge Cashseta zip mock. Kiton's wool zip mock is about 24 inches from shoulder to hem by its listing, a short length that suits high-waisted trousers. Moncler's ribbed carded-wool turtleneck closes with a zip under a stand collar, Prada's wool and cashmere half-zip opens into a collar wide enough to fold like a shirt's, and Brunello Cucinelli's high-neck cardigan, with a two-way zip, is a knit that does the job of a jacket.

Turtleneck colors beyond black, and what goes with each

A colored turtleneck sits right under the face, so it does more to your complexion than any other color you wear. Navy and charcoal suit nearly everyone; ivory needs a little color in the face; plum, burgundy and olive look warmest by candlelight. These are the pairings our stylists use.

For Thanksgiving, which falls on Thursday, November 26, a plum silk or burgundy turtleneck under a gray flannel jacket looks festive without trying; our men's Thanksgiving outfits and men's Christmas outfits take the idea through the season. One note on the pieces below: Givenchy lists its alpaca and yak turtleneck as pale green, but the photograph shows a pale yellow. Zegna's pale blue cashmere mock closes with a short zip.

The best men's turtlenecks under $1,000

Above about $1,000 you pay for finer fibers, silk blends and bigger names; below it, fine wool is where the value is. Canali's 21-gauge rollneck in charcoal, the same knit as the black one above, is as fine as anything in this guide. Loewe's stretch cotton turtleneck carries the house name around the collar, and Dries Van Noten's navy merino has the adjustable neck described above. Moncler Grenoble's crimson turtleneck is 95 percent virgin wool with a stretch finish, made for outdoor activity, and Brioni's teal cashmere mock neck has a half placket with contrast buttons.

Buy once, or enjoy for a season? The pieces to buy once and wear for a decade are a black or navy fine-gauge rollneck in merino or cashmere and silk, and an ivory or gray cable for under a coat. Logo pieces such as Loewe's lettered collar and Balmain's PB monogram, a pale yellow alpaca and sheer evening jersey are one- or two-season pleasures: buy them for the fun, not as foundations.

For more styles and sizes, browse all men's turtlenecks and men's sweaters. If you already own the turtleneck, tell our AI stylist which one and where you are wearing it, and it will build the jacket, trousers and shoes around it.

Caring for a turtleneck: the collar wears out first

This is our stylists' routine; the care label inside the garment overrides it.

• Put it on from the hem. Gather the body, put your arms in, then ease your head through. Hauling it down by the neck stretches the rib, and a stretched roll never sits right again.
• Air the collar. Skin oil and aftershave collect inside the fold, so turn it up overnight between wears.
• Follow the label inside the garment. Even listings for one style disagree: one for Zegna's Cashseta turtleneck says wash by hand and dry flat, another says do not wash, dry clean only.
• Dry it with the collar up. Lay the sweater flat with the roll unfolded and smoothed upright, so it dries without a crease at the fold. Steam a fold line out rather than pressing it.
• Fold it as you wear it. Store it flat with the collar turned down once. A hanger stretches the shoulders and leaves a peak in the knit.

The common mistakes: a chunky roll squeezed under a fitted jacket, a shirt collar or a tie showing above the turtleneck, a roll folded so high it pushes the jacket collar away, and a body too short to cover the waistband when you sit.

How we chose these turtlenecks

• The collar first. We sorted every knit by the neckline its photograph shows, not the word in its name, which is how a quarter-zip mock neck sold as a turtleneck ended up in the zip edit.
• Gauge and fiber from the listing. Where a house states gauge, micron or ply, it decided which pieces we put under a jacket.
• Colors from the picture. When a listing's color name and its photograph disagreed, the photograph won, and we say so above.
• Houses. Twenty-two houses, nothing pre-owned, and never more than three pieces from one house in an edit.

Frequently asked questions

How should a men's turtleneck fit?

Close without pulling, with the hem covering your waistband when you sit and the cuffs at the wrist bone. Folded once, the collar should sit just below the jaw without pressing when you turn your head.

Can you wear a turtleneck with a suit?

Yes, in place of a shirt and tie, for business-casual offices, dinners and parties that do not ask for a tie. Choose a fine gauge (our rule of thumb is 18 gauge or finer under a structured jacket), check that the jacket collar sits snug against the roll, and keep the shoes plain. For a black-tie invitation, wear a dress shirt and bow tie instead.

What is the difference between a turtleneck, a rollneck and a mock neck?

In American usage, a turtleneck is a tall collar folded over, and rollneck is another name for it. A mock neck is shorter and single-layer, standing without a fold. In British English the names flip: "polo neck" is the folded collar and "turtleneck" is the unfolded one.

What shoes go with a turtleneck?

Match the shoe to the trousers, not the knit. Black Chelsea boots, black loafers or black suede go with black, charcoal, navy and gray outfits, and white leather sneakers go with jeans. Our stylists keep dark brown suede for outfits built on gray flannel, cream, olive and tan.

Is merino or cashmere better for a turtleneck?

Fine merino is better for daily wear and under tailoring: smooth, hard-wearing and easy to wash. Cashmere is warmer and softer but pills first at the collar, especially with stubble. Cashmere and silk sits between them and suits evening best.

Should you tuck in a turtleneck?

Tuck a fine gauge into high-waisted suit trousers, especially under a double-breasted jacket, for a clean line from neck to waistband. Leave chunky and ribbed rollnecks out, long enough to cover the waistband.

Keep reading

• The best cashmere sweaters for men, and how to judge one
• The best men's winter coats to wear over a rollneck
• Men's work outfits for every dress code
• Men's New Year's Eve outfits