5 Ways to Wear a Rollneck
The rollneck has long been a menswear staple, so here’s a little inspiration from five of the most iconic roll-necked rakes.
The last few seasons have reintroduced some of the best 1970s staples back into the menswear lexicon, with corduroy, tartan and roll necks among those that have become wearable again (credit where it’s due if you can pull them all off at the same time). As we dust off our autumn/winter wardrobes in anticipation of colder days and longer nights, the rollneck offers a compact, easy and – most importantly – warm way to do so in style. Be it a fine cashmere layer or chunky cable knit, we’ve drawn on some of the most rakish roll-neckers to guide you. After all, if you break down the outfits of Steve McQueen in Bullitt or Richard Roundtree in Shaft rather than a nostalgic aesthetic that verges on costume, what you get is a timeless formula that is easily updated by playing with proportions, paying close attention to design and introducing classic accessories.
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1. Herringbone
2. Neutrals
Far from boring, camel, stone and tan offer some light relief from grey and navy and are effortless colours to incorporate into a daily uniform. Leonard Cohen’s two-tone combination is elegant and autumnal, with a heavy knit and a well-worn suede trench-style coat. Here, the singer is pictured enjoying a concert in the Netherlands in April – despite being spring, it’s still a chilly time of the year to be outside, but Cohen looks cosy and confident in his choice of knitwear.
3. Minimal
Caine’s distinguished high-buttoning double-breasted jacket is typical of the mod era, but can easily be translated into a classic DB blazer updated with strong peaked lapels and a little more structure. His fine knit allows for layering beneath tailoring, and the shorter collar maintains a clean silhouette that can work for both day and evening. The look Caine channels here was adopted by intellectuals and academics in the 1950s, and with a pair of thick framed spectacles you, too, can look like you studied art in Paris one summer.