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Insight · Wool Guide
Crewneck vs. Quarter-Button vs. Quarter-Zip
The short answer
Buy a crewneck if you want one sweater that goes with everything: over a tee, over an oxford, under a jacket. Buy a quarter-button if you want a collar and a little more character, and if you like to open the neck when the room warms up. A quarter-zip is the sportier cousin, better at venting heat and at home on the golf course or in the office.
We make the first two, a Crewneck Wool Sweater and a Quarter Button Wool Sweater, in the same midweight wool blend. We do not make a quarter-zip, so we cover it here for comparison only.
Three sweaters, one question: which neckline? It sounds like a small thing. It is not. The neckline decides what you can wear underneath, what you can wear on top, and whether the sweater looks right at dinner or only in the garage.
Here is how the three compare, how each should fit, and how to wear them with a leather jacket, a shirt jac, or a vest.
Crewneck vs. quarter-button vs. quarter-zip: the comparison
| Style | Look | Formality | Layering | Wear under it | Wear over it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crewneck | Round, close neckline. Clean and classic. | Casual to smart casual | The easiest. Lies flat under any jacket. | T-shirt, oxford, flannel with the collar out | Leather jacket, shirt jac, vest, overcoat |
| Quarter-button | Short button placket, often with a collar or trim. Heritage feel. | Casual to smart casual, a touch dressier than a crew | Good. Open the buttons to vent. | T-shirt, oxford | Shirt jac, vest, open leather jacket |
| Quarter-zip | Zip placket with a stand or mock collar. Sporty. | Casual, office casual | Good for venting. The collar can crowd a jacket collar. | T-shirt, polo, dress shirt | Vest, zip or field jacket |
The crewneck: the one to own first
The crewneck is the simplest of the three. A round neckline sits close to the base of the neck. Nothing to button, nothing to zip, nothing to fuss with. That simplicity is its strength.
Wear it over a plain tee on a Saturday. Wear it over an oxford with the collar out for dinner. Put a leather jacket or a shirt jac over it and the neckline disappears under the jacket collar without a fight. If you only buy one sweater this year, buy a crewneck.
Our Crewneck Wool Sweater is a midweight waffle knit in a flecked wool blend, finished with ribbed cuffs and waist.
Crewneck Wool Sweater | Charcoal Gray Fleck
The most versatile color we make it in. Charcoal goes under brown leather, over a white oxford, and with every pair of jeans you own. Midweight waffle knit in a flecked wool blend.
$69.95
Shop the CrewneckThe quarter-button: a collar with character
A quarter-button sweater has a short placket at the neck that buttons partway down the chest. It reads as more traditional than a quarter-zip, closer to a henley or a work sweater, and it looks a notch dressier than a crewneck because of the detail at the neck.
The practical advantage is control. Button it up when you step outside. Open it when you come in by the fire. It also frames an oxford collar nicely if you want the shirt to show.
Our Quarter Button Wool Sweater uses the same midweight wool-blend waffle knit as the crewneck, with wood buttons and corduroy trim at the placket.
Quarter Button Wool Sweater | Charcoal Gray Fleck
Wood buttons and corduroy trim on a midweight waffle knit. Pair it with an oxford for dinner, or throw it over a t-shirt for a slow morning. It is the one to buy if you already own a crewneck.
$78.95
Shop the Quarter Button
The quarter-zip: for comparison only
We will be straight with you: Buffalo Jackson does not make a quarter-zip sweater. We are including it because it is the third option most men weigh, and you should know how it stacks up.
A quarter-zip has a zipper from the collar to mid-chest, usually with a stand-up or mock collar. It came out of athletic and outdoor wear, and it still carries that sporty look. It vents quickly and it is easy to pull on and off. It is a fixture in offices and on golf courses, often in a finer knit or a performance fabric.
The trade-offs: the stand collar can bunch under a jacket with its own collar, like a leather flight jacket or a shirt jac. The zipper reads more technical than heritage. If your closet leans toward leather, flannel, and waxed canvas, the crewneck and quarter-button will usually sit better with it.
How each sweater should fit
A sweater that fits right looks intentional. One that does not looks borrowed. The rules are the same for all three necklines:
- Shoulders. The shoulder seam should land at or just past the edge of your shoulder, not halfway down your arm.
- Chest. Close but not tight. You should be able to pinch an inch or two of fabric at the chest. If the knit stretches across your chest, size up.
- Length. The ribbed hem should sit at or just below your belt. Much longer and it bunches. Shorter and your shirt shows at the waist.
- Sleeves. The ribbed cuff should rest at the wrist bone, with a little stack above it.
- Room for what goes underneath. Over a tee, wear your usual size. If you plan to wear a collared shirt or flannel underneath, make sure there is room for it.
For our sweaters, the size chart lists a chest of 35 to 37 inches for a Small up to 47 to 49 inches for an XXL, and a body length of 28 inches in Small to 33 inches in XXL. The chart calls the fit true to size. Several reviewers, though, found them snug and went up a size, especially those who layer a shirt underneath. If you are between sizes, go up.
For the neckline itself: a crewneck should sit flat around the base of the neck without choking. A quarter-button or quarter-zip should close comfortably at the top without pulling across the throat.
What the wool blend means for fit and feel. Both our Crewneck and Quarter Button sweaters are wool blends, knit the same way, and that is a choice we made on purpose. The wool brings the warmth and its natural odor resistance, so you can wear one a few times between washes. The blend adds durability and helps the knit hold its shape, so the cuffs, hem, and neckline keep their line through the season instead of bagging out. It also keeps the weight and the cost down, and it is often softer against the skin, which matters most with a crewneck sitting right at your neck.
How to wear each one with a jacket
With a leather jacket
A crewneck is the natural partner here. It lies flat under a leather collar and gives you a clean line at the neck. A quarter-button works too, worn with the jacket open. Mind the fit: a leather jacket built trim needs room for a sweater. Our Legacy Leather Jacket, for example, fits trim by design, and we recommend going up two sizes from your normal if you plan to wear a midweight sweater under it. For more ideas, see what to wear with a leather jacket and how a leather jacket should fit.
With a shirt jac
A shirt jac over a crewneck is one of our favorite fall combinations. Wear the shirt jac open so the sweater shows, and let the shirt jac do the work of a light jacket. A heavy brushed wool shirt jac like the Riverton over a midweight crewneck is warm enough for most October mornings. New to the category? Start with what a shirt jac is.
With a vest
All three necklines work under a vest, because a vest leaves the neckline alone. A quarter-button under a waxed canvas or leather down vest is a strong, easy outfit. Button the placket up and the look is tidy. Leave it open and it is relaxed. Our guide on how to wear a vest covers leather, down, and sherpa options.
Laramie Waxed Canvas Vest | Tobacco Tan
An 11 oz waxed cotton vest with a plaid lining, a rib knit collar, riveted pockets, and an antique brass zipper. Not bulky, so it sits cleanly over a crewneck or quarter-button.
$99.95
Shop the Laramie
Riverton Wool Shirt Jac | Charcoal Shadow Gray
A heavyweight, brushed wool-blend herringbone with two button chest pockets and side hand pockets. Cut trimmer than a work coat, so it goes over a sweater without looking bulky.
$174.95
Shop the RivertonColors in stock now
Both sweaters come in a flecked knit, which hides lint and wear better than a flat solid. Here is what we have right now. Some sizes run low in some colors, so check the product page for your size.
| Sweater | Color | Goes best with | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crewneck | Charcoal Gray Fleck | Everything. Brown leather, white oxford, denim. | $69.95 |
| Crewneck | Wood Fleck | Waxed canvas, tan and olive | $69.95 |
| Crewneck | Sea Fleck | Gray and charcoal shirt jacs, dark denim | $69.95 |
| Crewneck | Sunset Fleck | Dark brown leather, navy | $69.95 |
| Quarter-button | Charcoal Gray Fleck | Oxfords, leather vests | $78.95 |
| Quarter-button | Navy Fleck | Tan waxed canvas, brown leather | $54.95 |
| Quarter-button | Pine Fleck | Brown and tan, flannel under | $54.95 |
So which sweater should you buy?
- Your first good sweater: a crewneck in charcoal. It works with the most things you already own.
- You already have a crewneck: a quarter-button. It adds a collar and a different look without adding a new rule.
- You mostly wear it under a leather jacket: a crewneck, and check that the jacket has room for it.
- You mostly wear it with a vest: either. The quarter-button looks especially good here.
- You want a sporty, office-casual layer: a quarter-zip. We do not make one, and we would rather tell you that than sell you something else.
Whatever you choose, it is a wool blend, so treat it well. Read how to wash a wool sweater, and if wool tends to bother your skin, is wool itchy? covers what to wear underneath.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a crewneck and a quarter-zip sweater?
A crewneck has a round, closed neckline with no opening. A quarter-zip has a zipper from the collar to mid-chest, usually with a stand-up collar. The crewneck is more classic and layers more easily under jackets. The quarter-zip is sportier and vents heat faster.
What is a quarter-button sweater?
A pullover sweater with a short button placket at the neck that opens partway down the chest, often with a collar or trim. It sits between a crewneck and a quarter-zip in look, with a more traditional, heritage feel than a zip.
Is a quarter-zip or quarter-button more formal?
Most people read a quarter-button as slightly more traditional and a quarter-zip as more athletic. Both are smart casual at most. For a dressier look, wear either over an oxford shirt.
Can you wear a collared shirt under a crewneck sweater?
Yes. An oxford or flannel with the collar out over a crewneck is a classic look. Make sure the sweater has enough room in the chest for the shirt underneath.
Should a sweater be tight or loose?
Close but not tight. The shoulder seam should land at your shoulder, the hem at your belt, and you should be able to pinch an inch or two at the chest. If you plan to layer a shirt underneath, allow room for it.
Can you wear a sweater under a leather jacket?
Yes. A midweight crewneck is the best choice because it lies flat under the jacket collar. Check that the jacket has room for it. Trim-cut leather jackets often need a size up to fit a sweater.
Does Buffalo Jackson make a quarter-zip sweater?
No. We make a Crewneck Wool Sweater and a Quarter Button Wool Sweater, both in a midweight wool blend. We cover the quarter-zip in this guide for comparison only.
What are Buffalo Jackson sweaters made of?
Our Crewneck Wool Sweater and Quarter Button Wool Sweater are a midweight waffle knit in a flecked wool blend. The quarter-button adds wood buttons and corduroy trim.
Are Buffalo Jackson wool sweaters 100% wool?
No. Our Crewneck and Quarter Button sweaters are wool blends, like all of our wool pieces. The wool brings warmth and natural odor resistance, and the blend adds durability, helps the sweater hold its shape wear after wear, keeps weight and cost down, and is often softer against the skin.
Do Buffalo Jackson sweaters run small?
Our size chart lists them as true to size, but several reviewers found them snug and sized up, especially when layering a shirt underneath. If you are between sizes, go up one.
Which sweater goes best with a vest?
All three work, because a vest leaves the neckline visible. A quarter-button under a waxed canvas or leather vest is an especially good combination.
Xan Hood founded Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. in 2009. He designs our sweaters, flannels, and outerwear in Matthews, North Carolina.