The best grey sweatshirts to nail off-duty style
The grey crewneck sweatshirt has been a wardrobe essential for style icons from Steve McQueen to Ryan Gosling. Looking for the perfect take? Here are the best iterations…
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Off-duty means different things to different people. But, for those more discerning men, the ambassador of all things off-duty is, of course, the grey sweatshirt.
The term “wardrobe essential” is one you’ll see in abundance if you frequent the GQ style pages, but along with the plain white tee, a grey sweatshirt is truly deserving of the title. Treading that fine line between cosy enough to lounge around the house in while wearable to brunch (layered over a T-shirt) or date night (over a pale-blue Oxford shirt), it's an unapologetically basic piece with major styling versatility.
Don’t believe us? Just look to men’s style icons through the ages. From Steve McQueen’s turn in The Great Escape to Eddie Murphy’s in Beverly Hills Cop, to more contemporary dressers such as the two best-dressed Ryans in Hollywood (Gosling and Reynolds), the grey sweatshirt has more than proved its worth.
That being said, not all are created equal. Whether you’re looking for a plain grey sweatshirt or an elevated, logo-adorned option, we’ve rounded up our pick of the very best you can buy. Welcome to the club…
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1/13Pangaia
Taking inspiration from nature, the stone grey colour of this Pangaia sweatshirt is about as rich as grey gets. Defined by its crew-neck and dropped shoulders, this louche piece of loungewear has been lovingly crafted from organic cotton, using natural, renewable, and biodegradable plant fibres. £115. pangaia.com
2/13Arket
For sleek Scandinavian simplicity, veer sharply towards the Swedish high-street brand, Arket. This is the classic shape and style of the conventional sweatshirt. No more, no less. It’s constructed from French Terry cotton which is hard-wearing on the outside because of the yarn loops, but on the inside, piles create a super soft surface. And where would a sweater be without the fuzz of a soft inside? £45. arket.com
3/13Fear Of God Essentials
This sweater from Fear Of God Essentials comes in an oversized fit, giving off a louche, relaxed and nonchalant feel. Talking of tactile, the fabric has a slight stretch that will stretch as you stretch and lunge as you lounge. £85. At mrporter.com
4/13Reiss
Bringing something a little different to the grey-sweatshirt-clad table, this Adam crew-neck from Reiss offers a dark charcoal hue and a thinner jersey finish, making it an ideal pick for striking a laidback look when the mercury rises. £68. reiss.com
5/13Drake's
This unique grey sweatshirt from Drake’s adopts the vintage aesthetic of mid-century hikers. The heavy-duty cotton, multiple stitch joints, and front pocket create a hardy, weathered aesthetic ready for any gnarly trail, or ice-cold train delay that’ll be thrown at it. For premium-quality, vintage-tinged apparel, Drake’s is the go-to. £145. drakes.com
6/13Nike
When it comes to the intersecting styles of sports and streetwear, Nike undoubtedly reigns supreme. Ideal for pairing with anything from blue jeans for a casual, everyday feel or its co-ordinating joggers for a yet-more-casual sofa-ready vibe, this sweatshirt from Nike is kept simple with its pale grey hue and iconic embroidered Swoosh. £73. nike.com
7/13Oliver Spencer
This waffle knit cotton sweatshirt by Oliver Spencer injects some much-needed texture into the sweatshirt genre. Its additional surface area traps air, creating good insulation while retaining breathability. For that reason, it’s worth considering it for your loungewear, or nightwear. But, that’s not to say this sultry dark grey tone won’t dazzle in the daytime too. £150. At mrporter.com
8/13Represent
Buying into Represent's Owner's Club means a particularly streetwise take on the classic grey sweatshirt style thanks to its lightly ballooned sleeves and pale hue. Note the exaggerated and unique crewneck too. £135. representclo.com
9/13Acne Studios
Deviating from its typical colour-laden, pattern-centric collections, Acne Studios keeps this sweatshirt simple. Cut from loop-back cotton-jersey in a comfortably oversized silhouette, it's finished with the label's emblematic face motif in a tonal grey shade. Subtle, but oh so effective. £143. At matchesfashion.com
10/13Nicce
The fleece back fabric on this sweatshirt is a thing of lounging bliss. It is exactly the feeling you want to feel when throwing on your grey sweatshirt ahead of the day. Nicce achieves this by combining polyester and cotton in equal measure, making it highly practical, easy to wash, and durable. All, very, nic(c)e. £55. At asos.com
11/13Thom Browne
No one can elevate a staple quite like Thom Browne. This Japanese-made grey sweatshirt is given the high-end treatment with its signature four stripes to the sleeve and stitched label to the body. Undo the mother-of-pearl buttons and you'll even catch a glimpse of the red, white and blue accents the designer is known for. Just excellent. £540. At mrporter.com
12/13Nike
This Nike sweatshirt is for the active, athletic and on-the-move. The Tech Fleece construction is a lightweight insulator making it versatile for pre-training warm-ups, worn casually as a mid-winter layer, or on its own in the spring. The ribbed hems give it a sleek finish, while the zipped pocket adds functionality. £85. At mrporter.com
13/13Sunspel
A stand-out product among its elevated basics, Sunspel's grey melange sweater is about as refined as it gets. It boasts every feature you could ask for on a perfect grey sweatshirt, from the neat fit to the V-stitch insert. The traditional loopback construction means it's soft and insulating without feeling stuffy, making it a go-to for all seasons. £120. sunspel.com
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