Part of the crew

To kickstart The B Brief it felt right to hero one of the items that I come back to time and time again. A quick 101 of the pieces in my wardrobe I would not be able to go without. If I was to take part in a desert island clothes edition, then I reckon one of my five items would be a grey sweatshirt.

It evokes all that nonsensical waffle (read: you can dress it up, you can dress it down) that people like to use to pad out an article. There’s a reason they talk about how timeless a grey crew-neck sweatshirt is. And I never like to play wardrobe dictator on here, but you need a crewneck. So now that we’ve mutually decided you need to pick one up if you have not already, it’s time we find you the right suitor. Near enough every menswear brand will offer their take on the grey sweatshirt, all have their slight nuances and then it comes down to personal preference.

I would say the biggest deciding factor to whittle down your choice is loop or fleece-back (this is the finish on the inside). Once you’ve decided that then you’re onto how high and tight we want the neckline to be. Now it is down to the real nitty gritty, we want to be looking at body length, cuffs, elasticity, shades of grey and composition. All sound a bit overwhelming for just a grey sweatshirt? Here’s my pick of the bunch that should put you in good stead.downicon

1/5 COMMUNITY CLOTHING GREY UNISEX SWEATSHIRT £39.00

Cotton grown in Portugal, knitted in Leicester and made in Blackburn, this 100% cotton option from Community Clothing is a solid option. At 470gsm it is one for those who like their sweatshirts on the thicker side. A nice touch from the brand is they touch on shrinkage and ways to care for your garment, ensuring it lifespan goes beyond a couple of wears.

2/5 ALBAM CLASSIC SWEATSHIRT IN GREY MARL £89.00

Like I said further up, it comes down to what you are after. To the casual observer, every sweatshirt is the same. But for those who have an eye for detail there are certainly differences in each offering, including this one from Albam. Contrasting shades of grey along with their ottoman rib detailing on the cuff and hem which you will find in all of their jersey. (Note: if you’re a watch wearer this might not be for you, I find the cuffs a little too tight for a watch. Check your phone or ask others when concerned about the time).

3/5 SUNSPEL COTTON LOOPBACK IN GREY MELANGE £110.00

At a slightly higher pricepoint, Sunspel is the antithesis of luxury in the basics department. Trusted for years and still making out of their factory in Long Eaton, this version opts for a blend that is 95% cotton and 5% elastane, often to help retain shape overtime. For those that enjoy a matching tracksuit, they sell a trackpant in the same grey melange if you really want to go full athleisure.

4/5 ARKET FRENCH TERRY SWEATSHIRT £35.00

For those of you enjoy who enjoyed the sound of Community Clothing’s sweatshirt, but perhaps wanted a lighter option, then ARKET’s long staple cotton comes in at a mid-weight of 340GSM while featuring the traditional V-neck feature.

5/5 NORSE PROJECTS VAGN CLASSIC CREW £120.00

Norse Projects is the only one in this line-up which opts for a sweatshirt without the V-neck detailing, offering a simpler version of a classic. It does come with their signature tag on the hem, but you could easily unpick it if you want to keep it even simpler (you didn’t hear that from me). The Danish brand also opts for fleece over loopback inside which in my opinion offers slightly more warmth and comfort at the start, but may start to lose its comfort with each wash. Just something to bear in mind. See, I told you sweatshirts were about the finer details.jbicon