Fashion trends ebb and flow, with most clothing styles and fads falling in and out of popularity every few months. Among those trends are also microtrends, styles that are short-lived and often are given life through the internet and social media platforms.
One of the most recent trends was the rise in quarter-zip sweaters being worn, primarily among African American men. The trend, which was credited to TikToker Jason Gyamfi, stemmed from the idea of quarter zip sweaters being an indicator of greater class and maturity.
The wearing of a quarter zip was also framed as being above wearing certain less professional clothing, specifically Nike Techs. The hit sports wear set had seen success in all markets, especially because of its heavy commercial presence among professional athletes. Despite this, Nike Techs are now being associated with more than just the roadman aesthetic, but also with the grime of street life that most perceive as threatening, childish, or even being tied to the controversial slang term, “YN”.
Soon, the discourse evolved, and “Nike Tech or quarter zip?” became the biggest question for pro athletes at their practices and days at their facilities.
Quarter zips became a symbol of professionalism and sophistication, while Nike Techs became a staple of comfort of functional athletic wear. However, the debate, originally for performative means, took on a more serious tone that bordered the line of class and race-related undertones.
Others have implied that the idea of quarter zips being superior as an indicator that professionalism is measured by proximity to whiteness and one’s ability to blend, leading to a view of African American men wearing quarter zips as someone who turns their back on their culture for acceptance.
The questions still linger about when the trend shifted, and why some still view it as a playful competition or skit topic, while others genuinely associate negative and positive connotations with the two fashion styles.
“Nike techs aren’t threatening. They just give off a nonchalant, in their own zone kind of stereotype,” said Ni’Asia Ali, a senior journalism student. “That’s really because of the people who have worn Nike Techs. They ruin the brand.”
The general idea may seem far-fetched or overdramatic in a way, but the point of presentation and professionalism still has an argument to be made in certain contexts. An anonymous N.C. A&T student spoke about their perspective on the trend and their understanding of why quarter zips have been put in a more positive light.
“I feel like the way you dress is kind of like your marketing in a way. Because it’s your image, it’s one of the first things that you show people,” they said.
Additionally, they also elaborated further on the possibilities of duality existing within each individual and how both clothing options are more situational than character-defining.
“You can be both, too. One day, you can be going to the gym with your Nike Tech and the next day you can go to church in your quarter zip. There are no rules to it.”
At the end of the day, the biggest message that most miss is that the conclusion for most serious issues often becomes a this-or-that debate with little room for varying answers.
This divided country continues to push the boundaries of something as little as a clothing choice and drag what was designed to be fun through the ring of politics and themes of racial tension.
Wearing a quarter-zip brings you no closer to professionalism beyond surface-level looks in the same way that wearing a Nike Tech being adjacent to the “roadman style” doesn’t make them thuggish or an indicator of dangerous people.
All in all, style is subjective in the same way that what’s appropriate is subjective. No matter the colorway, it all becomes transparent when it’s time to show the true colors of your personality.
