How to wear a quarter-zip

A quarter-zip is a knit or sweatshirt with a short zip at the neck, and it's one of the easiest layers to wear: zip it up when it's cool, open it when it warms up. Wear it over a plain tee or a collared shirt, with jeans, chinos or smart track pants, and finish with sneakers or loafers. In Accra, choose fine cotton or merino so it stays light.

Why is the quarter-zip so useful?

You control the warmth with the zip, which suits Accra's mix of hot outdoors and cold air conditioning. It also looks neater than a hoodie and more relaxed than a crewneck over a shirt.

How should it fit?

Close but not tight, with the shoulder seam on your shoulder and the hem around your belt. The collar should sit flat when unzipped and stand neatly when zipped. See the 5 knitwear pieces every man needs.

What do I wear under it?

A plain white, grey or black tee for casual looks; an oxford shirt with the collar inside the zip for smart casual. Avoid thick hoodies underneath.

Five outfits

1. Navy quarter-zip, white tee, dark jeans, white sneakers.
2. Grey quarter-zip, light blue oxford, navy chinos, brown loafers.
3. Black quarter-zip, black tee, black cargos, black runners.
4. Cream quarter-zip, olive chinos, suede sneakers.
5. Olive quarter-zip, grey track pants, retro runners (travel).

Which colours should I buy first?

Navy, grey and olive go with everything; cream looks fresh in the evening. See knitwear colours to buy first.

Zipped or open?

Open with the collar folded flat looks relaxed; fully zipped looks sporty. Halfway, with the collar standing, is the classic look.

Questions

Can I wear a quarter-zip to the office?

A fine-knit one over a shirt is smart enough for most business casual offices. See business casual in Ghana.

Is it good for harmattan?

Very. See lightweight knits for harmattan mornings.

How do I wash it?

Like other knits: cold, gentle, dry flat. Close the zip first. See how to wash and store knitwear.