by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
December 9, 2025
The development has grown in recognition because it turns into the male youth style staple of the second.
The quarter-zip sweater has grown in recognition for the reason that development took off on social media.
Black males and male youth have caught onto the style wave by posting about their very own “quarter zips and matcha.” As an general life-style, individuals drink the inexperienced tea latte as they don a extra skilled look. The development has highlighted a breakaway from extra culturally-recognized outfits reminiscent of Nike tech fits and Jordans.
Nonetheless, the development has made some who often rock the “YN” aesthetic to as an alternative placed on sweaters. Because the development refuses to lose steam, some Chicagoans are breaking down its higher affect on the Black group, particularly its boys and younger males.
Youthful Chicago residents placed on their best quarter-zips for a supportive occasion at an area ice cream spot Dec 7. Deemed the Chicago Quarter-Zip Hyperlink-Up, the occasion sought to assist companies in a single neighborhood that suffered from break-ins final month. There, they mentioned what placing on the soft-knit sweaters means to them.
“I really feel correct once I put on a quarter-zip,” stated a 14-year-old Lake Rome to WBEZ. “I’m a Whitney Younger [High School] pupil, so I pleasure myself on nothing lower than excellence.”
One other teen, a 19-year-old school pupil named Raymond, stated his personal quarter zip helps him really feel “fancy” and “skilled.” A distinguished metropolis chief additionally confirmed up along with his personal quarter-zip to mark the event. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson appeared to, rightfully so, sip matcha along with his Black male constituents.
As tens of individuals got here, it not solely confirmed assist for native companies but additionally served as a testomony to the quarter-zip development’s affect.
“This quarter-zip meetup is larger than simply about what you’re sporting,” stated Corey DooleyJohnson, one of many occasion’s organizers. “It’s about the way you’re dwelling. It’s about group service and brotherhood. What we need to do is carry that holistic group feeling again. We need to create a optimistic community amongst younger Black People, particularly younger Black Chicagoans.”
Whereas the quarter-zip development goals to advertise seemingly optimistic traits amongst this demographic, some critics fear its results may hurt the group. The “Quarter zip” may come throughout as an emblem of respectability politics, enjoying into the look of the “tech bro” by showing extra white.
The development, initially a joke on social media, caught on like wildfire amongst the TikTok-focused youth of America. Now, Black boys try matcha to match their style aesthetic. Extra importantly, they’re utilizing the second to keep up an expert outlook on how they conduct themselves.
“It began as one thing sort of humorous,” added Corey Phillips, one other occasion organizer. “However I believe it’s one thing optimistic. We see lots of tendencies that promote lots of negativity, like youth doing issues that aren’t productive. You haven’t seen many instances the place the media showcases younger males of shade coming collectively.”
Nonetheless, naysayers warn that the development may make these not sporting the quarter-zip appear “unprofessional,” though one’s garments mustn’t decide their conduct. Eager to shrink back from deeming one outfit extra “harmful” than the opposite, critics urge Black males to not view such indicators to show their value in society.
“I’ve seen some individuals on-line say, ‘You’re simply culture-appropriating otherwise you’re making an attempt to suit into the white man’s field,’” DooleyJohnson advised the Chicago Solar-Instances. “However that’s not true as a result of Black People have all the time had a way of favor, and that has all kinds. However I’ve seen some individuals say we’re making an attempt to evolve to white supremacy. However I don’t consider that’s true.”
Alternatively, Black males have used the quarter zip to “repurpose” the “tech bro” aesthetic. Now, they’ve reworked a historically skilled clothes possibility right into a method of getting fly.
From the Black dandy till now, Black males have taken cost of their style selections. It additional reveals their means to make any staple into its personal second.
“There’s a lengthy custom of Black males taking symbols of elite areas and repurposing them, generally simply to be humorous, however generally [to express] identification and generally for defiance,” stated Chicago Style Coalition President Marquan Jones. “We take one thing that wasn’t meant for us, and we make it ours, and we make it much more related and funky.”
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