The Zip-Up Knitted Jacket Trend Is Quietly Everywhere

As one of only a few Gen Z Who What Wear UK fashion editors, I make it my responsibility to stay on top of the changes happening within the zeitgeist. From uncovering practical styling hacks (be it layered tees or tucked boots) to rediscovering nostalgic shapes (I’m thinking about the Louis Vuitton Speedy), whether maximalist or minimalist, my generation’s approach to fashion is laced with laissez-faire. So, sometimes, when an extra-simplistic item crops up, it’s easily overlooked. This is exactly what happened to me when the zip-up knitted-jacket trend first started to make the rounds.

Fashion person Hollie Mercedes wears the zip-up knitted jacket trend. She wears a grey zip up knitted jacket.

A continuation of the quarter-neck zip (another Y2K relic that came back with a vengeance), this fitted, full-length jacket with distinctive ribbing on the cuffs and on-trend funnel neck has quietly swept my feed. Yet, it took one of my most fashionable colleagues to make me question why I’d overlooked this functional piece. You see, I own three: one from Glassworks and two from Arket, and they’ve been at the core of my wardrobe all winter. Often ribbed and slim-fitting yet stretchy with a high neck, they sit perfectly under coats and bigger jackets.

Fashion person Mia Dickerson wears the Zip up knitted jacket trend.

With a gorpcore, athletic undercurrent throughout (it looks awfully like the Lululemon Define jacket, which gained virality on social media), the cosy, soft wool fabric makes it an insulating cold-weather staple. So naturally, the fashion cycle bringing this popular 2000s piece back into the spotlight feels like a no-brainer. However, these zip-ups are a far cry from the oversized, patchwork panelled iterations seen the first time around, and the slimmer fit makes it far more current than those popular during the height of the athleisure-as-outerwear trend five years ago.

Thinking about it, this jacket doesn’t look too dissimilar to the one Mark (Andrew Lincoln) was wearing when he was friend-zoned by Juliet (Keira Knightley) in Love Actually, a British Christmas classic which is heavily re-watched at this time of year.

British actresses Martine McCutcheon and Keira Knightley and British actors Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, and Colin Firth at the UK premiere of the film "Love Actually" held at the Odeon Cinema Leicester Square on November 16, 2003 in London.

Yet as nostalgic as the silhouette feels, there’s another reason for its sudden surge in popularity (it’s pacing up +450% this week on Google Trends), and it all comes down to layering. As we’re venturing into a period that relies less on the quiet luxury trend, authenticity and self-expression are at an all-time high. So when it comes to dressing, this is the simplest way to differentiate your knitwear game. From skinnies tucked into boots to layered tees, dresses over jeans to doubled-up cardigans, new (old) styling rules inherited from the ‘00s have been set and show no signs of dipping in popularity anytime soon.

Fashion person Linda Sza wears the zip up knitted jacket trend.

Whether underneath a puffer jacket, styled over a basic T-shirt or finished with a sweeping maxi coat, the most fashionable people on my feed are proving just how multifaceted these jackets truly are. So if you have one gathering dust in your grandparents’ attic, it’s time to brush it off, as the zip-up knitted jacket trend is here for the long haul. Scroll to shop below.