How the humble quarter zip became It Girl chic

Only a few short years ago, you wouldn’t have ever thought that a quarter zip fleece would enter your wardrobe, and now you spend every morning wondering which of the seven quarter zip fleeces you should wear today.

The cosy jumpers have not only taken over the wardrobes of the nation, but of the world, with every influencer, celebrity and model rocking the look.

But why is the quarter zip the new “it girl” uniform, and how did a trend that started with the Irish country girls, or cluchies, become the must-have fashion look?

For years, the quarter zip fleece has been an essential part of many country girls’ outfits. Whether it was a day out shopping, a trip down to the farm, or a walk around the village, the fleece was worn everywhere.

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But this came with its fair share of slagging, with the city folk not appreciating just how versatile and stylish this humble fleece was. It wasn’t until the Irish “it” girl, Rosie Connolly Quinn, launched her brand 4th Arq, that quarter zip fleece finally began to have its moment in the spotlight.

In Rosie’s first collection, she featured a quarter zip design that quite literally blew the nation away. Her followers were scrambling to get their hands on these half zips after seeing how effortlessly and chicly Rosie had designed and styled the pieces.

Soon after, well-known brands began to follow the trend, with most autumn-winter drops including the good old quarter zip fleece. With funky bright colours, cool neutral pallets and fun zip designs, it was hard to escape the fleece epidemic, with every shop having a full selection of options to choose from.

And if the high streets weren’t telling us enough about this new emerging trend, it was famous models and celebs like Hailey Bieber, Sophie Turner, and Jennifer Garner who were spotted wearing the fleece that so many of us got slack for all those years ago. The fleece has even featured Chanel’s Métiers d’Art show, late last year, proving yet again that this trend is definitely one to watch this year.

@stormgonzalez95 found the viral teddy sweater at h&m #haileybieberstyle #quarterzipsweater #fyp #fallmusthaves ♬ original sound – ★ JVL1P ★

And as if we didn’t need more confirmation, influencers from home were also spotted out in the new “it” girl trend, styling the piece in many different ways. From athleisure looks to jeans and boot heels, the options remained endless.

And that could be why our humble jumper is making a move in the fashion world.

There has been a rise in fashion wear that feels comfortable, cosy, and stylish. With more people working from home, we don’t want stiff work shirts and tailored suit trousers, we want something we can throw on, will look good and has us looking chic with that low effort look. Whether you’re leaning more toward the athleisure look or going for a classier vibe with jeans, quarter zips can be styled with anything.

@annaliviahynds Introducing the new Devan ‘Cloud’ fleece, the perfect layering piece coming into autumn. Dropping tomorrow at 6pm ☁️ @4TH ARQ ♬ original sound – Annalivia McGivern

From hopping on a Zoom call, to running out the door for a long walk and catching up with friends, these quarter zips will be with us for many occasions in 2026!

Here are a few that we have been loving here at Team VIP…