It is generally a confluence of culture—a certain TV show, an advertising campaign that got stuck in your head, and, of course, the runway—that combine to create that unmistakable yet impossible to pinpoint urge to BUY. THAT. THING. You’re not sure why you want it, but you do.

For me, this fall, it is the half-zip sweater. Borrowed from classic menswear styles, athletic wear, and, to some extent, corporate retreat wear, I can trace the seeds of my desire to The Row’s Spring 2020 ready-to-wear collection. It was look 12, to be precise. A friend who is also in search of the perfect half-zip also points to the influence of Succession: patriarch Logan Roy tends to wear one under his quilted vests, and during the “Argestes” episode, which was set at a Swiss corporate retreat for the 1-percent, retreat-branded fleece half-zips were handed out. The characters are despicable, sure, but the fashion gets stuck in the brain.

The half-zip stands to encroach on a classic fall staple, the turtleneck sweater; a little twist to the look, plus the ability to let your neck breathe should you want it to. Go thick and nubby for maximum coziness, or try a thin layer under a blazer à la The Row.

—Leah Chernikoff

Collage via ITG.