The best men’s V-neck sweater reminds us that sometimes, in our journey to find something new, we stray too far from what’s right in front of us. Because for a minute, the humble V-neck sweater had been unfairly pushed to the back of the collective menswear closet, rejected for living in the uncanny valley between nostalgic and dated. (Part of the problem was some guilt by association with its less dignified cousin, the V-neck tee.)
Somehow, the V-neck became a shorthand for bad taste. But right now, clued-in shoppers are rediscovering the V-neck’s eternal selling point: a gently plunging neckline that offers unrivaled layerability. It makes a collared shirt look cozier and better framed. It injects any old white T-shirt with a sudden jolt of ’90s rom-com love interest sex appeal. Worn with nothing, or just a tank top underneath, the V-shape lets your clavicles shine, too, making you look a little broader, and stand a little prouder.
Fortunately, for anyone ready to bring it back, there’s no shortage of excellent versions to try. A simple V-neck in cashmere is an essential—but don’t let that stop you from having some fun. Here are fifteen of the best, spanning fabrics, colours, and cuts that handily make the case for the V-neck’s long past due return.
The Best V-Neck Sweaters for Men, According to GQ
Looking for Something Specific?
Best Overall V-Neck Sweater: Uniqlo Souffle Yarn V-Neck
Uniqlo
Souffle Yarn V-Neck
Pros
- Exceptionally soft, itch-free alternative to wool
- Lightweight warmth that layers with ease
- Affordable enough to pick up in multiple colours
Cons
- Prone to pilling with wear
- Can stretch out or lose shape over time
- Made from synthetic rather than natural fibres
Uniqlo just keeps delivering wearable, modern essentials that feel current without breaking the bank. You could walk into any of its stores blindfolded and still probably walk out with an outfit that works. Its Soufflé Yarn sweaters are a perfect example: This V-neck comes in a generous, contemporary cut that drapes with ease and feels luxuriously soft against the skin. Look closer, and you’ll see (or not see) the seamless shoulders, a result of the brand’s advanced 3D knitting process. Honestly, getting this much sweater for $50 feels a little like stealing, especially when the proportions are so dialled, and the four interchangeable colors make it so easy to stock up.
Best Slim-Fit V-Neck Sweater: COS Slim Merino V-Neck Sweater
COS
Slim Merino V-Neck Sweater
Pros
- Lightweight and crafted from 100% natural merino wool
- Clean, versatile design that’s easy to wear
- Balances elevated style with accessible pricing
- Made with Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)–certified fibres
Cons
- Delicate merino may stretch or lose shape without proper care
- Prone to pulls or wear in high-friction areas
If you’re looking for a V-neck to layer under a suit or blazer, it should likely be this one from COS. Cut slim from 100% merino wool, it’s lightweight enough to slip under a jacket, yet remains polished enough to stand on its own. The fine-gauge knit gives it a sleek profile, while the minimalist design keeps it versatile — the kind of piece you can wear with tailoring during the week and with denim on the weekend. This is COS at its best: refined, functional, and fairly priced.
Best Cotton V-Neck Sweater: Todd Snyder Relaxed Beechwood Sweater
Todd Snyder
Relaxed Beechwood Sweater
Pros
- Lightweight, breathable all-cotton knit — ideal for warmer days
- Relaxed fit with easy drop-shoulder design
- Versatile piece that layers effortlessly
Cons
- Cotton is often more prone to visible wear than wool
- Provides less insulation in cooler weather
Todd Snyder has elevated ease down to a science at this point, and its take on a cotton V-neck sweater is proof. Instead of leaning on standard cotton, the brand has upgraded the formula with Beechwood cotton — a specially spun yarn that keeps things airy while maintaining its shape, wear after wear. The silhouette is relaxed with a touch of refinement: a slightly oversized fit, raglan sleeves for easier movement, and a V-neck finished with a hearty rib that gives the piece just the right amount of structure. It’s the kind of sweater that feels laid-back yet considered, and equally at home with broken-in denim or dressed up under a jacket.
Best Cashmere V-Neck Sweater: Buck Mason Como Cashmere V-Neck Sweater
Buck Mason
Como Cashmere V-Neck Sweater
Pros
- Luxuriously soft cotton-cashmere blend
- Classic cut that layers well
- Yarn-dyed for deeper, lasting color
- Built for all-season wear — not too heavy
Cons
- Delicate — needs gentle care (hand wash or dry clean)
- May pill over time under friction
Buck Mason has a knack for bringing back American staples that somehow became hard to find. Take the Como Cashmere V-Neck, which is cut with a classic fit, finished cleanly, and offered in versatile, easy-to-wear shades. Of course, the best detail of all is the cashmere: BM has sourced a knockout, year-round cashmere yarn that’s light enough to wear right now, soft enough to go sans undershirt, and hefty enough to really shine once the chill sets in. It’s a cheat code of a sweater, really.
Best Designer V-Neck Sweater: Lemaire V-Neck
Pros
- Lemaire’s signature sophisticated minimalism
- Wool-acrylic blend offers strength and durability while holding dyes well
- Enough weight to drape nicely but not too bulky
- Muted, versatile tone
Cons
- Premium designer price
- Requires gentle care
- Acrylic blend offers less breathability
For a more refined designer pick, turn to Lemaire’s take on the V-neck sweater. Even for an everyday style, you still get all the house’s style signatures: dropped shoulders, a super soft fine wool blend, and a V-neck cut with just enough attitude. Also true to the brand’s form, this sweater emphasizes drape and texture over embellishment, the only flourish being the subtle ribbed line running down the center, a detail that feels like an architectural flex as much as some added decoration. Also: The wool–acrylic mix merges softness and structure, so it won’t wilt on you after a few wears.
Best Deep V-Neck Sweater: Rubato Standard V-Neck Sweater
Rubato
Rubato Standard V-Neck Sweater
Pros
- Deep v-neck works well over collared shirts
- True lambswool feel — soft, warm, dense
- Solid ribs and vintage-inspired look
- Boxier, shorter cut looks great with trousers
Cons
- Delicate lambswool requires careful washing
- Inevitable pilling over time with wool
- A slightly shorter length may not suit everyone
A deep V-neck is deliberate. It says, I know what I’m doing, and thanks for noticing. Few do it better than Rubato, the Stockholm label that does an excellent job reimagining classic menswear for today. Its attention to proportion and construction is what makes these lambswool sweaters so compelling: super-soft against the skin, cut with a slightly shorter length designed to sit neatly over trousers, and carrying a silhouette that any 1950s heartthrob would approve of. The headline though, is that neckline. Too many contemporary V-necks barely dip at all, leaving you feeling somewhat strangled when worn over a shirt. Rubato’s deep V lets everything breathe with confidence.
Best Colorful V-Neck Sweater: Tricot Cashmere V-Neck
Pros
- Made with 65% recycled cashmere
- Stylish deep, wide V-neck
- Slightly oversized, boxy cut offers modern look
- Variety of colors to choose from
Cons
- Must hand-wash, dry flat to maintain shape and quality.
- Taller wearers may not like the slightly shorter length
- Premium price point
Tricot is a young player in the cashmere game, which is good news: Its team is thinking a bit differently. The brand’s calling card is recycled cashmere, spun into sweaters that are better for the planet without skimping on the softness. The styling leans Parisian cool—oversized, boxy, just slouchy enough—while the yarn is Italian and the sewing is done by Venetian artisans who know a thing or two about longevity. The result is a sweater that feels as modern as it does classic. They’re investment pieces, sure, but they pay out in style.
More V-Neck Sweaters We Love
How Deep Should a V-Neck’s V Be?
Good question. The depth and width of your V-Neck’s V change the whole effect, but the good news is, there are no firm rules here. Generally speaking, the deeper the V, the better it plays with a collared shirt. And the higher the V, the easier it is to dress up a T-shirt underneath. In terms of today’s trends, erring on the deeper side is a little more fashionable—but also leans more casual.
How We Test and Review Products
Style is subjective, we know—that’s the fun of it. But we’re serious about helping our audience get dressed. Whether it’s the best white sneakers, the flyest affordable suits, or the need-to-know menswear drops of the week, GQ Recommends’ perspective is built on years of hands-on experience, an insider awareness of what’s in and what’s next, and a mission to find the best version of everything out there, at every price point.
Our staffers aren’t able to try on every single piece of clothing you read about on GQ.com (fashion moves fast these days), but we have an intimate knowledge of each brand’s strengths and know the hallmarks of quality clothing—from materials and sourcing, to craftsmanship, to sustainability efforts that aren’t just greenwashing. GQ Recommends heavily emphasizes our own editorial experience with those brands, how they make their clothes, and how those clothes have been reviewed by customers. Bottom line: GQ wouldn’t tell you to wear it if we wouldn’t.
How We Make These Picks
We make every effort to cast as wide of a net as possible, with an eye on identifying the best options across three key categories: quality, fit, and price.
To kick off the process, we enlist the GQ Recommends braintrust to vote on our contenders. Some of the folks involved have worked in retail, slinging clothes to the masses; others have toiled for small-batch menswear labels; all spend way too much time thinking about what hangs in their closets.
We lean on that collective experience to guide our search, culling a mix of household names, indie favorites, and the artisanal imprints on the bleeding-edge of the genre. Then we narrow down the assortment to the picks that scored the highest across quality, fit, and price.
Across the majority of our buying guides, our team boasts firsthand experience with the bulk of our selects, but a handful are totally new to us. So after several months of intense debate, we tally the votes, collate the anecdotal evidence, and emerge with a list of what we believe to be the absolute best of the category right now, from the tried-and-true stalwarts to the modern disruptors, the affordable beaters to the wildly expensive (but wildly worth-it) designer riffs.
Whatever your preferences, whatever your style, there’s bound to be a superlative version on this list for you. (Read more about GQ’s testing process here.)
