Ralph Lauren Fleece: Hoodies, Crewnecks and Zip-Ups Worth Wearing

Ralph Lauren Fleece: Hoodies, Crewnecks and Zip-Ups Worth Wearing

Ralph Lauren fleece comes as hoodies, crewnecks, zip-ups and polo sweatshirts, many with the pony or the Polo Bear on the chest. I sort them by style so you can find the cozy one that still looks pulled together.

Ralph Lauren fleece, sorted

Ralph Lauren fleece has been the weekend uniform for years, thanks to its soft hand and clean branding. The Polo pony and the Polo Bear both show up across the range. This edit sorts the pieces by shape so you can find the one you want fast.

Ralph lauren fleece collage: Barbour, Marine Layer, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sandro, Splits59, THE GREAT., The North Face, Varley

Pony on the chest

A fleece sweatshirt layers well under a coat in winter. Choose a heathered color for a classic look.

Worth a second look

A few more pieces from the edit that did not fit the other groups.

Fleece beyond the pony

Ralph Lauren turned the fleece crewneck into a piece of a whole world, which is why the Polo Bear, who arrived in 1991 and was knitted onto a Polo sweater the following year, still comes back every winter. But the pony is not the only way into that soft, slightly collegiate look, and a handful of other labels are doing it very well right now. So this last group opens the edit up to finds from other brands, picked because they sit next to the Polo pieces above without looking like knock-offs.

 

Barbour, the South Shields house John Barbour founded in 1894 to keep North Sea sailors dry, makes the Fawne, a teddy fleece half-zip that looks like it belongs under a waxed jacket, because it does. Marine Layer's Cloud 9 polo sweatshirt is the closest cousin to the collared Polo styles, and its half-zip sibling is the one I would pack for a cold weekend away. THE GREAT.'s College Sweatshirt is the vintage-campus crewneck in heavy cotton, and Varley's Mumford is the cream half-zip you pull on after a walk. For proper high-pile warmth, The North Face Extreme Pile is the shaggiest thing on this page. Sandro, Anine Bing, Splits59 and perfectwhitetee round it out, from a grey Parisian half-zip to a soft hoodie you will not take off on a Sunday.

 

A quick test that works across all of them: pinch the brushed side at the cuff and rub. If it pills between your fingers in the fitting room, it will look tired by February.

 

What I would skip: the very cropped cuts if you mostly wear fleece over high-waisted jeans under a long coat, since the hem rides up the second you lift your arms. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Sherpa Jacket and The North Face Coat for Women.