The Fleece Report™
Fleeces under $200, what options I'll be adding to my closet, is it worth spending a lot of money on one, and what brands you should be looking at for vintage fleeces.
Ahh, the fleece. An absolute classic closet staple that everyone experiences at least once in their lifetime. While still very much relevant today, fleeces had a very unique moment a few years ago. Everybody seemed to be talking about them online and every brand was making them. The conversation got tiring and I simply had no choice but to take a break from them—wearing and covering them on the blog.
It’s been a few years since I wore one but I think I’m ready to dive into them again. It’s good to take a break from certain clothing styles and replace them with others. This way when you inevitably return to one, you’ll be excited and refreshed with new styling ideas.
In today’s newsletter, I’m taking you with me to figure out what fleece I want to add to my closet next, where to get options under $200, is it worth spending a lot of money on one, and what brands I’ll be looking at for vintage fleeces.
WHERE TO START?
I currently only own one fleece, which is the Traveler Pocket Half-Zip by Rough Draft. It’s not your traditional full-zip fleece that we will be focusing on today, but the combination of mostly wool and some poly in an unbrushed finish fits the fleece category. Plus, it’s extremely cozy and has been a lot of fun to wear.
While fleeces are mostly made out of polyester, there are options that mix natural fibres like wool to level up their overall quality. This is something that Rough Draft takes advantage of in their half-zip.
I went with a size large and it fit me pretty big, so if anything you could size down if you don’t want an overly baggy look. Comes with two pockets on the front and an elastic at the waist for easy fit adjustments. Sleeves also come equipped with snap buttons if you want to play around with the sleeve opening—the hardware Rough Draft uses across all of their garments is always been high level and is something that you notice right away across their clothes.
Also an important thing to note is that the wool used for this one has not caused any sort of uncomfortability or itchiness. Some wools could be itchy so it’s important for you to know what you’re buying before buying it.
Fleeces have been around since the late 70s, and that means we have a lot of options to choose from, old and new. Polyester ones tend to be cheaper but more durable, while those that either use a blend or full natural fibres will be more expensive and require some extra care because of their delicateness—duh!
Since the concept of a fleece is rooted in polyester it’s one of those items that you need to figure out on your own. Do you care about wearing full synthetic materials or do you want something that’s constructed using real wool? How important is durability to you? Will you be ok if your all-wool fleece changes overtime as you continue to wear it, or do you go with full polyester that will look exactly the same after years of wear? On top of that, you should also ask if it’s worth spending a bit more for something that might look better but is still polyester?
These are all questions you should ask yourself before buying. What I’m doing today is providing you with choices that cover all of these questions.
THE AFFORDABLE OPTIONS
Yes, a fleece for about $200 or so is considered affordable. I don’t make the rules, that’s just what things cost now—but that’s a topic for another time. Below are some of my recommendations on where you can get fleeces that are between $150-$250.
Few options are currently available over at Dime for only $150 on their site right now. Good colors, wavy stitch detailing with a small logo on the front. Very straightforward and easy to wear. Go with your true size.
Two nice hits from one of my favorite, Adsum. Both are currently on sale for more than 50% at End here. I like the splash of blue on the natural tone one—gives it a little bit of playfulness which can be fun to utilize with the rest of your outfit.
