The National Trust. Owls. Historic market towns. Slate mines. The Flying Scotsman.
The year is 2018, and you do NOT have to have any interest in any of the above to wear a fleece.
Here’s some good ones…
The Patagonia Retro-X Pile Fleece
At the top we’ve got this beauty from Patagonia. It may be said that this lot were the first company to really push fleece fabric back in the early 80s, so it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that they’re the Big Kahunas of the polyester pile world.
This one here is a modernised version of their classic Retro-X fleece. Not only does it have loads of zip pockets, but it’s softer than a bag of lambs. Delightful.
The name ‘Beach Jacket’ might conjure up images of breezy, summer-friendly windbreakers flapping around on the shores of Malibu, but over here in England, in Autumn, things are a little different, and something more substantial is needed.
This corker from YMC is prime. It’s dead warm, it’s got a fancy shawl collar thing, and most importantly, it comes in a majestic rusty red hue that’ll fit in nicely when you trap your leg in the corroded hull of an old fishing boat snagged in the sands.
On the other end of the fleece continuum, this Penfield number is made from that low-profile stuff that’s probably known to fabric scholars as ‘microfleece’.
It’s still nice and toasty, it’s just a bit sleeker – meaning it’ll fit nicely under a waterproof when the heaven’s inevitably open (but why is heaven full of rainwater?).
Albam have been truly firing on all cylinders lately. We’re not entirely sure what that means, but we can only guess that making a fleece as wondrous as that stone cold stunner above requires a full squadron of fired cylinders.
Questionable phrases aside, this thing has everything you could want out of a fleece, and it’s a delectable shade of grey that the Albam lads like to call ‘quarry’. People don’t talk about quarries enough these days, but let it be known that if you’re looking to star in an episode of 999 Lifesavers, then an old quarry is just the place to get your big break.
And now, lean into your screen and rub your face on this big softy from Nanamica. Feels pretty good, doesn’t it?
Whilst the other fleeces on this list were made of new-age synthetic materials, this one was, for the most part, made out of wool – giving it a slightly more traditional feel.
It’s also got a pretty sharp shape, and is based on the old CPO jackets worn by US navy types (and Al Pacino in that Scarecrow film). If you’re after something to keep you toasty whilst looking moody down at the docks, then this might be the ticket.
And if you’re still after something, here’s loads more fleeces.