I’ve heard that inspiration can come from anywhere, but I didn’t expect it to stem from standing outside of the Salesforce office in Manhattan at lunch time. Fleece jackets have become my go-to fall jacket trend after seeing one too many frat-bros-turned-finance-execs wearing the classic style over the last two weeks.
I can’t give Midtown’s frattiest office-goers all the credit for my new obsession, though. Fleeces first floated onto my radar thanks to Sandy Liang, who has long endorsed the look. The designer most recently put them on her Fall 2025 runway in early February, alongside the typical bows and girlhood-inspired fare, crafted in technicolor shades like bright orange and cobalt blue—the perfect foil to the satin mini skirts with which they were styled.
Later that season, fleece-trimmed jackets appeared on the runway at Miu Miu. There, the vibe was less girlhood and more whacky-cool art teacher—fleece was layered over sequin skirts and bright, contrasting shades of purple and red. Still, the preppy school vibes loomed large. (The brand now sells more traditional riffs on the style.)
The sporty pick is just the latest borrowed-from-the-boys trend the fashion set has claimed this fall—a follow-up to the classic neckties we spotted all over Copenhagen Fashion Week. Call it the American Psycho-ification of fashion, but without the gore. The '80s are back, after all.
Seeing them immediately brought me back to the days when I relied on my favorite quarter-zip—an icy lavender one from the North Face—for nearly every occasion. I wore it everywhere, but I lost it to the sands of personal style experimentation in my later teenage years.
Revisiting the look in 2025, I looked a fleece jacket in a dusty rose hue from Halfdays, and swapped my school-mandated skort for a cooler plaid maxi skirt.
If you, too, are ready to go all-in on fleece, keep scrolling. Ahead, I found 18 options that give just enough fintech energy without going overboard. Every pick on this list would also look just as good with leggings, bunched-up socks, and a pair of sneakers—consider it the perfect swap for your usual transitional hoodie.
The brighter color combination on this fleece feels so retro.
Gap's ultra-cozy fleece is perfect for wearing right now, in and out of the house.
This one from Zara combines two jacket trends in one.
Break up your all-black looks with this cream zip-up.
Tap into the season's plaid trend.
A touch sporty and a lot cool, this olive green find is a must-buy.
If you love Loeffler Randall's shoes, consider shopping the brand's apparel—starting with this fleece.
Sandy Liang's fleece assortment brings a jolt of color to your fall jacket lineup.
Kaia Gerber's go-to activewear brand, Vuori, makes this slightly oversized style.
Prints are a fun way to break up the monochromatic monotony of fall fashion.
Dark green and navy blue are one of my favorite unexpected fall color combinations.
