Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.

---

Half-Zip Sweaters are one of my favorite styles due to their extreme versatility. You can layer them on top of a t-shirt for a casual look, wear them with collared shirt for something more business casual, and even zip them all the way up for those more frigid days. While they aren’t the first style most folks think of when shopping for a new sweater, I hope this list results in at least some off you donning a great, new piece.

1) Andersen-Andersen: Half-Zip Sweater

Andersen-Andersen is a great option if y0u’re looking for a sweater with refined details. Their Half-Zip Sweater is just that — a classic style with clean, vertical lines, heavyweight merino fabric, and top-notch construction and hardware. These sweaters are finished with YKK zippers, thumb-hole cuffs, and ribbed hems and cuff. These made in Italy sweaters are available in several colors, including the indigo-dyed variant pictured.

Available for $385+ from Division Road.

2) J. Crew: Rugged Merino Half-Zip Sweater

If you haven’t had a half-zip sweater before and don’t know if they’re quite your speed, then J. Crew’s Rugged Merino Half-Zip Sweater is an excellent option. They’re relatively inexpensive, constructed from a warm and durable Merino/nylon blend, and come in a nice, fitted pattern. Available in a couple of great colorways, this is an easy sweater to work into your layering rotation.

Available for $63+ from J. Crew.

3) Stephan Schneider: Sangiovese Quarter Zip

Stephan Schneider is well known for their knitwear with Sangiovese Quarter Zip being the latest in a long line of fabulous sweaters. It’s constructed from a 65%/20%/15% cotton/poly/wool blend, lending the breathability of cotton with the warmth and durability of wool and synthetics. They’re made in Belgium to the best possible quality standards, and comes in almost iridescent navy/charcoal hues.

Available for $325 from No Man Walks Alone.

4) Unfil: Wool Cashmere Half-Zip Sweater

If you are looking for a sweater that’s more on the chunky side then look no further than Unfil’s Wool Cashmere Half-Zip Sweater. Made from, you guess it, a 20%/80% cashmere/wool blend, this sweater features a vertical knit pattern that almost topographically forms around the collar and armpits. It’s made in Japan and features a YKK zipper with leather pull tab and drop shoulder design, which all comes together to form a slouchy, heavyweight sweater that you would make even your worst enemy envious.

Available for $452 from Namu.

5) SNS Herning: Fisherman Short Zip

SNS Herning is one of the most popular names in warm, chunky sweaters. Their Fisherman line features decorative and functional “bobble” knitting, which offers incredible warmth and and great moisture wicking. These sweaters feature ribbed cuffs and hem allowing for additional protection against the elements, and come in a wide range of colors for whatever hole in a wardrobe there is to fill.

Available for €99+ from SNS Herning.

Plus One – Brioni: Ribbed Wool and Cashmere Half-Zip Sweater

While certainly not an everyday purchase, or even one that most of us will ever make, Brioni’s Ribbed Wool and Cashmere Half-Zip Sweater is certainly a sweater worth enjoying through a store (or browser) window. This made in Italy sweater features a 30%/70% cashmere/wool blend in a boxy fit and a contrasting knitting pattern at the half-zip. While a bit more bulky than most sweaters on this list, there is something almost mesmerizing about the this sweaters proportions that make it hard not to appreciate.

Available for $1155 from Mr. Porter.