A fashion trend sweeping through TikTok has young men trading their Nike Techs and hoodies for a more polished look—and people are taking notice.
The so-called “quarter-zip movement” has sparked millions of views and enthusiastic praise from creators who say it represents more than just a wardrobe upgrade.
The Quarter-Zip Trend Takes Over TikTok
In a viral video with more than 4.7 million views, Meyha (@meyhaleshay) expresses surprise at discovering this fashion shift.
“I-I-I just found out about the quarter zip movement and … men just earned 10% of my respect back,” she says in the clip’s text overlay.
“I’m actually so proud of them. I never thought the day would come, thought they could never earn any respect back,” Meyha wrote in her caption. “Still not a fan of them but I hope more movements like this happen.”
The trend has gained so much traction that major brands are taking notice. In another video with 4.6 million views, Tamu (@iamtamuno) points out that Nike has jumped on the quarter-zip bandwagon (though they’ve actually sold them way before this trend popped off).
“Something that’s really blowing my mind is that Nike got quarter zips. Y’all peep game,” Tamu says in the video. “Nike said, you know what? Nike tech is getting a low. We see what y’all doing with quarter zips. Let’s make our own.”
Why Women Are Praising The Fashion Shift
For many female creators, the quarter-zip movement represents something deeper than just a clothing choice.
Content creator Shay (@missshaytart) praises young men for the style evolution, calling it “a sign of evolution.”
“I don’t usually have anything nice to say about men, but today, I have something nice to say. I actually want to praise them,” she says. “On TikTok, it’s trending for the YN’s to wear quarter zips. They’re getting rid of their Nike techs, whatever, their gangster hood style clothing and trading it for quarter zip.”
Shay connected the fashion shift to broader changes in attitude and ambition among young men adopting the style.
“It’s not just a sweater because a lot of them are switching the quarter zips. So there’s pressure from other men for them to dress nicer, and then it comes with also a new attitude of ‘I’m gonna make my life better,'” she says.
She describes the movement as young men “switching from being gangsters to being gentlemen,” and praises the potential ripple effects of the style change.
“Sometimes when you start taking care of yourself and you start dressing nicer, it changes your outlook on life. … ‘I look nice. Now maybe I should take care of how I feel and who I am, who I wanna become,'” Shay says.
“It’s a gateway to that, and I’m really happy to see it,” she says.
The Psychology Behind The Quarter-Zip Shift
The enthusiasm around the quarter-zip movement isn’t just about aesthetics—there’s real science backing the idea that clothing choices can transform mindset and behavior.
Research on “enclothed cognition” has shown that what people wear influences their psychological processes, according to the Bubble. A 2012 study found that participants wearing lab coats performed better at attention-related tasks, with performance improving even more when the coat was described as a “doctor’s coat” rather than a “painter’s coat.”
The confidence boost from dressing well isn’t just perception. Studies have found that 96% of women interviewed said their confidence was affected by what they wear, while research showed students wearing Superman t-shirts felt more confident and physically stronger. This suggests clothing choices directly influence performance and self-perception.
Klein Epstein Parker notes that when people wear clothing that fits well and feels comfortable, it can significantly boost self-esteem and self-expression.
Research has shown that wearing formal attire can make people feel more competent and authoritative, while ill-fitting or uncomfortable clothing can lead to feelings of self-consciousness and low self-esteem.
The article explains that choosing clothing aligned with personal style is crucial for maintaining high self-esteem and projecting confidence.
Commenters React
“It’s not just what they wear. It’s the power they feel wearing it,” a top comment read.
“Nike has had quarter zips. Some of u clearly were never on a catholic school football team and couldn’t wear hoodies in school,” a person said.
“Yall acting like a jacket changes ppl character,” another added.
BroBible reached out to Meyha, Tamu, and Shay for comment via email and TikTok direct message. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond.