History of the Turtleneck

This was an assignment I completed some research in for my Fashion Forecasting class at Baylor!

Hope you enjoy!

The origin of the turtleneck dates back to medieval times when knights wore chainmail armor for battle. The armor caused painful chafing and hindered their ability to turn their necks quickly during battle. The turtleneck was invented in order to improve the comfort and wearability of the chainmail armor. In the mid-sixteenth century, the turtleneck was reinvented and worn for more stylistic purposes and as a social class distinguishing garment. The garment feature was made much more elaborate and was decked out in voluminous starched ruffles, creatively called a “ruff.” Queen Elizabeth I of England and other members of high society favored the “ruff” style of the turtleneck in the mid-sixteenth century and were some of the firsts to be associated with the turtleneck style. It was used to indicate status, the more elaborate and voluminous the higher the status. In the late 1800s, the style continued to be a highly functional favorite among the working class. Particularly in the 1860’s, English polo players used the garment for their sportswear, bringing forth the British term “polo neck” when referring to the turtle. The garment was then being used for stylistic purposes once more in the 1900s. The high-neck “Gibson Girl” style displayed high, ruffled necks in the start of the century. Moving forward 20 years, high fashion was moving towards less modest dress which put lower necklines in higher demand, putting the turtleneck on the backburner for the time being. The following decade, the turtleneck was back and used as mainly workwear and part of the uniform for the U.S. Navy. However, in the 1920’s Noel Coward, the playwright, frequently wore turtlenecks during this time, and could almost single-handedly be credited for keeping the look alive among the middle class during the roaring 20’s. The style really took off in the 1940’s through the 50’s where it became its iconic basic we all know and love today, coming in a variety of cuts, including skintight fits, cropped sweaters, etc. In the 1940s and 50s, celebrities such as Jayne Mansfield played a huge role in popularizing the garment as a feminine, sexy version of the style. This look became so iconic it continues to be used as one of the numerous ways turtlenecks are reimagined by designers today. However, most people know the turtleneck as the iconic style worn by the world-famous actress Audrey Hepburn in the film Funny Face. Her wardrobe in this movie was styled by the Beatnik movement that began in the late 50s and early 60s. Outfits in this era consisted of sleek, fitted, entirely black ensembles for which the turtleneck worked perfectly. In a famous scene from the movie, Hepburn is seen in a chic black turtleneck and skinny jeans, taking on the Paris nightlife. The most iconic decade that the garment reached peak popularity however was during the “Beatnik” movement in the late 50s and early 60s. Following this decade, the women’s equality movement inspired the wardrobes of many participants where the majority could be seen wearing the style. The 70’s was a time where the feminist movement was in full swing. Famous and inspirational women like Gloria Steinem, was often seen sporting the feminist uniform. By the 80s, the turtleneck was a staple piece found in most everyone’s closet, but the 90s is when the garment was shaped into the style we see it as today. (Bucci, 2015). The latest celebrity icon we see today sporting the look is the late Steve Jobs. He is widely remembered “not only for his contributions to technology, but also his rotation of infamous black turtlenecks.” (Bucci, 2015).

I found two recent articles on WGSN on turtlenecks. The first was titled “Turtlenecks” and was posted on January 10 of 2018. The WGSN Catwalks team described the style as being used as the “most prevalent underpinning item for Pre-Fall.” Designers updated the look by using either fine, silk yarns, pastel shades, or with body-skimming silhouettes with contrasting neck and cuffs. They can be seen as a stand-alone piece worn with trousers replacing the white shirt-blazer look, or as a modern eveningwear understatement piece. It was seen all over the catwalks from designers like Victoria Beckham, Emilio Pucci, Prabal Gurung, Versace, Bottega Venetta, Derek Lam, Diane Von FurstenBerg on the Pre-Fall 18/19 runways. The secons article titled “Layered Turtlenecks” was also written by the WGSN Catwalks team. It described the turtleneck as an “underpin [of] a core layering message, styled under chunky sweaters, shirts, blouses and dresses.” The styles can be seen from designers such as Derek Lam, Prabal Gurung, Philip Lim, Tibi, Jason Wu, Dion Lee, Kate Spade, Bottega Venetta, A Détacher, Alexander Wang. This article was written February 13, 2018.