The 11 Very Best Black Turtlenecks

Sizes: XXS–3X | Fabric: Cotton | Fit and design: Fitted with a tissue-thin feel

J.Crew’s Tissue Turtleneck debuted back in 2007. Ever since, it’s earned a loyal following, which includes everyone from author Mary H.K. Choi to The Glad Hours founder Dominique Porter and Catbird’s Rony Vardi. It’s even something J.Crew employees willingly buy — with their employee discount, of course. J.Crew reissues the turtleneck almost annually, like this year’s leopard edition.

But here’s some news: J.Crew no longer sells the Tissue Turtleneck as you know it. Instead, the brand recently reissued it in “tissue crêpe,” and rebranded the top under that name. It’s still made from 100 percent cotton (like the original), but according to the brand the new material is softer on the skin. I have to say, there’s not a whole lot of huge news that breaks on the turtleneck beat, but this is capital-I important. As someone who now owns both versions of the turtleneck, I can say that if you’ve felt the original Tissue Turtleneck you’ll find the new version a little thinner. And while it always was whisper-thin, the new version is wispier, like a spider’s web. But, importantly, it doesn’t feel fragile. (And longtime Tissue Turtleneck wearers seem to like it, from reading all the customer reviews so far.)

For now, it holds on to the best-in-class blue ribbon. It comes in one of the greatest size ranges of all the turtlenecks on this list, starting at XXS and going up to 3X. It’s got the same $40 price tag, even with inflation. A good bargain at full price, it becomes a real steal when you wait for the Black Friday sale. Because it’s fresh on the J.Crew shelves, I can’t say how it holds up yet — the oldest Tissue Turtlenecks former Strategist writer (and onetime J.Crew sales associate) Chloe Anello owned were almost a decade old — but I’ll be checking and reporting back over the next few months (prime-time turtleneck season).

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Fabric: Acrylic, polyester, rayon, spandex | Fit and design: Fitted with a fluffy lining

Nearly everyone I talked to owns some form of Uniqlo’s Heattech, a line of ultrawarm, super-layerable underlayers. The turtleneck’s trademark is a second-skin fit. In my experience, the fit makes the tops snug enough for keeping warmth in and coldness out.

The trouble with Heattech is that stock moves fast, with yearly limited editions selling out as soon as temperatures start dropping. I tried out this T-shirt that’s reintroduced this season and is fully stocked — for now, at least. It’s much thicker than J.Crew’s Tissue Turtleneck. And it’s designed to be warmer than standard Heattech, thanks to its fluffy lining that feels like the stuffing inside of a pillow (but without the bulk).

Truthfully, the whole Heattech collection is worth checking out, too. Choi told us in a Secret Strategist installment that she likes the semi-sheer “ultralight” styles. Or maybe you want some fleece Heattech, which Porter sports on ski trips and helped turn creative strategist Carrie Carrollo into a turtleneck wearer. Other Heattech lovers include Michaela Rechtschaffner of Pearle Knits, Edas’s Sade Mims, accessories designer Jennifer Behr, and writer Alexis Cheung. Cheung gets a new Heattech turtleneck seasonally. The frequency “really depends if the fibers have absorbed body smells that the wash won’t take out anymore,” Cheung says. “It’s gross but true!”

Sizes: XS–3X (with extended sizes in petite and tall) | Fabric: Cotton, rayon, spandex | Fit and design: Fitted (but less tight than the brand’s slim-fit tops)

Unlike Uniqlo’s Heattech, which almost always goes for $30, Land’s End’s Lightweight is almost never not on sale. Depending on the day, you could see the $40 turtleneck going for $15 to $20. And I think it does the layering job just as well. (It was once called the Layering Turtleneck, but has since been renamed as the Lightweight Skimming Long-Sleeve Turtleneck.) It’s somewhere between the Tissue Turtleneck and the Heattech T-shirt in thickness. Made from a cotton-rayon-spandex blend, it’s pretty stretchy, too.

I’m not the only fan: When illustrator Joana Avillez went on a hunt for a perfect turtleneck, a friend’s reference to Jane Fonda’s in Barefoot in the Park (“a critical cinematic turtleneck,” according to Avillez) swayed her into buying one for herself. It’s not “so thin that you feel like a walking X-ray,” she says, adding that the neck is part of the draw, too. It “withdraws into the background, like a darkened museum vitrine casting light on just your face,” she says. I felt similarly when I tested this one — the neck made me feel rather swanlike.

(Another good layer would be Artizia’s Tna Homestretch Turtleneck, which Ruby Buddemeyer, director of copy and concept at Starface, describes as “not too warm” and says that it clings to you “in a nice way.”)

Sizes: XXS–XXL | Fabric: Supima cotton and elastane | Fit and design: Fitted with a ribbed knit and exposed seams

Everlane’s ribbed turtleneck is a hit with a number of discerning turtleneck wearers. Gabrielle Arruda, a Project Runway alum, says she buys one every year. Strategist kitchen-and-dining writer Emma Wartzman describes the turtleneck as “tight enough that it doesn’t bunch up underneath things, but not, like, Uniqlo Heattech–tight.” Stylist Kim Hancher likes that the neck on the turt actually stays up, unlike some other turts. It’s now made out of premium, USA-grown Supima cotton (as seen on many a bedsheet) — instead of the usual organic cotton Everlane uses — making it supremely soft. It’s also reliably restocked and sometimes marked down during the occasion sale.

Sizes: XS–XXL | Fabric: Egyptian cotton | Fit and design: Super-fitted with a micro-rib knit

“I have words,” is how illustrator Alexandra Citrin-Safadi began our correspondence about this turtleneck, describing as “the black turtleneck you’ll demand to be buried in.” Kotn’s Fitted Turtleneck is cut to be truly tight-fitting. Citrin-Safadi, who likes a snug turtleneck — “picture the kind of turtleneck that toddlers hate being stuffed into” — actually says the above Everlane as her former favorite. It’s made from breathable Egyptian cotton that won’t be smothering. Citrin-Safadi says it stands up well against “a whole winter’s worth of washing,” and Strategist deals editor Sam Daly, a self-professed “sift-through-Goodwill girl,” was so impressed by the quality, she was willing to buy it at full price.

Sizes: One size | Fabric: Wool | Fit and design: Oversized with a ribbed neck and dropped sleeves

Because she’s been haunted by the too-tight turtlenecks her mother bought her as a child, Marichelle Hills, owner of boutique MEUS, now wears only “lofty turtleneck sweaters, ones that could potentially swallow my head.” The wool No. 17 jumper from Babaà has a dramatic neck that reaches her ears, “literally feels like a hug,” and gets softer the more she wears it.

[Editors’ note: Babaà lists its prices in euros, so this is an approximation to U.S. dollars.]

Sizes: XS–L | Fabric: Cashmere | Fit and design: Oversized with rounded sleeves and ribbed trims

I have been very curious about Cos’s cashmere for the longest time, and content creator Diana-May says its Chunky Pure Cashmere Turtleneck Sweater is worth buying. It’s “definitely a pretty penny, but it’s 100 percent cashmere and truly one of my coziest turtlenecks,” she tells me. It’s held up well for over a year now, with nothing happening to it that a fabric shaver can’t fix — she really only does a general upkeep of this sweater as she would with any sweater. “I don’t buy many turtlenecks, mainly because I find them a bit too overstimulating if the neck isn’t perfect,” she says. “I’d say this is my best one yet.” The height on this turtleneck’s neck made her dubious at first, but the knitting’s weight keeps it from rolling down. You should note that the turtleneck is meant to be overly oversized — I find Cos’s sizing generally generous and recommend going down a size in its knits.

(I also heard good things about Naadam’s men’s selection of cashmere from Common Era’s Torie Tilley and Lady Grey Jewelry’s Sabine Le Guyader. They “borrow” their turtlenecks from their husbands’ side of the closet.)

Sizes: XS–XXL | Fabric: Wool (with a cotton and polyester collar) | Fit and design: Fitted with a ribbed knit

Muji might be best known for making home goods and other everyday items, but its minimalist clothing basics are just as beloved (see our reviews of its undies and slippers). I learned about the brand’s turtlenecks from a column of Emilia Petrarca’s on the Cut. This version, which is similar to one Petrarca recommended, costs under $40 and is made from a washable, “non-itchy” wool. Daly also vouches for Muji’s Non-Itchy line: She says it’s the only wool she can wear, and likes the “very roomy” neck on this turtleneck.

[Editor’s note: This turtleneck is sold out in black right now, but it’s available in off-white and oatmeal while you wait for a restock.]

Sizes: XXS–XL | Fabric: Cotton and elastane | Fit and design: Super-fitted with a ribbed knit, exposed seams, and lettuce edges

Baserange’s basics are well worth the splurge. (Several Strategist staffers are even devotees.) Its Omato Turtleneck is especially nice, cut to be figure-hugging with ribbing, lettuce edging, and exposed seams that make a trompe l’oeil hourglass shape. It’s “soft, sensuous, and stretchy,” says Lucy Weisner, co-founder of Café Forgot. Because of the formfitting fit, brand consultant Nancy Rosenbloom suggests going up one size since it runs small. But she “lives in” it — and also recommends another turtleneck from Baserange for those who want something less tight-fitting. It’s made from what she describes as a “gorgeous” bamboo lyocell (compared to the cotton-and-elastane blend used in the Omato).

Sizes: 1–4 (equivalent to XS–L) | Fabric: Viscose and elastane | Fit and design: Super-fitted with elbow-length sleeves

For a shorter sleeve, Sarah Palatnik, founder of Cute Fruit Undies (who has worked as a garment production manager for several brands, including Los Angeles Apparel), recommends this “elbow-sleeve” turtleneck that’s stylish enough to be worn on its own or easily layered under a long-sleeve top. It’s made from a viscose-and-elastane fabric that’s perfectly stretchy, and has held up well for more than two and a half years.

Sizes: XS–XL | Fabric: Nylon, spandex | Fit and design: Super-fitted with a zippered back and ballet-style cut

Because she feels like most turtlenecks overwhelm her petite frame, Lady Grey Jewelry co-founder Jill Martinelli goes for mock-necks instead. This Capezio leotard doesn’t cover her neck completely and acts almost like “full-upper-body Spanx” — she can even skip wearing a bra. There’s also “a little slip to it,” she says, making it an incredible layering piece: “It doesn’t rub or catch with other fabrics or look bulky. Everything just glides over it.” Martinelli likes to wear it with vintage Levi’s and secondhand Yves Saint Laurent marabou-and-satin mules.

(Clare V. founder Clare Vivier recommends trying Skims’s similarly smoothing bodysuit, while Tarin Thomas founder Kylie Nakao goes for Wolford’s splurgeworthy thonged style.)