November 17, 2025
The trend speaks to the rise of professional but casual attire on an everyday basis.
Young Black men are giving up on the “YN” lifestyle for a more professional look.
Gone are the days of the Jordan sneakers with the Nike tech sweatsuits. The signature YN look is no longer the trend, as Black young men and teens would rather trade for a quarter zip sweater. Black Instagram users have joined the joking trend about how life feels more elevated when rocking the classic workplace attire.
In fact, some are taking things a step further with a matcha in hand, fulfilling an entirely new aesthetic in this new era.
One content creator named Rich created a skit about the new Quarter Zip craze.
“It’s such a glorious day, the sun is shining so vibrant, so radiant. We don’t do that NIKE tech and coffee anymore, it’s straight up matcha and cashmere quarter zips around here,” he stated sarcastically.
He went on to say that he doesn’t rock the new “kicks” to pop out at an event. Instead, he’s opting for the quiet luxury look, but with designer loafers. He also no longer goes by his street name of “Rich” anymore, preferring for his homeboys to call him Joel in public.
He continued, “…My name is Joel and it’s straight cashmere quarter zips and Gucci loafer season.”
The content creator then went on to say he no longer partakes in “outside” activities, seemingly referencing the club or parties, calling them “low vibrational endeavors.”
Other online creators caught on to the “Quarter Zips and Matcha” trend.
“We don’t do Nike tech. We don’t do coffee. Its straight quarter zips and matcha around here,” began a man in another viral clip.
His friend added, “Yesterday I was in the hood, today I’m wearing this sweater, and I’m in Blank Street [Coffee].”
“Techs down, quarter zips up, ya heard,” said the other man.
While still mostly a satirical trend, the viral clips do note a shift away from typical casual wear and sneakers for a more “tech bro” or young professional look. As the popularity of Nike tech suits declines, this move shows the culture is moving in a new direction.
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