Quarter zips & Matcha (GT)
Updated: Oct 6
Everywhere I look recently, there seems to be a man in a quarter zip.
Bonus points if they’re holding a matcha!
A TikTok about what men look best in recently went viral, and apparently the internet decided that the answer was: quarter zip + matcha + probably a finance internship.
And just like that, the “performative male” was born.
There’s something fascinating about how quickly one TikTok can turn a pretty normal outfit into an entire persona.
The quarter zip itself isn’t new. Neither is matcha. But put the two together, throw in a few TikToks about what men generally “look best” in, and suddenly every guy at school looks like he’s a regular at a local coffee shop and has a five-year investment plan.
Trends are so powerful.
What I've observed ...and learned about in my IB Business class... is that most often than not, consumers buy into what a product says about them.
The quarter zip isn’t just a quarter zip anymore. It represents a certain type of guy. The matcha isn’t just a drink. It’s part of the aesthetic. It’s personal branding!
This is why companies spend millions trying to create an identity that makes people think, “This is so me.”
Proven once again, TikTok can evoke the same emotion in about 15 seconds.
Once a trend, like matcha and quarter zips, becomes recognizable, people start participating because they want to
a.) be a part of the big internet inside joke
b.) adopt the aesthetic into themselves
So, to all the quarter-zip-wearing men out there:
You look dapper.
Next time you see one, say something nice about his quarter zip.
Or don't.
Who knows.
