Welcome to Further Details, a series dedicated to ubiquitous but overlooked elements hidden on your favorite products. This week: the V at the neck of your sweatshirt.
Take a look at your sweatshirts. You might notice that some have a peculiar feature at the neck — a V-shaped stitch that sits right at the middle of the collar. Why is it there? It’s a confounding detail that has stumped people for years.
That little detail goes by a few names, most commonly the V-insert, V-stitch and, its tastiest moniker, the Dorito. You won’t find it on every sweatshirt, though. It’s become less prevalent over the years and was phased out by many brands, fueling the confusion surrounding its intent.
Originally, the design was a ribbed knit material that was inserted at the collar and stitched into place. It served two main purposes: Like the ribbing at the sleeves and at the hem, the ribbed insert allowed the wearer to more easily don the garment without it losing shape. As the wearer would get their head through the neck of the sweatshirt, the V-insert would stretch to accommodate. The elasticity of the ribbing could stretch as needed without losing integrity.
The second reason is that it helped to absorb sweat. If you’ve seen someone sweat through a crewneck, you’ll know that the chest is a major point of perspiration. Though, the V-insert could only take so much.
Early versions saw the V-insert at both the front and the back of the collar while others would just have one at the front. Eventually, the detail became merely decorative as companies began to stitch a V at the collar without the ribbed material, weening the consumer before leaving it out altogether.
But, the recent resurgence of heritage brands and a focus on vintage influences has brought the V-insert back into vogue as brands like Merz B. Schwanen, Buzz Rickson’s and Champion Reverse Weave look to capitalize on archival styles. Whether you use yours to catch some sweat or the one you’ve got is purely ornamental, you now have a new fun fact to share.
Editor's Picks: Best Deals Today
Georgia Boot Small Batch Limited Edition Collection
The Small Batch Limited Edition Collection from Georgia Boot is the style you love of the classic work boot with improved comfort technologies for today’s consumer.
Yes, Mother's Day is almost here and you should probably get flowers for your mom. If you pre-order from Bouqs, you can get 20% off any of its Mother's Day selection.
Summer is coming and you need a new pair of shades. Right now you can get a pair from Garrett Leight, the California-based brand that outfits celebs like Brad Pitt, for 25% off.
According to our editors, this is the best overall synthetic down jacket to buy in 2021. It is a no-frills insulation layer that has some stretch for comfort and has been updated with a more relaxed fit than previous iterations.
As Nike has stepped its game up, so have other elite running brands. The Carbon X is Hoka One One's foray into running shoes with a springy carbon plate for efficiency and a propulsive ride.
Nike is revolutionizing running and running shoe tech with its NEXT% series — these are the ultimate runners for daily training. These rarely go on sale, so pick some up while you can.
This compact portable charger from Anker might be diminutive, but it packs a big punch. Not only will this keep your phone topped up, but it can even charge an Apple Macbook Pro or Air.
Dyson makes some of the smartest home appliances around, including its exceptional fans and air purifiers. This one has both — a combo that will come in handy for allergy season and as temperatures warm this spring and summer.
$250 OFF + $100 LULULEMON GIFT CARD W/ CODE MOTHERSDAY21
When you're not using it, it functions just like any other mirror in your house. When you turn it on, Mirror reveals an LCD panel with stereo speakers and access to hundreds of workout classes.
It is just about time to start hanging out outside, thank goodness. This Adirondack chair takes one of the most classic outdoor chair silhouettes and twists it just a bit to make it distinctly DWR, which we love.
When it comes to deciding where to spend your money on clothes, we have two words: elevated basics. This jacket is a classic silhouette but has an attention to detail you won't find anywhere. Plus, it is made in New York.
The Nike Blazer is a sneaker icon. Re-release the Mid '77 version and it has instantly become the best shoe you can wear this spring and summer. It will go with anything and is durable for daily wear.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
