Before the Milk Tray man, before the decade that fashion forgot and then remembered (that’s the 1970s, in case you were wondering) and before Steve Jobs, the humble roll neck was already at work, establishing itself as a cosy but cool way of styling out the cold.

A modern wardrobe staple with all the comfort of a crew neck sweatshirt, but with the added benefit of being considerably smarter, it’s fully earned its spot in the menswear hall of fame. “The roll neck jumper is a timeless classic thanks to its versatility and the fact that it’s extremely comfortable,” says male model and photographer Chris John Millington.

It’s become a staple of the front row set at Fashion Week in recent years, but it’s also retained a rugged masculine appeal (Daniel Craig’s Bond is a fan, for example). “They offer that Steve McQueen ‘man’s man’ feel that’s always appealing, but also provide the modern, refined look that men want right now,” adds Alex Field, head of menswear design at Reiss.

History Of The Roll Neck

The exact origins of the roll neck are as murky as the name itself (on the other side of the pond it’s more readily referred to as a ‘turtleneck’, while ‘polo neck’ is another frequently used term).

Whatever your preferred moniker, the consensus is that it came into being during the 15th century, meaning this natty piece of knitwear has been around in one form or another for at least 500 years.

Like much of menswear’s clothing canon, the roll neck was born out of utility, initially worn by menial workers, sailors and naval officers before being adopted by everyone from poets and professors to playboys and prepsters.

Despite the wide-ranging appeal of the northward-creeping neckline, it only earned its place as a bona fide wardrobe staple as recently as 50 years ago. It was 1968, a time when the roll neck had all the sartorial star power of a pair of Crocs. Enter Steve McQueen as a straight-talking police detective in Bullitt and, suddenly, every man was clamouring to add one to their collection.