SHOP $148, brooksbrothers.com
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For me, Challengers should be the box-office hit of the year. It’s got some of the best actors working today and an incredible score, and crucially, it’s not another prequel, sequel, or remake. It’s original, and it was perfectly timed to land just before the summer Grand Slams. A lot of people freaked out about the “I Told Ya” shirt, but it got me ruminating on tennis-inspired prep in general.
Within the prep category, there are a lot of lame clothes. But the one item I’ve found eternally cool is the tennis sweater. Yet I’d never had one I loved. My girlfriend—well aware of this struggle—scored me an old ’90s Brooks Brothers tennis sweater in an antique mall a while back. I went looking for something better. Turns out, it doesn’t exist. To this day, Brooks Brothers makes the best tennis sweater on the market.
It’s the best version of the form.
Let’s start with the other options I went through before getting here. First, that vintage Brooks Brothers tennis sweater. I love it, but I don’t love the fact that it’s wool—takes away from the sportiness—or the fact that it’s essentially one-of-one. Lacoste and Sporty & Rich both make versions I love, perfect in look and feel. But they’re women’s, so the sizing is off. J.Press has plenty of options, all at a higher price and with no real upgrade in fabric. Todd Snyder has this one, but the mohair takes it out of sporty territory, too. Of course, Ralph Lauren makes a classic cricket sweater, but it’s wool and in a different price range.
All I want is high-quality cotton, a classic cable-knit, contrast tipping, and a deep V-neck. After my search, I was back where I started. Brooks Brothers is the only brand making the perfect tennis sweater.
SHOP $148, brooksbrothers.com
Every aspect is perfect.
So, beyond the fact that no one else is even trying to make it, why is this the perfect tennis sweater? First, it’s the fabric. As I said, wool feels a little too formal for me, even if it is the traditional choice. Since this is a sporty garment, I prefer cotton, and Brooks Brothers uses an American-grown, long staple Supima cotton. It’s stupid soft, like a cotton cashmere. It’s durable, resistant to piling. And it’s tough enough to be machine washed, though I hand-wash mine.
Beyond that, the colors are great, all classic combos of navy, red, and a neutral. For me, the fit is perfect, not too trim and modern, but heavier guys might want to test multiple sizes. What Brooks Brothers does so well is stick to the formula. That’s really what prep is about. We don’t need prep brands to get whacky. The wearer can do that themselves. (In the fall, I like to throw on a tennis sweater with leather pants and black boots.) All the maker needs to do is craft a reliable, good-looking sweater, and Brooks Brothers does that.
SHOP $148, brooksbrothers.com
It all makes sense, given the heritage.
When I finally got some of the new Brooks Brothers sweaters, I did feel like an idiot. Of course this is the best version of the thing. They invented the thing. Since the 1920s, when the tennis sweater was actually a sports garment, it’s been Brooks Brothers making them. There’s a Brooks Brothers tennis sweater in the Met’s Costume Institute. This contest was over before I even started my search.
So maybe you’re a prep diehard. Maybe you saw Challengers, watched Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and wanted to get a little preppy for the U.S. Open. Doesn’t matter. If you’re looking for something classic, something eternally cool and perfectly designed, it’s the Brooks Brothers tennis sweater. No one does it better.
SHOP $148, brooksbrothers.com
Photographs by Joe Lingeman. Prop styling by Heather Greene.
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