Fall is for fleece jackets. And for decades now, there's been one true king of the deep pile castle: Patagonia, who damn near invented the stuff in the '70s, and then perfected it in the '80s with their iconic Retro-X jacket. But lo-what's this? A new challenger to the sherpa crown approaches from the East! Because the good folks at Uniqlo just unveiled what is easily the best budget fleece jacket we've ever seen.
The Japanese mega-retailer's "windproof fleece long-sleeve jacket" is clearly, ahem, inspired by Patagonia's Retro-X, with its boxy cut and contrast nylon at the pockets and collar. The biggest difference? Uniqlo's version costs a whopping $149 less than its obvious muse, but-crucially-doesn't feel $149 cheaper. The fleece here is substantial, like digging into a chunky, toasty bowl of chowder. It's hearty and dense and surprisingly soft, and comes in a quartet of subdued tones that'll look stellar with a pair of cords and some Birkenstocks.
Patagonia's Retro-X will always be the the OG-a timeless legend on par with Air Jordan 1s and the Levi's 501. But if you're on a tighter budget this winter and still need some of that deep pile heat, Uniqlo's dupe punches way above its price tag. Nab one before it's too late.
$50.00, Uniqlo
$50.00, Uniqlo
$50.00, Uniqlo
$50.00, Uniqlo