Velour Clothing: 21 Reasons to Swaddle Yourself in the Ultra

By Gerald Ortiz

If you lived through the 2000s, you probably have a complicated relationship with velour. Maybe your associations with the fabric are tarnished by memories of bedazzled tracksuits with pithy catchphrases printed on the ass. Or maybe you remember velour more as an accent, a detail on a lapel or a pair of handcuffs (wink wink). So if you’re reading this with any preconceived hang-ups related to velour and velvet, its higher-end sibling, we’ve got big news: as a matter of natural law, velour and all its variations are back and better than ever.

What is velour, exactly? Good question. Unlike flat-woven fabrics like twill and canvas, velour and velvet are pile fabrics, materials woven in such a way that the yarns are raised up from the surface, giving them a distinct three-dimensional feel. (If that texture reminds you of a terry cloth towel, an especially plush rug, or a hardy pair of cords, you’ve got the right idea.) Pile fabrics include some of the most decadent textiles around, so it's no wonder that many of them used to be the exclusive domain of actual royalty like kings and queens—and wannabe royalty like Paris Hilton and your eccentric uncle who insists he's a duke.

What's behind the pile fabric craze right now? In the early 2010s, streetwear's ascent helped elevate sweats and hoodies to the forefront of the fashion agenda, throwing cozier fabrics into the spotlight. Then came the tracksuits (...again). In the latter half of the 2010s, brands like Needles and Kapital put the silhouette back on the global map with the help of modern-day menswear kings like A$AP Rocky. But now velour is moving even further from the fringe to the forefront. It's no longer reserved for red carpet events, and it's long since transcended its tacky origins (though, lest you forget, gaudy is good).

And why not? It's sultry and elegant, it's sleazy and luxurious, it's sporty and comfy in equal measure. Perhaps it was this very dichotomy that kickstarted velour's comeback in the first place: it proved the fabric's got some serious range. And as we head for gloomier months, we could use another cozy quill in our quiver beyond the usual wools and cashmeres. So to prove the point, we rounded up a heavy-hitting roster of luscious, impossibly decadent velour joints to help you lounge like a don all fall long.

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How coveted can that green jacket really be when this exists?

Keep everything else about your outfit real chill and let this sick scarf take all the credit.

That satin bomber in Drive was cool and all. But we'd like to see the reboot with this behind the wheel.

@Silk Sonic.

Take your polo to plush new heights.

With contrast piping and a polo collar, we're not sure weather this piece runs track of plays golf. Either way, we love it.

If there's a fabric that the classic trucker jacket doesn't look amazing in, we haven't found it.

By The Editors of GQ

By The Editors of GQ

By Gerald Ortiz

With some baggy jorts and a pair of Adidas Gazelles, don't be surprised if someone challenges you to a game of S.K.A.T.E.

Jiyongkim's artisanally-faded hoodie is left in the sun for months to bleach naturally and the effect is stunning.

This fall, your best plaid shirt will not be made of flannel.

By The Editors of GQ

By The Editors of GQ

By Gerald Ortiz

If these are good enough for A$AP Rocky, they're more than good enough for you.

Turns out, there is a way to make a casual velvet blazer. This one from Massimo Alba borrows from workwear styles and would look amazing with khaki chinos and a broken-in denim shirt.

Bet you didn't know that velour can swing normcore!

By The Editors of GQ

By The Editors of GQ

By Gerald Ortiz

As seen on GQ-cover star Christian Bale. As if western shirts weren't hot enough!

Simultaneously glam and grunge, like a kid who went to high school between 1988 and 1992.

Just like your extremely swaggy grandma used to make.

By The Editors of GQ

By The Editors of GQ

By Gerald Ortiz

And you thought velour couldn't get any gaudier.

Exactly like the Juicy sweatpants you remember (but waaaaaaaaaaay better).

Imagining this with some swishy pants and running shoes for a sick sporty look (with absolutely no intentions of playing any sport).

By The Editors of GQ

By The Editors of GQ

By Gerald Ortiz

The fashion Prince of Darkeness needs to be cozy, too.

Show up to the holiday party in a state of pure bliss.

By Gerald Ortiz

By Gerald Ortiz

By Yang-Yi Goh

By Tyler Chin

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