No longer just for straight-laced students and teachers, V-neck jumpers are back in style. Master the look with one of these key pieces.

The V-neck top is a contentious piece. Well, as contentious as you get in the rather soft-boiled realm of knitwear. Many of us will have unpleasant associations of having to wear scratchy variations of the style as part of a school uniform. It’s also undeniable that there’s a slightly bookish feel to even the most contemporary of iterations – perhaps caused by their popularity among university lecturers and librarians. However, it’s time to put all such reservations aside. Given that the general tenor of men’s style has taken a step towards the eccentric – thanks to the likes of Mr Alessandro Michele at Gucci – there are a slew of interesting new V-neck sweaters on the loose this season, and multiple ways to wear them. Scroll down to discover three choice examples from our current inventory on MR PORTER.

This V-neck from Lanvin has a vintage, collegiate feel, amplified by its appliquéd letter detail and its artfully distressed finish. Wear it with pride, like a treasured varsity sweater that’s been passed down through the generations, and play up the nostalgic, worn-in feel with a pair of stonewashed jeans from Gucci.

A V-neck is a perfect option for slipping over your shirt in business or smart-casual situations. This particular example from John Smedley has a nice, high neckline, which will reveal your collar in a neat fashion while retaining a certain level of smartness. Wear it over a button-down shirt from Polo Ralph Lauren – a piece that every man should have in his wardrobe.

Gucci’s Mr Alessandro Michele is drawn to the gawky and kitsch elements of the male wardrobe, particularly those associated with the 1970s – such as the tank top. The reason everyone is currently making such a fuss of him, though, is because he’s able to take such inspirations and produce stylish, contemporary pieces like the above – the colour palette of which offers an eye-catching take on Gucci’s trademark red and green stripes. Go the whole hog and pair it with one of Mr Michele’s penny-collar shirts, covered in tiny little hearts. No, they don’t entirely match, but as far as the new Gucci is concerned, that’s entirely the point, and a lot more fun.