Mock Neck vs Turtleneck – What’s The Difference?

As the fall season rolls around, it’s time to restock on some thicker clothing. And what better place to start than two items that are synonymous with the fall season – turtleneck sweaters and mock neck sweaters.

But before that, you need to know the difference between these two collar types.

In this guide, I would go over all the differences between turtlenecks and mock necks, along with the pros and cons of both these categories.

After going through this article, you would be able to make a choice about which garment you want to spend your hard-earned money on.

Let’s begin!

Difference Between Turtlenecks And Mock Necks

Turtleneck	Mock Neck
The turtleneck’s collar is always folded over.	A mock neck’s collar cannot be folded over.
True turtleneck collars are only found in sweaters.	Can be found on t-shirts and tops too.
Usually more expensive.	Usually less expensive.
More formal.	More casual.
Only worn in winter.	Can be worn in summer and spring too.

Pros And Cons Of Turtlenecks

Advantages of Turtleneck sweaters

1. Warmth

Think about it. Turtleneck sweaters have an abundance of fabric around the collar region. This fabric is rolled down to give the sweater its unique silhouette, and as a result, there are two layers between the cold atmosphere and your neck.

This additional layer is what provides warmth to the turtleneck wearer. Now, depending on the material, this can be a lot of warmth (as in the case of merino wool) or very negligible (as in the case of polyester).

2. Classiness

Turtlenecks are meant to be classy. The wearer of this sweater exudes intelligence, mystique, style, and most importantly, class.

They are the only piece that can look amazing underneath a suit as well as underneath an oversized flannel.

Their structured neck elevates any outfit that they are a part of, and makes every piece look dapper on your body.

3. Availability

Almost every major brand makes turtlenecks. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said about mock necks.

Think about it. People who have no idea about fashion and style also know what a turtleneck is. An 8-year-old kid knows what a turtleneck is. But will any of them know about mock necks? Probably not.

This is the reason that turtlenecks are a lot more widely available than their casual counterparts. More people wear them, which means you will find a lot more stuff that goes with turtlenecks, a point many people often forget when comparing the two.

Disadvantages of Turtleneck sweaters

1. Cost

A major downside of buying a turtleneck sweater is its cost. These sweaters tend to be very pricey, especially if they are made of premium materials such as lambswool, merino wool, and cashmere.

You can try to mitigate some of this effect by going for a cotton sweater, but that will not provide you enough warmth.

Or you can go for wool-blend options, which have the durability of natural wool along with the inexpensiveness of polyester and nylon.

2. Limited Versatility

Turtlenecks are heavy pieces; especially if they are made from quality fabrics. This weight is also the reason that turtlenecks are very warm, apart from the dual covering of the neck.

Because turtlenecks are so warm (especially around your neck), they can only be really worn in the winter season, and maybe late fall, depending on where you live.

Since turtleneck collars are only available in thick sweaters, there’s really no way to wear such a piece in the warmer months. This limits the entire garment to only one season – winter.

Pros And Cons Of Mock Necks

Advantages of Mock Neck sweaters

1. Can be worn in every season

Because mock necks provide much less warmth to the neck, they can be worn in almost every season, depending on the material of course.

And since mock necks are not limited to sweaters, they can even be worn on the harshest summer days by simply incorporating the mock neck collar into a t-shirt.

There are a lot of mock neck tees, tops, dresses, and sweatshirts that you can opt for if the knit material isn’t for you. And this versatility helps you in wearing the mock neck collar all around the year.

2. Cheaper

Because they use less fabric overall, mock necks are cheaper to manufacture than turtlenecks. And this change in price also reflects in the final cost of mock neck garments, which tend to be on the more affordable side of the spectrum.

If you want something even more inexpensive, you can always go for mock neck t-shirts. They are going to be a lot less costly than the sweater counterpart of this collar type.

3. Less irritating and suffocating

A major problem that a lot of people have about turtleneck sweaters is that they tend to irritate the skin and suffocate the wearer, especially if they are made from low-quality wool.

Another reason for the suffocation is that turtleneck collars are rolled on, which means that there are two layers of fabric covering the neck. While this is great for keeping one warm, it can also very easily lead to suffocation.

Disadvantages of Mock Neck sweaters

1. Lack of warmth

The only real disadvantage of going with mock neck sweaters is that they are not going to provide you the same level of warmth that a turtleneck might provide you.

Although the difference between both collar types is minimal, the additional fabric covering of a turtleneck makes sure that mock necks can never beat it in the warmth department.

Final Remarks

Here’s the difference between turtleneck sweaters and mock neck sweaters:

1. Turtlenecks can only be worn in the winter, while mock necks can be worn all round the year.
2. Mock necks are much more casual than turtlenecks.
3. Turtleneck sweaters tend to be pricier than mock neck sweaters.
4. T-shirts and tops can also have a mock neck collar, whereas only sweaters have a turtleneck collar.
5. The main difference between a turtleneck and a mock neck is that a turtleneck collar has excess fabric that needs to be folded over. This is not the case with mock neck garments.