The James Bond SPECTRE Roll Neck Sweater

Update: We have a new version of this post with fresh alternatives! You can see it here!

Six years later and it’s still a fan favorite look. For his visit with Mr. White in SPECTRE, James Bond wore a light grey, cable knit roll neck sweater under a blue cashmere bomber jacket from Dior Homme with charcoal grey puppytooth trousers from Neil Barrett. Created by the film’s costume designer Jany Temime, it’s a rugged yet elegant look that perfectly suited the style of Daniel Craig’s interpretation of 007.

As we all know by now, Bond’s 100% Mongolian cashmere knitwear came from British brand N.Peal. And it’s still available, now re-branded as their 007 Cable Roll Neck Sweater in Fumo Grey ($430.00/£339.00). This is just a personal opinion, but if I was going to invest in one piece from N.Peal’s 007 Collection, this would be it. The cable knit is a classic design, the cashmere is going to feel amazing next to the skin (very important with a turtleneck!) and that light grey color will look great with almost anything. It’s timeless and versatile, which is exactly what we want when we’re spending big bucks on a sweater.

Features Wanted for the James Bond SPECTRE Roll Neck Sweater

• Thin cable knit pattern pattern on body and sleeves
• Ribbed knit roll neck collar, cuffs and hem
• Light grey color
• Lightweight material

I’m very happy to say that this season we have some great options for the more budget conscious amongst us. Not only are we getting the small scale cable knit pattern, but the colors are also coming very close. And, if we can invest just a little more, we don’t have to sacrifice on the quality of the materials!

Best Option for the James Bond SPECTRE Roll Neck Sweater

Express Cable Knit Turtleneck Sweater in Heather Gray: on sale for $34.99

The bad news: the yarn is a polyester, acrylic and wool blend. So not exactly “luxury” (although it should still feel plenty soft around your neck). The good news: the color is a great match for Bond’s sweater. And while the cable knit pattern isn’t exactly the same, it does come pretty close. The better news: it’s FIFTEEN BUCKS (Edit: well that didn’t last long! Looks like Express has updated the product page, so it’s back to the 50% off sale price. But thirty-five bucks is still plenty reasonable). Express still has sizes XS and medium to XL in stock, but it looks like they’re starting to sell fast.

Under $100

Lightweight Cable Slim Fit Turtleneck Sweater in Light Gray: $21.98

With the Express sweater available at that ridiculous sale price, I really don’t think there’s any reason to buy this one. But once our Best Option sells out, it’s a nice to have a back-up. And versions of this generic, made in Asia, cotton/poly blend roll neck have been around for years. The current crop can be found on Ebay (I’ve linked above to the best price I could find there) and on AliExpress for around fifteen dollars. Just two reminders. These fit small! So check that size chart. And shipping can take up to a month or more.

Threadbare Roll Neck Adrien Jumper in Light Grey: $45.00/£32.00

For those of you looking for an affordable option that has more of a chunky, rustic feel. The color is a nice light grey, even if the cable pattern isn’t the best match. And they’ve used an 85% acrylic and 15% wool yarn, which explains the sub-$50 price tag. You’ll find sizes small to XXL on Thread.

Under $200

Massimo Dutti Cable Knit Wool Sweater in Grey Marl: $129.00/£89.95

We included this alternative in our recent Best Budget Style Finds. And although the chunkier cable pattern isn’t screen-accurate, it’s a more modern interpretation of the classic roll neck that’ll work great for winter layering. The yarn is 74% wool, 18% polyamide and 8% yak. So it should be plenty warm enough. Massimo Dutti has sizes small to XL in stock. But if my past experience with the brand is anything to go by, you’ll want to double check the size chart and possibly size up if you want a more relaxed fit.

Suit Supply Turtleneck Sweater in Light Grey: $149.00/£149.00

An awesome suggestion from our fellow Bond-fan Rushkin (@rushinkerslake on Instagram). The price is certainly getting up there. But the pattern and the color make it an excellent match for Bond’s sweater. And the 70% wool, 30% cashmere yarn adds a touch of luxury you just won’t find with the less expensive sweaters. Plus they have sizes XS to XXL in stock. So even though it’s a slim fit, this one should work for guys of almost all body shapes.

The Investment Pieces

Aurélien Dolcevita Cable Knit Sweater in Light Grey: $286.00/£215.00

The next step up on our ladder of luxury. Handmade in Italy from a 90% extra-fine Merino wool and 10% cashmere yarn, it has the thinner cable pattern and light grey color we want and a trimmer fit that makes it perfect for layering. It’s currently sold out on the Aurélien website site. But they should be re-stocking with a full size run in about a week if you can be a little patient.

Belstaff Hilary Cable Knit Wool Rollneck Sweater in Gray: $395.00/£295.00

Seeing as the price comes so close to the N.Peal, I was on the fence about including this option from Belstaff. But I think it’s a great luxury choice for those of you looking for a chunkier, more rugged sweater for workwear inspired looks. Made in the UK from a 100% wool yarn, the color is a shade darker than Bond’s turtleneck and it has a thicker, almost Aran knit style cable pattern. And it’ll look great under navy cashmere bombers and denim trucker jackets or canvas chore coats. If the knit of the 007 sweater feels a little too delicate for you, this is a solid “inspired by” alternative. Mr. Porter has sizes small to XXL available.

Have some alternatives for the James Bond SPECTRE neck sweater you’d like to share? That’s what the comments are for! And remember to head over to Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram if you’d like to check out our accounts there. We always appreciate the company!