HEEDING THE CALL from athletes and people working outside for more protection from the cold than their long johns could provide, Champion (originally the Knickerbocker Knitting Company) started manufacturing sweatshirts in the 1930s. They were made from thicker underwear material, and the company later added the hood for extra warmth.
Skipping several decades and the hoodie’s association with punk, hip-hop and skateboard cultures, fast forward to today and the fashion industry’s elevation of the humble hoodie into a modern style statement.
Though I love leggings and am a fan of sneakers for everyday wear, until recently I’ve never considered myself a hoodie-wearing kind of girl and have kept the only one I own to the confines of the gym (and the odd trip to the grocery store). But when I met a woman I know in a local store trying on an attractive ivory hooded sweatshirt and saying how she regularly wears “this look,” I understood why. She looked stylish—and comfortable.
Hoodies are available at every price point, in fabrics from fleece to cashmere, from mass retailers to high-end designers (e.g., Fendi, Balenciaga and Saint Laurent). They’re a practical (warm) wardrobe addition right now to layer under a winter coat that doesn’t already have a hood or over a sweater; come spring, they’ll be that perfect thing to wear under a denim or leather jacket or a trench coat.
LEFT: Rag & Bone’s fluffy Teddy Sherpa Hoodie, made from a soft, nubby fleece material, looks so cozy. And the loose fit means you could pop it on over a sweater. $295, Shopbop. CENTER: This Ribbed Wool-Blend Hooded Top from popular Danish designer Ganni is a lush combination of wool and mohair. Thin enough to slip on under a winter coat. On a cool spring day, pair it with white pants or jeans. $350, Moda Operandi. RIGHT: The name says it all. Give this Everyday Hoodie a regular rotation in your wardrobe. Keep it casual with jeans or ante up and wear with a skirt (shown below). It comes in gray, maroon and navy. Plus, it’s reduced to $42.99 at Eloquii.
LEFT: Faux shearling is the darling of coat fashion this season. It is put to good use on Vince’s Cozy Hoodie. Its slightly cropped shape over a midi-leather skirt is a combination I’d copy in a heartbeat. It’s reduced to $171 at Vince. RIGHT: How’s this for an excellent idea—a pink hoodie under a glossy trench coat.
LEFT: When you want to keep it casual, the mango color and the tiny heart on Topshop’s Heart Hoodie gets our nod. Reduced to $26.99 at Nordstrom. RIGHT: Thanks to its medium weight, ATM’s French Terry Zip-up Hoodie is a season-less buy. It’s spendy but details like raw-hem sleeves and pocket size update the classic sweatshirt and make it a wardrobe workhorse. $225, ATM Collection.
LEFT: Another wardrobe workhorse that I can seeing wearing for all kinds of reasons, especially in that awesome denim color. The Perfect Hoodie is $75 at Aritzia, CENTER: According to its website, 11 Honore “is a size-inclusive shopping site that for the first time ever, gives more women the option to experience the best designer clothing, sizes 10-20.” Wear the Red Arden Hoodie Dress as a mini or over leggings. $385. RIGHT: Yes, I know this BCBG Heathered Funnelneck doesn’t have a hood. But it’s damn cute, and it’s reduced to $54.39 at Lord & Taylor.
LEFT: When I’m invited on that yacht for a cruise through the French Riviera, I want to wear Marni’s Striped Contrast Pocket Hooded Top. $750, Saks Fifth Avenue. RIGHT: For a change of pace, sub your black turtleneck for Theory’s Donegal Cashmere Hoodie. Now’s the right time to act. It’s reduced to $207 until March 3 at Bloomingdale’s.
LEFT: Eloquii’s Everyday Hoodie styled with a leather jacket, patterned below-the-knee skirt and ankle boots. RIGHT: Everlane’s Square Hoodie is priced well for cashmere, but it’s only available in an extra large. $140 at Everlane.
—Janet Kelly
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Definitely handy when you find yourself out in the rain or snow as I just did last week.
Love hoods. All my outerwear has hoods so I can’t lose a hat, or have to hold an umbrella. Hoodies are the ultimate comfort wear. Particularly like Everlane pieces.
Definitely handy when you find yourself out in the rain or snow as I just did last week.
I was totally inspired by this post—and also happened to be standing in the sportswear section of Lord & Taylor—so I grabbed a basic light-gray sweatshirt hoodie embellished with pink roses and those ubiquitous black/white stripes across the shoulders and down the outside of the arms. Now, it was an inexpensive Calvin Klein sports line so it was only $69. And I was at L&T so it was marked down to $41.40. And, again, it was L&T so there was an additional 20% off, taking it down to $33.12. I mean, really. And it’s kinda cute!
Love Lord & Taylor for those very reasons. And, like I mentioned, I’m beginning to like the idea of hoodies, especially as a transition from winter to spring.
I particularly like rain coats with hoods. I once had a rain hat – cute as it was – too easily lost! In rain and snow – a hood is great!