Hoodies that “hoodie”

By Stefan Avianto

10 / 30 / 23

If you’ve ever hesitated putting on your fitted collegiate Champion hoodie and instead slipped on your father’s thrashed and baggy Carhartt hoodie, you may have taken a step down the rabbit hole of hoodies that ‘hoodie’. Popularized by Julia Huynh's viral TikTok about ‘hoodie-ing’ and hoodies that ‘hoodie’, conversations have arisen over social media about what makes a hoodie the go-to comfort piece in your closet. As Huynh compares her UCLA Champion Eco-fleece to her more favored pink Akimbo and Fear of God Essentials hoodie, sweatshirt wearers have begun to appreciate more oversized tops with slightly cropped lengths and a wider chest and sleeves. 

There’s a lot more that goes into whether your hoodie is a daily or weekly top in your wardrobe however. Thick and robust hoodies that sit comfortably on the shoulders and throughout the body usually have a higher weight or GSM meaning grams per square meter. In general, a hoodie with a higher weight and or GSM will feel thicker and heavier on the body, offering the effortless streetwear look many modern hoodie wearers prefer. Although, the heavier or higher GSM a garment reports does not guarantee quality and longevity.

More common sweatshirts such as Champions classic Reverse Weave hoodies are usually made up of cotton, a soft and natural material, and polyester, a synthetic material a lot less cozier and sustainable than cotton. Cheaper garments such as those from fast fashion brands typically have a higher percentage of polyester and lack the longevity of higher quality cotton hoodies. Therefore, when looking for your next hoodie that hoodies, try to find one with a complete or higher ratio of cotton, such as Everybody.World’s Trash Hoodie, made from 100% reclaimed waste cotton. 

Most importantly, how does the modern perfect hoodie fit? As mentioned before, current streetwear icons such as Justin and Hailey Bieber typically opt for boxier fitting hoodies with exaggerated sleeves, a wide chest, and a slightly cropped length not too far from the waist. Viral hoodies such as the Fear of God Essentials Hoodie and the timeless 90’s Russell Athletic Hoodie offer drop-shoulder sleeves, meaning the shoulder of the hoodie drapes past the shoulder and at the bicep of the wearer. These hoodies do not feel tight in any section of the garment including the hood, which is roomy enough for the whole head and even a hat. Moreover, trendier hoodies today feature a boxier silhouette with the width measurement of the garment having less than a 3 inch difference in measurement to the length. Combining the perfect fit, construction, and material into your hoodie search will help the piece stay away from the back of your closet. 

Now that you’ve cruised through the Hoodie-ing-101 crash course, will you still grab your snug fitting Champion or your years-old oversized go-to? More designers have begun to lean more towards the trendy oversized fit, while others choose to maintain the ever loved traditional fit. Regardless, the reliable comfort piece in everyone's closet will never go out of style.