It is the basic garment for the casual weekend. The hoodie , or long-sleeved sweater, or cotton sweater (pronounced with a Quebec accent) is an essential piece of clothing in the casual male wardrobe . The right hooded sweatshirt is one that has a front pocket , a deep hood and is loose enough to be comfortable in all situations. Let's go over the details that make a good men's hoodie .
HOW TO CHOOSE A HOODIE FABRIC?
First, rely on the list of brands that I listed at the end of the article . They are the best in their field and make really good products. Then when you have a product in your hands, choose a fairly thick and heavy cotton. Between your fingers, the fleece fabric that makes up this sweatshirt must be very rigid on the outside, dry, smooth, almost hard . It should be very tightly woven in 100% cotton. There can sometimes be a small proportion of synthetic fibers which provide rigidity, but this must remain very limited. This is exactly the case of the Camber which is for me a reference in this field. The inside of the fabric must be soft, fluffy, whether it is brushed cotton or terry(like a terry cloth). I have a preference for brushed cotton for the winter because it's a little warmer and softer than terrycloth. The top will be to find a "loop wheeled" fabric sweatshirt, but it's rare and often expensive.
WHAT IS A “LOOP WHEEL” SWEATSHIRT?
If you are currently wearing a sweatshirt, you will notice that there is a seam down each sidewall. It goes from the hollow of your armpit to your hip. It makes it possible to assemble different parts of fabrics together. Previously, this seam was not present because sweatshirts were made on circular knitting looms, called "loop wheel", "switzer knit" or "Tsuriami-ki " in Japanese. This type of machine, patented in 1926, makes tubes of fleece and not rolls of flat fabric. It produces a single size at a very slow rate of around 1 meter of fabric per hour (see video below). They hang from the ceiling (not flat) and it 's gravity that pulls the fabric, without additional force gradually during weaving. It is precisely this slowness and the low tension on the fiber that makes the quality of the weaving. This allows for a denser weave, a softer fleece and a fabric that loses its shape over time.
But the low rate of these machines got the better of them. Gradually abandoned in the 1950s for faster tools. Today there are only a few companies in the world (between 2 and 4 to my knowledge ) capable of manufacturing these fleeces. These include Kanekichi Industries , Wada Meriayasu and Toky Seni located in Japan, and Merz B. Schwanen , in Germany. All this to say that this type of sweatshirt is very beautiful, comfortable and above all much rarer and more expensive. I added below a list of brands that offer this type of hoodies .
WHAT CUT FOR A GOOD SWEATSHIRT?
A hoodie is worn loose and a little puffy . Remember that this is a room that should be comfortable. We don't wear it like a wool sweater. It must leave room for movement, and even give the possibility of wearing a t-shirt and a thin sweater underneath.
The hood and the pocket are also important. A deep and thick hood is a real plus. It will allow you to protect yourself from the cold and the wind if necessary. Make sure it is very thick, even doubled, to have a correct outfit when you wear it. A hood that is too soft will tend to collapse on itself in an unsightly way.
The pocket must also be deep to be really useful. It's not just a style accessory. You can slip a small wallet / card holder, a phone or a pair of sunglasses for example. It's a detail to check
WHAT TO WEAR WITH A HOODIE?
It's the casual sweatshirt par excellence, so it goes with a casual outfit . It is easy to wear with jeans and a pair of sneakers. But you don't need me to know that! On the other hand, it is also possible to wear a hoodie with a dressier coat or over a denim jacket. Please avoid wearing a hoodie and a suit jacket, it's really the worst association. I remember this trend from the 2000s where brands even offered jackets with a “fake” integrated hoodie hood. What a dark time!
WEAR A HOODIE WITH A CLASSIC LOOK
What's more interesting is how you can pair it with beige chinos and a pair of moccasins or converse while still looking good. I recommend wearing it with a t-shirt underneath and not a polo neck. I find that the polo doesn't really go with the sweatshirt. In addition, the collar of the polo creates a thickness which can be seen and which is really not beautiful.
Another very understated look below shows how it's possible to wear a hoodie even with corduroy pants. Two universes that meet without clashing. With just a white t-shirt underneath and you're done.
THE HOODED CARDIGAN: LIKE A JACKET
It's not my favorite model, I prefer without zip, but you have to admit that it works pretty well on the looks below. It gives a slightly less relaxed look. It almost looks like a jacket.
THE HOODIE OVER A JACKET
THE HOODIE ON A COAT
A little more complicated if you don't really know how to do it. We limit the breakage with discreet colors such as gray or black. Beware of the "double hood" effect if you have a coat that already has a hood.
THE DOUBLE HOOD
If you're wearing a hoodie or jacket with a hoodie, the two should go well together. In the photo below, everything fits together easily between the Camber sweatshirt and the Scandinavian Edition coat . Generally it goes well when the hood of the coat is wider than that of the hoodie. The opposite can create an imbalance. To be seen on a case-by-case basis.
THE RIBBING: AN IMPORTANT DETAIL
You may never have noticed it, but it's a super important detail on a sweatshirt or even on a sweater. The edges – ribs , also called “Rib” in English, are the ends of the sleeves and the bottom of the sweatshirt, which are made of a contrasting elastic fabric or not. Their elasticity must be excellent over time so as not to relax over time . If you feel that a ribbing is of poor quality when you buy your hoodie, it is not likely to get better over time. See if it is elastic and if it resumes its shape well. It should be dense and tight.
The one below is perfect, because it is also very long. That's what I love about Camber sweatshirts. We can keep them a little long as in the photo or roll them up. Real McCoy sweatshirts also have this specificity.
WITH OR WITHOUT ZIP?
Trick question. There is no right answer. Personally I prefer to have a hoodie without a zipper, but others can't stand it. It depends a bit on your usage. For you, it's more like a "blouson" or a "jacket" that you want to wear and take off several times a day: a zip is necessary. If you wear it all day without taking it off then a classic zipless hoodie will be fine. In any case, be sure to choose a quality zip: Riri, Talon or YKK are good references. Check the solidity of this accessory which is very important.
WHICH HOODIE COLOR TO CHOOSE?
The base is heather grey. It's the one that's the easiest to wear and that you can wear with lots of looks. Then it's easy to wear colors, like burgundy or green, it goes really well. Navy blue is a little more complicated to wear because it looks too monochromatic with jeans. However, it is very easy to wear with light chinos . White is good, but it's messy!
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