3 Ways To Style A Classic Hoodie
The following three styling principals are simple, require minimal effort and can work for most wardrobes. There is no one size fits all when it comes to personal style, so if my outfit examples aren’t exactly to your taste, by all means make adjustments to suit yours. I want to preface this article by saying, please do not feel like you have to go out and buy anything to re-create one of these looks. You can absolutely find a way to build stylish outfits using what you already own. I encourage you to get creative and experiment with your clothes, shoes and accessories using these three styling tips as your guide.
1. Pair It With Items That Have A More Formal Vibe
The hoodie is classic, casual and comfortable. Pairing a traditionally casual piece like a hoodie, with something that has a more professional or dressed up feel creates an unexpected juxtaposition. Oftentimes a juxtaposition such as this is a way to make an outfit look more stylish or chic. It gives an otherwise predictable outfit a bit more interest.
What do I mean by an item that has a more formal vibe? Examples would include, trousers, chinos, slip skirts, dresses, blazers, and dressier coats & jackets. Formal items also come in the form of accessories i.e., loafers, ballet flats, heels, boots, fancy jewelry or wrist watch, an elegant handbag, silk scarf, newsboy cap, bowler cap, fedora etc…
If your typical go-to look consists of jeans, tees and hoodies and the idea of this one scares you, start small. If you’re looking to dip a toe in start by wearing your hoodie with jeans, but accessorize with statement earrings, a shoulder bag or clutch and a pair of flats. Or alternatively, try pairing your hoodie with a pair of chinos, an elevated sneaker and a sophisticated watch.
Take a look at the images below. On the left I’ve paired my hoodie with a pair of jeans, sneakers, backpack and a baseball cap. All of the items featured are a bit more on the casual side. This outfit is perfectly acceptable, cute for a walk around town or picnic at the park. In the image on the right, I’ve put together an outfit using that same hoodie, but with a mix of both casual and formal pieces. I kept the same accessories from the first outfit, but added a blazer and switched out the jeans for a wide leg trouser. Do you see how versatile a simple hoodie can be? This shows a great example of how to elevate an outfit while still keeping it comfortable. Did you just figure out a way to make your hoodie office appropriate? You’re welcome.
If wide leg trousers aren’t your jam, go for a slim or straight fit. Don’t like pants? Pair your hoodie with a skirt or dress. You can really make this concept your own because there are so many options.
2. Layer Something Over The Top Or Underneath
Another common suggestion in many styling how-to guides is the concept of layering. Layering pieces on top of or underneath other items can help make your outfits look more stylish, or more put together. Layering also has the functional benefit of keeping you warmer in chilly temperatures as well as the flexibility of shedding those layers as you need. During this transitional season from winter to spring, there will be days you won’t want to wear your big coat. This is an excellent time to layer other pieces in your wardrobe with your favorite hoodie. Layer on top of your hoodie with items such as, a blazer, denim jacket, leather jacket, chore jacket, sweater coat, trench coat or wool pea coat. Layer underneath your hoodie with a button down shirt or a well-loved t-shirt.
In the next three images, I’m demonstrating a few outfit examples using items from my own wardrobe. Notice how each layering piece completely changes the look of the outfit. This can be a quick and easy way for you to give your daily looks a refresh without putting in much effort.
Starting from the left— Image 1: I chose to layer underneath my hoodie with a long sleeve button down shirt. I gotta say I was super impressed with how this look turned out. I had never tried this combination prior to this, and I’m stoked for the chance to wear it out and about. I like how the shirt underneath is peeking out at the collar, sleeves and hem, creating visual interest in those areas that otherwise go unnoticed.
Image 2: I personally love the look of a blazer over a hoodie. This has been a go to for me since I purchased this blazer (over 6 years ago!) If a blazer isn’t in your current wardrobe, that’s totally fine. Use what you have to create a look that’s all your own.
Image 3: On chillier spring days, I reach for this sweater coat I bought three winters ago. You could get a similar look and feel with a wool pea coat or trench coat, or pair your hoodie with a heavier leather coat or bomber jacket and sunglasses for a Top Gun 80’s vibe.
3. Stick To A Limited Color Palette Or Same Color Family
An outfit with a limited color palette incorporates no more than three separate colors. The idea is that if we incorporate more than three dominant colors, the outfit can begin to look overwhelming to the eye. In art using a select number of colors can make a painting or design look and feel more balanced and sophisticated, the same is true of our outfits.
Notice the image on the left in the next set of photos. This is a perfect example of an outfit that sticks to a limited color palette. I’m wearing three dominant colors, cream (baseball cap, button down shirt, & shoes) brown (my hoodie) and blue (jeans). If for example instead of cream, my baseball cap was a color outside of these three dominant colors, the outfit wouldn’t look quite as pulled together or intentional.
In color theory the term hue refers to the dominant color family. Tints, tones and shades refer to the mixture of white, gray and black to the dominant color. What does this mean for us? Incorporating colors of a similar hue, regardless of tint, tone or shade, can make an outfit look more harmonious and therefore more pleasing to the eye. This harmony in an outfit creates the impression of sophistication and elegance.
Refer to the image on the right. I was so excited to see how wonderfully this outfit came together because it illustrates the effort and work I’ve put in to be more intentional with my purchases. I have been successfully curating my wardrobe over the past couple years so that now I can create lovely outfits such as this one. Each piece, while not being the same exact color, are all from the same dominant color family. Brown, oh how I love thee. We could argue whether or not my cream colored hat and sneakers count, but what’s the point? We’re not striving for perfection here. Can you see how beautifully the different tints, tones and shades of brown work together in harmony? I feel like I’m serving cool girl sophistication.
Incorporating one or a combination of these styling principles will give your outfit the appearance of thoughtfulness and intention. That you made an effort to dress and style yourself. Attention to personal style is a form of caring for oneself, and self care is sexy! Give one of these a try the next time you wear a hoodie and see how it makes you feel. The goal is to push your comfort zone while remaining true to your preferred style. My hope is that you discover a new way to wear your favorite hoodie that makes you feel like a million bucks.
Which styling tip are you most excited to try? If you’re already familiar with some of these principals, how do you prefer to style your hoodie? Experimenting with the clothes you already own is a surefire way to figure out what you like and don’t like in the context of uncovering your personal style. Don’t be discouraged if a few outfits don’t turn out how you imagined, they’re not all gonna be winners. There is no possible way to fail because even if you put together an outfit you end up hating, you can learn from it. You can gain valuable insight into what works for you and what doesn’t. Let me know in the comments how your experiments end up.
Thanks for reading.
Britt