*Top Five Lists are Totally Subjective, But I’m Probably Not Wrong.
If you were to pick a single garment to represent society’s approach to fashion in the new post-quarantine world, it would undoubtedly be the hoodie. This noble workhorse has been around for a century and in that time it has permeated every niche and genre of fashion. The hoodie has broken through all social, economic, or formality boundaries to become (along with jeans) the garment of the people.
The defining fashion trend of autumn 2021, and for the foreseeable future, is the High-Low juxtaposition of casual and formalwear in the same outfit. Streetwear, ath-leisure, preppy, workwear, and formalwear – all primary trends of the past decade – have been muddled together in cocktail of equal parts style and comfort. The ubiquitous hoodie found it’s way into all those pre-pandemic trends and is now a foundational piece of this new emergent trend; a thread that ties all those disparate looks together.
With endless styling flexibility and infinite options available, it can be difficult to find the right go-to hoodie. While most hoodies appear the same and follow a set formula, subtle differences stand between a mediocre hoodie and your new favorite item in your wardrobe. To help narrow your search and provide a better idea of what to look for, here are my top five favorite hoodies available today:
5. Patagonia P-6 Label Uprisal Hoodie
This hoodie makes you feel good physically and morally because it is made entirely from recycled fabric. Patagonia engineered a fabric made of 55% recycled polyester derived from plastic bottles and 45% recycled cotton derived from production scrap. Then they applied it to their classic hoodie design and stuck a small understated logo on the front. Patagonia specializes in taking progressive design, comfort, and durability and wrapping it up in classic aesthetics. This hoodie checks all those boxes.
4. Loro Piana Portland Hooded Bomber
Treat yo’ self is an understatement. If one were ever so inclined to drop $1,900 on a hoodie then this silk-cashmere blended full zip from Loro Piana would be the way to go. Loro Piana is best known for their fabrics which are used throughout the suiting industry, of which their Super 120 wools are the industry gold standard. Their cashmere, while less appreciated, is equally impressive. Formerly reserved for eloquent sweaters, the heritage Italian mill began producing cashmere blend hoodies with the rise of athleisure. The Portland model, with a raglan shoulder, two way zipper, and divided front pocket, is the most comfortable hoodie you’ll ever wear that costs as much as a Tudor Watch.
3. Flint and Tinder 10-Year Pullover
Hoodie’s tend to see a lot of action and the more you like them the more wear they get. Which, along with your standard wear and tear, also means more trips through the wash. This crucible of heavy use will deteriorate lesser hoodies but the good ones will only get better with time. That was the goal for Flint and Tinder with the 10-Year Pullover and they succeeded so well that they declared it with the name. What’s more, this hoodie is as American Made as it gets: the cotton comes from South Carolina, the twill tape comes from Philadelphia, and they’re assembled in Los Angeles.
2. Reigning Champ Midweight Terry Pullover
Reigning Champ’s aesthetic is inspired by midcentury boxing gear. They make heritage quality leisurewear in modern athletic silhouettes that transcend any fashion genre. From their founding in 2007, the centerpiece of their brand has been their midweight terry hoodie. It may appear like a generic solid colored hoodie at first glance but closer examination reveals unique features that Reigning Champ have engineered in their quest for leisurely perfection. Their midweight terry has the weight and durability of canvas with the supple feel of cotton. A built-in/raglan shoulder hybrid and ribbed side panels provide maximum range of motion. Low abrasion flatlock seams akin to heavy duty workwear hold the whole thing together. A $145 pricepoint may give pause but when you consider that one of these bad boys will outlive most other hoodies two or three times over then it’s a bargain.
Champion invented the hoodie in the 1930s to help workers survive cold Upstate New York winters. Nearly a century later, their Reverse Weave model is setting the standard for everyone else. The hearty 100% cotton 12 oz reverse weave fabric provides warmth and durability while retaining softness and flexibility. If you avoid machine drying they never lose their shape or pill. With 8-10 evergreen colors and up to a dozen in seasonal rotation, the color options are unrivaled. The best part of all is the $60 price point, making it by far the best band for your buck. With that kind of flexibility it’s no wonder that Champion has taken on a new life as a streetwear darling over the past decade.