A Quick Guide to Choosing Hooded Sweatshirts

Every generation features its own iconic fashion innovations. Think of the Jazz Age and you’ll find yourself thinking of flapper skirts, feather boas, zoot suits, and fedoras. Think of the Swinging Sixties and Free Love Seventies, and now you’re talking about everything from flared tie-dye tops to fab bell-bottoms. The Eighties gave us big attitudes, bigger shoulder pads, and hairstyles as big as your hairspray could handle. Millennials today, meanwhile, love unisex sweatshirts and hoodies. One of the best things about hoodies is the fact they are indeed unisex. Not only is it great to see more equal opportunity clothing where fashion is concerned, but it also makes it that much easier from a shopping standpoint as well.

These are a few things to consider when choosing hooded sweatshirts and hoodies.

Warmth Matters

While it’s a bit odd that we have to remind people of this, apparently everyone could stand to listen to their mothers a bit more and be sure to wear something warm when heading out into the cold. One would think that this would be a non-issue when it comes to hoodies and sweatshirts, but as it turns out, not all fashion items are created equal, especially when it comes to thickness and fabric. Some hoodies are thinner, strictly fashion-based, and are not proper winter wear. You may think that’s what you’d want, and in the spring and early summertime, you might be right. But chances are that nobody’s going to think you’re all that fashionable if you’re shivering away with chattering teeth throughout the day. So, take the time to make sure the sweaters and hoodies you wear for fall and winter are, at the very least, nice and warm (and tell your mom thanks).

Have a Sense of Humor

If that winter wear warning didn’t rub you the right way, loosen up and laugh—and find a hoodie that will make others do the same. Humor is one of the main means of expression for this generation, with social media, memes, gaming, and pop culture all combining to introduce a brand new vocabulary. Modern words, phrases, and iconography are all “LOL”-worthy. Funny Sweatshirts are thus not just fashionable, but are also a great way to show others that you’re “in on the joke,” as it were, and thus part of the “in” crowd.

Pairing Them with the Rest of Your Wardrobe

Of course, an outfit is only as good as its weakest link, and since you’re probably not planning on making that hoodie the only thing you wear outside, you’re going to need to think about what kind of clothing items and accessories you’re going to wear with your hoodies and sweaters. If you’re layering (and since we’ve already established the importance of listening to mom here, we’re sure you are), you want to make sure that whatever layers you might be wearing beneath your hoodie or sweater don’t clash or show up awkwardly against those style elements. Whenever possible, you want to try and coordinate these items by theme as well as color. Wearing a funny hoodie with complementary styles, jokes, or fashion aesthetics allows you to layer your sense of style and stay warm all at once.