How to Wear a Hoodie

Co-authored by Paul Julch, MA

Few sweaters are as comfortable as a hoodie, but it can also look very casual. If you're looking for ways to dress your hoodie up a little, there are lots of ways people of either gender can pull off a stylish look with one. Wear a hoodie with trousers, as sportswear, or with a jacket to achieve a look that is both comfortable and fashionable.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Wearing a Hoodie Casually

1
Choose a comfortable hoodie to be the centerpiece of your outfit. For this look, the hoodie will be the most noticeable part of your outfit, so choose a hoodie you feel comfortable in. Hoodies with logos are a fine selection for this look, though a plain hoodie tends to have a classier feel. Good occasions for a more casual look include:
- Everyday wear
- Going out with friends
- Informal occasions such as sporting events, movies, or shopping
2
Pair your hoodie with leggings, joggers, or other fitted athletic pants. Avoid wearing your hoodie with sweatpants. While it may be comfortable, the overall outfit will look baggy. Instead, choose fitted, non-patterned athletic pants to provide a contrast to the loose form of the hoodie. Good options include:
- Yoga pants
- Leggings
- Joggers
- Fitted knit pants
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3
Finish your outfit with a pair of athletic or leather sneakers. Since this is a more casual look, a pair of athletic shoes is a great option. If you want to dress your outfit up a little bit, wear a pair of leather sneakers instead. In either case, neutral colors are ideal, but almost any athletic shoe will work well.^{[1]
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- Athletic sneakers are also a good way to create a sportswear look. Pair a hoodie with a set of leggings or fitted athletic pants to complete your outfit.
4
Layer your hoodie with a casual, but not bulky, coat. A casual coat on top of your hoodie will help to create a look that is ideal for everyday while still being warm. There are a wide variety of casual coats to choose from, though stick with ones that are not overly puffy. Good options include:
- A leather or denim jacket for an easy, streetwear vibe^{[2]
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  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}
- A pea coat for a good rainy-weather option
- A vest for a lighter, springtime look
- A varsity or sportswear jacket to create an athletic look

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Dressing Up a Hoodie

1
Select a hoodie in a neutral color. It can be a hoodie that either zips in the front or is a pull-over. Since this is a more formal look, avoid hoodies with logos or phrases on them. Whites, blacks, greys, and earth-tone colors are all good options.
- Also, keep in mind that a lightweight hoodie will look dressier than a heavy fleece. However, wearing a hoodie will add a casual, sporty element to your look, no matter what you pair it with.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  Paul Julch, MA
  Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
  Expert Interview. 17 September 2020.}
2
Wear a well-tailored jacket over the hoodie. Good options are either a suit jacket or a blazer, but in both cases, make sure your jacket is well-fitted. Wearing a poorly fitting jacket can make your outfit look unnecessarily bulky or loose.
- For a fitted jacket, the seam on the top of your sleeve should land right at your shoulder and the top button should fall at right about the center of your stomach. The end of your sleeves should hit just between the joint of your thumb and your wrist.
- A lined jacket will look bulkier, especially with a hoodie underneath. If possible, opt for an unlined jacket.
- Choose a hoodie made out of a thinner fabric for pairing with a jacket. This will help keep the outfit from looking bulky.^{[4]
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3
Choose a leather jacket for a classic look. If you do not want the formal option of a tailored jacket, consider pairing your hoodie with a leather jacket. This creates a look that still elevates the hoodie above casual wear. For this look, choose a leather jacket that is fairly free of adornments or zippers.^{[5]
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4
Pair a hoodie with trousers that are well-fitted. Doing so will help you avoid an informal look, and let you dress up your hoodie. This will also help your outfit look planned, instead of seeming randomly put together.
- Wide-leg trousers are a particularly good choice for pairing with a hoodie
- The bottom of your trousers should just brush the top of your foot.
- Don't tuck the hoodie in, as this can make the waistband of your trousers look strange and bulky.
5
Wear a pair of simple sneakers or high heels to complete your look. Simple, neutral-colored sneakers will help complete the outfit. A pair of high heels is also an option, though again, opt for a neutral color.^{[6]
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Research source}Good neutral colors for shoes include:
- Black
- Brown
- Grey
- Navy

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Accessorizing a Hoodie

1
Pair your outfit with a splash of color. If you are wearing a fairly plain hoodie, some color can help dress up your outfit. Accessories that are good for adding color include:
- A bright, solid-colored or patterned scarf
- A colorful watch or bracelet
2
Add some jewelry or sunglasses to elevate a casual look. This works particularly well if you are layering your hoodie with another jacket. Add a simple, long necklace or gold or silver earrings to help add a bit of sparkle to your outfit. Sunglasses are also a good accessory to add a bit of flash to your everyday wear.
3
Switch things up by wearing a hat instead of your hood. While the hood of a hoodie is good for keeping warm, adding a hat can be another way to accessorize and bring some eye-catching detail to your outfit.
- For winter, consider adding a colorful knit hat or a pair of earmuffs.
- In warmer weather, a straw hat is a lightweight option.
- Baseball caps will make the outfit look more casual, so be wary of wearing them with an otherwise dressier outfit.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do you layer with a hoodie?

Paul Julch, MA
Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker
Paul Julch is a Personal Wardrobe Stylist, Speaker, and the founder of Urbanite | Suburbanite, a wardrobe styling business in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 25 years in the fashion industry, Paul works with clients to make getting dressed easier, less time consuming, and more enjoyable. Paul has years of experience in retail visual merchandising - styling windows, displays, and floor sets for Banana Republic, Gap, and Express. He also has experience styling fashion photo shoots and corporate videos. Paul holds a BS Degree in Management from State University of New York at Binghamton, an MA in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. He also studied Interior Design at the University of California, Berkeley.

Paul Julch, MA

Personal Wardrobe Stylist & Speaker

Expert Answer

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When you use a hoodie as a layering piece, it adds a casual element to whatever you're wearing. For instance, you can put a thin hoodie under a blazer to make it look more sporty.