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Style guides

Hoodie outfits that look put together (guys)

Written by DJ from StyleUp ·

The hoodie is probably the piece most guys already own, and I think it’s also the one people blame the most for looking lazy. In my opinion the hoodie isn’t the problem, it’s that it usually gets worn with whatever else was on the floor. This guide covers how to make a hoodie look put together, with the pieces we think pair best with one.

A hoodie is a relaxed piece, so the trick is to make everything around it look like a choice. With this in mind, pants with a real shape, clean sneakers and one small detail are enough to turn “I didn’t try” into a fit, and the hoodie can stay exactly as comfortable as it already is.

The short answerHow to make a hoodie look put together
  1. Pick a plain hoodie in a solid color. Gray, charcoal and black go with everything.
  2. Get the length right. It should end around your hips, not halfway down your thighs.
  3. Wear pants with shape. Baggy cargos or wide-leg jeans, not the sweatpants you sleep in.
  4. Keep the sneakers clean. They do a lot of work in a relaxed fit.
  5. Add one detail. A cap, a beanie or a thin chain shows you put it together on purpose.

How should a hoodie fit?

Oversized is the look right now, but I think oversized should mean wider, not longer. Dropped shoulders and a boxy body look good, while a hoodie that hangs past your hips or covers your hands looks like you’re wearing someone else’s.

A heavier fabric helps too. A thick hoodie holds its shape and sits away from your body, while a thin one clings and shows every wrinkle. A washed or faded color is another easy upgrade, since it looks less like a plain blank.

What pants go with a hoodie?

In terms of what makes or breaks a hoodie fit, it’s usually the pants. The hoodie is soft and loose, so the pants should have some structure.

Baggy cargosThe easiest match

Cargos and hoodies come from the same streetwear world, so they look right together without much thought. The big pockets give the bottom half some detail, which a plain hoodie doesn’t have. Use the ankle toggles so the hems gather over your sneakers.

Baggy jeansA little sharper

Wide-leg jeans with a hoodie look a bit more put together than cargos, and black jeans with a gray or charcoal hoodie is hard to get wrong. The baggy jeans guide goes into length and fit.

SweatpantsPossible, but harder

A matching hoodie and sweatpants can work, but it reads as loungewear unless both pieces fit well and the sneakers are clean. If you’re trying to look put together, I’d swap the sweats for cargos or jeans first.

What shoes go with a hoodie?

Clean sneakers. Since the hoodie is the most casual thing in the fit, the shoes are what tell people the rest was on purpose. White low-tops are the safest pick, because they go with gray, black and charcoal and stand out under dark pants.

Cap or beanie with a hoodie?

Either one finishes the top of the fit, so the hood isn’t the only thing up there. A plain black dad cap keeps it relaxed and adds no extra color, and a cuffed beanie is the cold-weather version. I’d keep the hood down when you’re wearing either one, or the whole thing turns into one big shape around your head.

A hoodie fit to copy

This is the hoodie fit on the site. A washed charcoal hoodie, gray-green parachute cargos, a black cap and white sneakers, with a thin silver chain and two rings for detail. The cargos are the big shape and everything else stays quiet, which I think is why it looks relaxed and not lazy.

Baggy cargo fit with a cap and silver chainSee all 6 pieces and what each one does
Illustration of the baggy cargo fit with a cap and silver chain

Illustration of the full fit. Open the full fit

Hoodie colors that work

Gray, charcoal and black are the easiest, since they go with any pants. A washed or faded version of those looks a bit more styled than a flat color. Brighter hoodies work too, but then the hoodie is the loud piece, so I’d keep the pants black and everything else plain.

Layering a hoodie in winter

Once it’s properly cold, a hoodie goes under a puffer, a bomber or a denim jacket, with the hood pulled out over the collar. Keep the jacket a little bigger than the hoodie so it doesn’t bunch up, and keep the pants and sneakers the same as above.

Common hoodie mistakesThings that make a hoodie look lazy
  • A hoodie that hangs past your hips or covers your hands.
  • Thin fabric that clings and wrinkles.
  • Big logos on both the hoodie and the pants.
  • Worn-out sneakers. They drag the whole fit down.
  • Hood up indoors with a cap or beanie on under it.

Start with the pants

If your hoodie fits look lazy, I’d change the pants before you change the hoodie. One example of this would be the fit above: the same charcoal hoodie with gray sweatpants and slides looks like a Sunday at home, but with baggy cargos, a cap and clean white sneakers it looks like you meant it.

From this guide

The fit

All fits