How to stay Hype with a sweatshirt in 2021?

Before diving into the topic, we first need to define what hype is. First of all, it’s an Anglo-Saxon term meaning media buzz. Indeed, what is hype is often something talked about in traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers) or less traditional ones like social networks. Hype is therefore a fleeting concept that stirs activity across several platforms. Being hype means being part of the continuum of what has stirred the media sphere broadly. Don’t worry! There’s no need to buy pieces every day to be perpetually in the hype.

At ProjectXParis, we have identified some pieces that are continuously hype. These timeless pieces are constantly revisited by creators, artists, or fashion houses. Among these pieces is the hoodie.

The hype universe around the hoodie: A true icon of streetwear, the hoodie has always managed to stay trendy, sporting different styles and shapes: hoodless sweatshirt, sleeveless sweatshirt, short-sleeved sweatshirt, or oversized sweatshirt, etc. Why so many variations? The sweatshirt is present in all wardrobes, both among urban style fans and casual chic enthusiasts.

In the 1920s, the sweatshirt was intended for American university athletes who were supposed to literally sweat in it. Not very glamorous, you might say. Indeed, but it is precisely this wide distribution that made this garment known to the masses and later iconic. It was only in 1934 that Champion invented the hoodie, which quickly became a staple in retail stores across the US and worldwide.

The sweatshirt market exploded in the 1950s with the commercialization of the heather gray sweatshirt made from a blend of white cotton and black polyester thread, a garment that was hugely successful. Embroidered or printed, the garment was revisited and became a basic for many brands.

The real breakthrough came 50 years later, in 2012, during the Kenzo fashion show, where models wore tiger-head sweatshirts. Luxury brands then seized this garment and made it a must-have in their collections.

With or without a hood, the sweatshirt is a wardrobe essential for both women and men, constantly renewed and revisited. The sweatshirt is hype, but you still need to know how to wear it…

How to be hype wearing a men’s hoodie? The hoodie, also called a sweatshirt with a hood, conveys a comfy, comfortable vibe that you can choose to embrace or not. If you particularly care that your hoodie is a garment you feel comfortable in, don’t hesitate to choose loose and wide cuts to allow freedom of movement. The hype side of this trend is the oversized style. Oversized means, for the more bilingual among you, wearing a garment that is, according to textile industry standards, too big for you. This style gives you a nonchalant look that is hype. The other side is the slim, skinny, or super skinny style, which corresponds to a fitted or very fitted garment, but this way of wearing clothes is less and less favored by Generation Z.

So? Oversized hoodie or skinny, which is more hype for a man? It depends on your style: if you like ‘super comfort,’ go for oversized. Skinny is declining, but if you like fitted clothes, opt for straight or slim cuts that perfectly suit your body and enhance your silhouette.

And for women? How to wear a women’s hoodie? For women, oversized is more popular than skinny or straight cuts. Indeed, in movies or series, it’s not uncommon to see female characters wearing their male counterparts’ hoodies, which are often oversized on them. However, there are other variations of women’s hoodies, notably sporty hoodies, which are more fitted and come in many variations: sleeved or sleeveless, cropped or not, in a rather crop top style.

Thus, for women, oversized is currently more hype, but remember, hype is a fleeting and highly variable concept.