How To Style This Season’s It Hoodie – for Flannels
A masterclass in styling one of the season’s cult sweatshirts – Balenciaga’s Metal Logo Hoodie – Originally published by Flannels
Believe the hype. Few garments have come as far as the humble hoodie in recent years. What started out life as workout gear became the calling card of American college kids and ‘90s subcultures. Now, the hoodie’s adoption by luxury designers and their devotees has seen its meteoric rise to become one of the fashion world’s ultimate status symbols. Yes, really.
As jumpers go, the hoodie has courted a fair amount of controversy over the years. Fast forward to now and the hooded sweat has outgrown its outdated ‘anti-social’ associations but held onto its street cred. Its stylish rise has gone hand in hand with the world’s increasing appreciation for streetwear and the subcultures that define it.
The former symbol of class and culture wars has evolved into being one of the most important items in our wardrobes. The hoodie has transformed alongside streetwear, which thanks to visionaries like Virgil Abloh, Demna Gvasalia and Raf Simons, has become one of the most influential pillars of haute fashion. As Elinor Block argued in Who What Wear “streetwear isn’t a new phenomenon... however, over the past few seasons the once humble aesthetic has successfully moved into the higher echelons of fashion, establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with”.
If you’re going to invest in one hooded sweat this season, we’d like to (strongly) suggest Balenciaga’s metal logo hoodie. A perfect symphony of fashion pedigree and subcultural history all wrapped up in an oversized silhouette. Come for the signature Balenciaga styling, stay for the heavy metal references and cultural cachet. It’s like a band tee, but when someone annoying asks you what your favourite song by them is, you just answer ‘fashion.’
Here are three ways to wear this behemoth of a sweatshirt.
GRANPA CORE
Take your style cues from the octogenarians in your orbit this season. Grandpa’s no-nonsense wardrobe staples are the cornerstones of this trend with knitwear, polo shirts and sensible shoes taking centre stage. Add your Balenciaga hoodie for a bit of aesthetic tension and boom, you’ve updated Grandad’s look and landed right where you want to be – at the forefront of fashion in 2024.
First up – straight leg jeans. A middle-of-the-road style that Grandpa would be more than comfortable wearing down the social club or in the garden. And if you can’t borrow a seventy-something’s knitwear this season, might we suggest Acne’s dusty pink Vally scarf and Amiri’s luxurious fine knit polo – a bit of an upgrade from Grandpa’s M&S number. Now you’re older and wiser, you’ll know that it’s worth investing in your shoes, and a pair of classic Gucci loafers is a timeless no-brainer. You really have aged well.
OFF-DUTY
We’re not reinventing the wheel here. Hoodies are essential off-duty attire by definition. Easy to throw on and easy to wear, Balenciaga’s cult status ensures maximum impact with minimal effort. It’s the fashion miracle that lazy boys everywhere have prayed for. Why make life hard when you can wear Balenciaga?
Don’t overthink this. It’s the weekend after all, and you’re not on the clock. Lean into the laid-back, sporty aesthetic with Y3’s glossy three stripe shorts and Marine Serre’s Moon trainers, worn with neat black ankle socks. A couple of iconic accessories later and you can consider yourself dressed. We’re going for a Gucci logo cross-body bag and a pair of Rick Owens sunglasses – fashion’s resident prince of darkness has really nailed eyewear this season. You see, we told you. How easy was that?
CORPORATE COOL
The new rules of formal dressing? There are no rules. Once upon a time, hoodies were reserved for sporting occasions largely involving sweat and balls. Now, their versatility knows no bounds. They may not always have been synonymous with formality, but these days the combination of a hooded sweat and a blazer means business. The ultimate fashion power move.
Channel your inner Wolf of Wall Street and layer Saint Laurent’s shoulder-padded pin-stripe blazer over your new Balenciaga metal hoodie. Dolce and Gabbana’s tailored wool trousers and ‘80s-throwback voluminous striped shirt lend a retro sense of refined Italian elegance to your look. Make sure the latter is untucked and visible under the hoodie to dial up your air of stylish insouciance. And here’s the clincher – finish up with an iconic Gucci tote and Balenciaga’s heavy-tread leather Tractor ankle boots. Smart without being stuffy. Formal without the faff. And not a tie in sight.