As the days shorten and clouds gather, hibernating weather is upon us. It’s Netflix and chill time, with chill also referring to the actual temperature.
There is no doubt that autumn and winter are the best sartorial seasons: trench coats, layered knitwear, wool trousers (minus the rained-on smell). But it is the humble hoodie that really comes into its own now, when gloveless hands tauten and umbrellas are shaken out with the vigour of dogs emerging from lakes.
Hoodies offer the comfort of a hug and the safety of drawstrings that can be pulled protectively tight. I utilise the hood at all times. I will sit on my sofa, hood up, looked at askance by my cat. I’m probably a dead ringer for ET wrapped in his blanket, but I enjoy the softness on my ears and the cocoon vibe. I will potter about in the kitchen, hood up. Work in the office at my desk, hood up. Outdoors, the benefit of the hoodie is… well, y’know, the hood. I tend to eschew umbrellas because, frankly, I see them as menacing threats to my eyeballs. So it’s a waterproof jacket and hoodie combination for me.
The best variant of hoodie has a double-sided front pocket to keep one’s hands warm, similar – sort of – to the muffs popular in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Lara, in Doctor Zhivago, pulls a pistol from her muff with the intention of killing a man. (Did I manage to write “pulls a pistol from her muff” without laughing? Reader, I did not.) I wouldn’t recommend hiding a pistol in the pocket, but it is perfect for storing keys, phone, chewing gum and wallet.
I have no preference between a zip-up or a pullover hoodie, and I reserve the right to wear one over either smart trousers or even a dress, transforming it into a skirt. (This works only if it’s a posher, slim-fit hoodie rather than a baggy sports number, which I own more of.) Most often, though, my hoodie is found lounging next to joggers or jeans.
A hoodie is a great leveller, which is why posh boys turn up to university in them, thinking it’s a casual, everyman choice that doesn’t scream £40,000-per-annum education. The hoodie had a rough time a few years ago, when Jack Wills and Superdry numbers abounded. Thankfully, it is back to what it does best: accompanying big bowls of pasta, and weirding my cat out. David Cameron may have ruined the country irrevocably, but there’s one thing he did get right: it’s time to hug a hoodie.
