How to Style a Sweatshirt

THE LOOK

Style Notes

KEY PIECES

A sweatshirt might not strike you as a very versatile piece as it is something we associate with casual or loungewear.

But when you pick the right one, it can very easily function as part of a smart casual wardrobe and bring in variety into your weekend looks.

Sweatshirts are a favourite with streetstylers and are often styled with things you’d never think of teaming with a sweatshirt, like a sequined skirt. So the hidden power of a sweatshirt is in toning down dressy pieces and adjusting them for casual wear.

I won’t suggest you dig out your Christmas sequins but a good sweatshirt will make a lot of smarter pieces work for more casual looks.

So what’s a good sweatshirt?

The one that doesn’t look overly casual. So avoid washed-out finishes! If the colour is gone from the seams (where they look almost white), you get a very casual, almost sloppy look that won’t work for this purpose.

I have two examples for you here – one is a dressy white one while the other one might be something closer to what you already have in the wardrobe.

Both styles will work well for what we want. So dig out your sweatshirts if you have any and let’s start styling!

STYLING IDEAS

If you own a sweatshirt, I’m sure you are styling it with jeans and leggins. I won’t show you any looks with leggins, as it is quite a casual ensemble and you can nail it on your own.

If you team a sweatshirt with jeans, aim for the smart ones. Straight and slim cuts create an illusion of a trouser silhouette and look a bit more polished than skinnies.

Trousers and sweatshirts are meant for each other! This is the outfit formula that will help you to get wear out of your work trousers outside of the work setting. It’s an edgy and cool look without looking like you are trying too hard.

You can team the sweatshirt with joggers (not the sweatpant joggers, but the ones that are cut like trousers, but have an elasticated waist – these look a lot smarter and more stylish than regular sporty joggers), tapered-leg or wide-leg trousers.

Sweatshirts also work well with skirts of different lengths. Midi is the easiest one to wear for casual looks as it is functional and practical.

Trainers will be the perfect footwear to finish off these looks, but loafers and sandals can work just as well.

DECIDING IF THIS IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Think of a sweatshirt as a cool jumper! If you are tired of sweaters over the winter, this could be a youthful, cool and trendy addition to the wardrobe.

I always say to my clients that having a great style is not necessarily about what you wear but rather how you wear it.

And the sweatshirt is a good example of that. You can team it with tracksuit bottoms and old runners, and dread bumping into people you know.

Or you can pair it with seemingly ordinary pieces like a pair of tapered trousers and smart sneakers, and create a look that has a trendy vibe to it but is still just as functional as your previous combo.

So look for unusual solutions with your usual pieces!