The Brands Making The Coolest Oversized Hoodies For Men
These are the labels making the best oversized hoodies right now. Cut from heavier cloths, they drape perfectly for a slouchy, streetwear fit.
When it comes to timeless loungewear, it’s hard to go wrong with a hoodie. A piece originally designed simultaneously for the American sporting field and to keep laborers warm on the country’s east coast in the early 20th century, the hoodie is a certified menswear classic.
But what about times when you want something a little more directional, a little more relaxed, or a little more comfortable? You need an oversized hoodie. Cut with a baggier fit, dropped shoulders and a wider hem, oversized hoodies lend a more laid-back, streetwear-inspired vibe to any fit.
Whether you want to wear one with matching sweatpants or dress one up with tailored trousers, there’s a wider range of cool brands making oversized hoodies than ever before. Here’s everything you need to know.
The hottest oversized hoodies brands for 2024
Organic Standard
Organic Standard has made its name producing high-quality sweatshirts and hoodies. The brand only works with the finest 100% organic cotton, with a brushed finish on the inside making its sweats incredibly soft against the skin.
Its oversized cut is among the best you’ll find anywhere – it features a boxy middle, dropped shoulders and a slightly wider hem.
VETEMENTS
“It’s my birthday and all I got was this overpriced hoodie from Vetements”. So reads the slogan on one of Vetements’s recent oversized hoodies.
The label that pioneered the use of winking, sarcastic branding still has its unique sense of humor intact with hoodies that poke fun at corporate culture and even fashion itself.
Bold prints, ‘ugly’ designs and humungous logos are all part of the joke, with chunky oversized fits referencing the best of classic skatewear.
Fear of God
LA brand Fear of God takes classic streetwear and sportswear and turns it into something minimal, soulful and luxurious.
The colors are muted and the branding is quiet but the fabrics and voluminous fits speak for themselves. Luxury loungewear doesn’t come much better than Jerry Lorenzo’s rightly lauded label.
Levi’s
Levi’s is all about denim and Americana, so hoodies are a natural extension of that. The brand produces a wide range, from slimmer fits to more relaxed, oversized cuts. The latter often fall within its Gold Tab collection, which is inspired by the laid-back feel of Northern California.
Expect high-quality French terry cotton construction, boxy cuts and impressive build quality that’s engineered to last.
Destructive
Destructive’s Essential hoodie ticks all the boxes. Firstly, it comes with a confident oversized fit, with dropped shoulders that give it an almost raglan effect, as well as a boxy middle and baggy arms.
The waistband remains fairly slim however, so you can wear it normally on the waist or roll it for a more cropped aesthetic.
The half-brushed, 420gsm heavyweight is superb too, with its pre-shrunk and anti-pilling treatment ensuring it’ll look great in the years to come.
Lacoste
Lacoste was one of the first brands to make sportswear, with its polos comfortably arriving in the first half of the 20th century. Hoodies have long formed a part of its collections, but more recently the French brand has looked to play with proportion and cut.
As such, look out for relaxed-fitting hoodies complete with dropped shoulders, wider hems and equally oversized crocodile logos.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga’s mischievous take on luxury streetwear inevitably includes a lot of oversized hoodies, their prints and logos having fun with everything from classic skatewear and heavy metal designs to corporate culture and company-branded garments.
The majority come in black, white or grey, but the label also produces acid-color versions and other statement designs. Not unlike the brand’s influential tailoring, the oversized hoodies are cut very boxy.
Represent
Represent isn’t shy when it comes to experimenting with cuts, as evidenced by its range of sweats. The Initial Hoodie is the brand’s key oversized model, and it’s one of the best on this list.
A mineral-dyed, 400gsm cotton jersey has been finished with a loopback interior for an incredibly soft feel, while the boxy cut features dropped shoulders, a minimal neckline and fairly slim hems, resulting in an exaggerated look that only accentuates the oversized fit.
Drôle de Monsieur
Drôle de Monsieur’s sweats are an exercise in minimalism, with subtle logos and boxy fits the order of the day. The brand’s classic slogan hoodies come with all the details you’d expect: front kangaroo pockets, drawstring hoods, ribbed hems and soft, 100% cotton jersey fabrics.
Champion
Champion is one of the original hoodie brands, and can genuinely lay claim to being one of the first of the 20th century companies to make them.
Its classic sweats are often designed with regular fits, which nearly always err on the larger side. You can expect soft, cotton jersey fabrics, tonal stitching and drawcords, plus subtle logo embroidery on the arms or chest.
Vans
For skate-inspired clothing that references its 1960s and 70s California roots, Vans is an easy pick. Its classic hoodies are impressive when it comes to construction and detailing, with their heavyweight cotton fabrics, front kangaroo pockets and chunky drawstring hoods.
It also does a series of relaxed-fitting hoodies, which only furthers the laid-back feel of the iconic skate brand.
Rapanui
With a focus on more sustainable production and renewable fabrics, Rapanui is a great shout if you’re after relaxed-fitting sweats that don’t hurt the planet.
The brand’s organic cotton hoodie is one of its classic designs, cut from a soft fabric that’s designed to be easily recycled when its lifecycle comes to an end.
It’s also available in a wide range of colors, from oat and slate grey to rust orange and slate blue.
Carhartt WIP
Carhartt has long straddled the worlds of workwear, skate and streetwear, with its classic pieces fusing both style and practicality. Hoodies form a large part of each collection, with a varied number of cuts, fabric choices and styles readily available.
The brand’s oversized hoodies are particularly lauded though for their heavyweight cotton jersey fabric (often garment-dyed for a handmade feel), dropped shoulders and subtle logos.
OFF-WHITE
The late, great Virgil Abloh built Off-White with thoughtfully designed streetwear that aspired to luxury fashion and cultural commentary. Many of his signature motifs are still emblazoned on the label’s range of boxy hoodies, from the police-tape pattern down the arms, to graffiti-style arrow logos and slogans.
The brand’s influence remains huge – as does the fit on some of its sweats.
Adidas
Like many of the larger sportswear brands, Adidas is beginning to turn its attention to organic, renewable materials with the goal of phasing out plastic waste. Its range of hoodies is often made from these fabrics, including 100% organic French terry cotton, which feels great against the skin while also being kinder to the environment.
Oversized fits are a firm fixture too, with dropped shoulders, wider hems and boxier cuts aplenty.
Admiral Sporting Goods
If you’re in the market for a throwback, vintage-inspired hoodie, look no further than Admiral Sporting Goods. The brand’s designs typically draw inspiration from mid-century pieces, with details including contrast drawcords, individual front pockets and relaxed cuts.
Parra
It’s a wonder why more brands don’t use raglan shoulders for their hoodies. Some of the earliest sweatshirts incorporated raglan sleeves, which feature one-piece shoulders stitched to the neck, rather than set-in sleeves.
They’re arguably more comfortable and allow for a greater range of movement. Parra often turns to the style for its own oversized hoodies, to great effect.
Expect a monochrome color palette, pared-back designs and understated tonal logos at the chest.
Dickies
For authentic workwear with a true American heritage, it’s hard to go wrong with Dickies. The US brand still produces everything from hardy trousers to chore jackets, and of course plenty of hoodies, too.
Expect classic fits, which tend to fall on the slightly larger size, as well as accessible price points and good quality, durable materials.
Maharishi
For hoodies with a streetwear edge, look to one of the OGs, Maharishi. For its sweats the brand makes use of organic cotton jersey, rendered in everything from monochrome shades through to militaristic olive green.
Branding is usually subtle – keep an eye out for tonal embroidered logos – and subtle patterns, if that’s your thing.
Why go oversized
Fear of God
There are a couple of reasons to consider going for an oversized hoodie versus one with a regular fit. The first is the look of it. Oversized hoodie brands know they offer a much different look to a regular fitting one, with its boxier middle, dropped shoulders and wider sleeves. It looks even more relaxed and can offer a more streetwear- or skate-inspired look.
An oversized hoodie can also look more deliberate than a regular-fitting one. A standard hoodie is a fairly ubiquitous item – the kind you might wear to the gym or just as loungewear around the house. Going for an oversized one is more intentional, and in being slightly more relaxed in cut it won’t be easily mistaken for gym gear.
The other reason you might go oversized is for comfort. Regular-fitting hoodies are hardly uncomfortable, but the extra fabric and baggier fit of an oversized hoodie ensure a softer, more luxurious feel against the body. Whether you’re strutting or loafing, it’s an endlessly wearable piece that you’ll pick up again and again in the fall and winter months.
Oversized hoodies can be just as versatile, too. They can be layered in much the same way as classic hoodies, with T-shirts, polos, chore jackets and heavier outerwear. In short, they are just as adaptable, even more comfortable and offer a more laid-back, contemporary look.
Purchase considerations
Fabric
Colorful Standard
Hoodies are traditionally made from cotton jersey material. This can be finished either with a ‘loopback’ – with many tiny loops on the rear side of the fabric, originally designed to draw moisture away from the body when you perspire – or a fleece back. The latter is usually a heavier, warmer option, with a fleece-like finish on the rear of the fabric that’ll keep you warm in the coldest of conditions. Oversized hoodies are no different, often coming in variations of classic cotton jersey.
If you want a hoodie that references classic sportswear, this is the way to go. For something slightly more forward-thinking, consider an oversized hoodie made from a different material. Wool blends are available for something a bit smarter, combining naturally with tailored pants or chinos. Alternatively, try a hoodie cut from a neoprene or poly blend for a more technical, Japanese streetwear look.
Colour and pattern
Represent
Hoodies are an easy way to liven up a fit. It should be no surprise that every brand, from streetwear giants to luxury fashion houses, has used the hoodie for displaying logos, patterns and pops of bold color. It’s the same story with oversized hoodies, which act as a sort of canvas for those who want to introduce a bit of individuality to a look.
If you have a favorite label or sports team and you want to show your allegiance, you could do worse than try an oversized hoodie. You can go as colorful and vibrant as you want, with primary shades, loud patterns and large logos often featuring prominently.
Of course, if you’re not a statement dresser, you can still take advantage of the next-level comfort and interesting silhouettes by going for an oversized hoodie in more refined or neutral hues.
How an oversized hoodie should fit
Fear of God
Oversized hoodies should fit, well, oversized (duh). But it’s not as simple as going up one or two sizes. Oversized hoodies are designed to be baggier, sure, but they should still fit properly in a number of key places, such as the arm and body length.
If you buy a regular-fitting hoodie in a size too big, it will likely be too long in the body and the arms will sag well beyond your wrists. Go for an oversized hoodie in your actual size though, and while the shoulders will be dropped and the waist boxy, the overall proportions should still be correct, with the hem and arms ending where they should.
When buying an oversized hoodie, pay attention to the following: the shoulders should extend beyond your own, with the seam ending an inch or two beyond the widest part of your shoulder. The chest and waist should be relaxed and boxy, with some excess fabric around your middle giving a laid-back, loose feel. The hem should end around your waist, while the sleeves should finish just beyond your wrist – you can always turn them back if you’d rather.
All told, you want it to look relaxed and comfortable but not be too billowy. Oversized with room to move, but not too balloon-like. It’s a hard balance, and one that might require multiple try-ons until you find the perfect fit.
