Alright ladies, get suited and booted because the season is here. The time has come for us to get like Swiper and start swiping our partner’s hoodies. But, instead of actually “borrowing them” for an entire three-month time period, what if we just got some dope apparel of our own? There are so many incredible Black-owned brands out in the world that we can not only support, but use to stock up on in our own closets — so much so that our own partners will even be jealous. Yes, sometimes men have the dopest athleisure wear with cool colorways and comfortable fit, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take the season back and make our style pop with a hint of BHE — big hoodie energy!
“Hoodies are essential for the cold weather because they are comfortable, thick enough to protect me from the cold, and most importantly they have a built-in hood to keep my ears warm,” DJ Nyla Symone told ESSENCE. Known as the self-proclaimed “pretty tomboy,” Symone’s personal favorites include a hoodie from Black-owned brand Lemons On Fire and her very own bedazzled Pretty Tomboy Hoodie with a satin hood to keep her natural curls intact, which is available on her official website. When it comes to styling her hoodies with swag and flare, Symone loves to layer up to dress it down. “Personally, I love to wear my hoodies with a heavy flannel jacket or a jean jacket depending on the outfit, but you could also have the flannel under the hoodie with a nice touch of the collar on top, which gives a nice comfortable prep look,” she advised.
For culture and fashion writer Mikeisha Vaughn, hoodies are some of the coziest, most comfortable items that anyone can – and should – own. “They’re functional and easy to throw on and go. Whether it’s a good neutral color or crazy design, they’re the go-to for the chill days and chilly days,” she explained to ESSENCE. When asked about some of her personal faves, Vaughn pointed to TIER NYC’s almond oil hoodie, Joe FreshGoods’ “Love Letter to Chicago” hoodie, and Small Victories’ Arc Bling Hoodie – all of which hold a space in her closet as we speak.
For the wintertime, also known as “steal your boyfriend’s hoodie season,” it comes down to sharing being caring at the center of cuffing season. “When it comes to relationships, what’s yours is mines and what’s mine is just mine — that’s just the way the cookie crumbles,” the Power 105.1 radio personality and DJ laughed. “All jokes aside though, I’m a big fan of baggy jeans, and oversized hoodies so nothing makes me happier than to be cozy in the scent of ‘his’ hoodie.” Vaughn herself never wears a tracksuit in full, so she typically opts to pair a hoodie with shorts or a pair of sweatpants from the Black-owned brand Visionary Society.
“If you want to switch up your look you can pair it with a skirt or layer it over a slip dress or even something with a bit more volume at the bottom. Of course, if you’d like to keep it more simple you can pair it with your favorite denim or layer it under your favorite coat,” Vaughn advises with hoodie style tips. Though she doesn’t see “steal his hoodie SZN” as more than “Twitter jokes and flirtatious banter,” she doesn’t shy away from applauding people for swiping some cozy apparel from their partner. “There are definitely men and women who snatch their partner’s hoodies and honestly I don’t blame them. Hoodies are cozy and if the design is fire, [you] might as well borrow it’. I even began to see brands feature phrases on their hoodies, sweats, and shirts that say something like ‘Don’t steal this’. It’s quite funny.”
Below, we’ve curated a list of hoodies, sweatshirts, crewnecks, and long sleeve tees to add to your autumnal wardrobe instead of stealing your boyfriend or male bestie’s essentials. Take a peek below and add them to your cart before they go bye-bye!
Y-Fear’s Black Logo Hoodie (Price: $70.00)
Ciara and Russell Wilson’s Human Nation Worthy Zip Pullover In Organic Cotton (Price: $78.00)
Stained Glass ATL’s Limited Edition “Rooted” Hoodie (Price: $42.00)
Kubitees “Support Your People” Dark Chocolate Hoodie (Price: $50.00)
ARYA Brand’s “Arya Logo” Golden Rod Unisex Hoodie (Price: $78.00)
Shop Babes’ “Comfy Chill” Hoodie (Price: $40.00)
Sad Girls Club’s “With Love” Crewneck (Price: $30.00)
Unicorn Universe’s “Top Chocolate” Crewneck (Price: $35.00)
Bad Girl, Good Human “Basi
c I Crew” Crewneck (Price: $40.00)
AVNU’s “Ghetto Until Proven Fashionable” Hoodie (Price: $85.00)
Dope On Arrival NYC’s “No Invite” Unisex Hoodie (Price: $48.00)
The Chipmunk Chronicles’ “Hillman Essentials” Crewneck and Sweatpants Set (Price: $134.99)
CharMEDIA PR‘s “I’m Speaking, Kamala Harris” Crewneck (Price: $40.00)
My Pride Apparel’s “Protect Black Women At All Costs” Hoodie (Price: $49.99)
Dr. Jessica Clemons‘ BeWell Hoodies (Price: $50.00)
Jasmine Mans’ Buy Weed From Women Hoodie (Price: $60.00)
i35apparel’s Create Everyday Hoodie (Price: $50.00)
Révolutionnaire’s Révolutionnaire by Roots Hoodies (Price: $88.00)