Focusing on both comfort and style can be a tough balancing act to get right. Hoodies have the glorious benefit of versatility, but it can be tough to know what to wear under them at times.
Here are some great options you may not have thought of before. Each of them may be appropriate in different settings or at different times of the year.
Together, they should see you through wherever and whenever.
1. Turtleneck
Turtleneck sweaters can be worn under hoodies, particularly during the colder months. The aesthetic works especially well when the two items are of contrasting colors. It’s important to choose a lightweight turtleneck to prevent it from being too warm under the hoodie.
While wearing a sweater under another sweater may not sound too wise at first, it can actually look when it’s done the right way.
How To Make It Work
There are two priorities here:
- Prevent it from getting too warm
- Prevent the hoodie from looking too bulky
To avoid feeling too warm, the key here really is to choose a lightweight, thin-knit turtleneck sweater as they’ll feel a whole lot more comfortable when worn under a heavy hoodie.
Here’s an example of a lightweight turtleneck on Amazon:
To prevent the hoodie from looking too bulky, choose a turtleneck with a slim fit. These are often made from thin knit fabrics as well.
Cotton or merino wool are often good options.
The thing about these slim-fitting thin knit turtlenecks is that they don’t look that great when worn on their own, unlike heavier knit (eg. cable knit) turtlenecks.
It’s almost as though they were designed to be worn under something. A hoodie would be a great option.
Color Contrast
To really make the combination work, choose a turtleneck sweater and a hoodie with contrasting colors.
As the high, rounded neck of the turtleneck peeks out from under the top of the hoodie, choosing a contrasting color will really make the combination stand out and look intentional.
The easiest way to achieve this would be to combine light and dark neutral tones.
Going for neutral colors like beige, off-white, navy blue, olive green, grey, and charcoal makes it easier to color combine the hoodie and turtleneck and make it work.
But go for a light-colored hoodie and a dark-colored turtleneck, or vice versa.
It’s simple but very effective.
2. T-Shirt
T-shirts can easily be worn under a hoodie and are a great way to protect the hoodie from sweat stains, reducing the need for washing and ensuring the longevity of the fabric.
Practically any T-shirt you can think of can be worn under a hoodie.
There are plenty of reasons for doing so, but the main ones are hygiene (i.e sweat protection), warmth, comfort, and layering.
In milder climates where you want to dress warm but not too warm, a T-shirt would be ideal to wear under your hoodie.
A turtleneck or flannel may be too warm, but tees give you just the right amount of comfort and warmth.
If you didn’t want to wear a standard tee, even a simple, lightweight, short-sleeve undershirt would be worth wearing.
It would still give the hoodie some protection against sweat, residual cologne, creams, lotions, and other substances that can slowly but surely degrade fibers over time.
Wearing an undershirt won’t give you the benefit of layering that a regular T-shirt would give you, as you won’t be able to remove your hoodie when it gets too warm.
However, wearing any type of layer under the hoodie is a great way to ensure it lasts the long haul and doesn’t need to be washed unnecessarily.
3. Long Or Oversized Shirt
Wearing a long or oversized shirt under a hoodie is a great option, especially when the two items have contrasting colors. Having the bottom hem of the shirt peek out from the bottom of the hoodie adds a nice touch to the casual aesthetic.
While this combination isn’t that commonly seen, it’s no secret that long and oversized shirts are becoming increasingly popular.
It’s a pretty broad term that could refer to both oversized T-shirts and oversized buttoned and long-sleeved collared shirts.
Ultimately, the only feature you’d find in any oversized shirt is that it’s long – very long.
It would definitely be long enough to show under a regular-sized hoodie.
It’s a very casual combination and works well when combined with other casual items such as jeans, sweatpants, or sneakers.
Once again, color contrast between the long, oversized shirt and the hoodie is a great way to go.
Having a contrasting color poke out from under the bottom of the hoodie works well as it adds an additional block of color to your outfit.
4. Polo Shirt
Polo shirts can be worn under hoodies. They work especially well under zip-up hoodies as more of the classic polo collar and placket neckline can be exposed. While they can also be worn under pullover hoodies, most of the collar will remain hidden.
It really depends on what you’re wearing something under your hoodie for in the first place.
If all you want is an additional layer for the sake of warmth or to simply have the option of removing your hoodie whenever you want to, a polo shirt would be absolutely fine to wear under a pullover hoodie.
But if you want to wear a polo shirt and have it look stylish and visible when wearing a hoodie over it, you’ll want to choose a zip-up hoodie.
Having a zip allows you to zip the hoodie down just enough to make the collar and buttons visible.
The polo collar looks great popping out from under a zip-up hoodie.
Choosing a polo shirt in a color that contrasts the hoodie is a quick way to make the outfit more eye-catching overall.
Polos often come in bright and bold colors. Wearing a hoodie in a more muted, subdued, and neutral color will allow you to combine it with a more striking polo shirt quite easily.
As the brightly-colored polo collar pops out from under the zip-up hoodie, it provides just a splash of color up top to make the whole outfit just a little more interesting overall.
5. Collared Long Sleeve Shirt
Wearing a collared, long sleeve shirt under a hoodie can work very well. It produces a nice smart-casual aesthetic regardless of whether a zip-up or pullover shirt is worn.
It’s a good example of how casual streetwear can be combined with more “formal” attire and work very well.
However, it’s a look that shouldn’t ever be considered “formal” or even “business casual”.
Overall, the hoodie will make any outfit look smart-casual at best, regardless of how dressy the long sleeve shirt worn underneath it looks.
But as a casual or smart-casual combination, it definitely has its appeal.
With a pullover hoodie, only the top of the collar will appear visible at the top, with the tips remaining invisible.
With a zip-up hoodie, you’ve got a lot more flexibility. You can simply zip the hoodie down to wherever you want it, exposing the entire collar and as many buttons as you want.
Both looks can work, but the zip-up hoodie does give you more versatility.
How To Make It Work
To wear a collared long sleeve shirt under a hoodie and make it look effective, prioritize the following two things:
- Color contrast
- Make sure the shirt shows
Color contrast is simple-ish.
You don’t want so much contrast that it looks out of place. You want just enough to make the shirt pop out from under the hoodie.
It makes the combination look more intentional. Choosing neutral colors for both the hoodie and the collared shirt is a good way to go – navy, baby blue, olive green, beige, off-white, grey – all good examples.
Combine a dark and neutral collared long sleeve shirt with a light and neutral hoodie, or vice versa.
You’ll also want to make sure the collared shirt is actually visible under the hoodie unless you’re simply wearing it for the sake of having an additional layer.
Choosing a zip-up hoodie is an easy way to make sure the shirt remains visible. Simply zip the hoodie down as far as you want, exposing more and more of the shirt as you do so.
If you don’t have that option, you could just roll the sleeves of your hoodie up once or twice to expose the sleeves of your shirt.
These two simple tricks are a great way to make the combination look stylish and intentional.
But I’ve got one more for you.
If you really wanted to embrace a casual aesthetic, try leaving the shirt untucked so some of it shows under the hoodie.
Now, this does need to be done the right way to ensure that it doesn’t look scruffy. Also, it works best when you’re wearing casual pants like jeans.
But if you get the right overall balance, here, it can work very well.
The bottom line – if you’re wearing a collared long sleeve shirt under a hoodie, try to make sure it isn’t completely hidden under the hoodie.
Ready Sleek founder. Obsessed with casual style and the minimalist approach to building a highly functional wardrobe. Also a fan of classic, vintage hairstyles.
