Combining dressy and casual elements in one outfit is a trend that is defining our fashion era — and I’m all for the modern juxtaposition. So when Cuddl Duds asked me to create an outfit with one of their pieces, I immediately knew what I wanted to do. There are several fabulous Cuddl Duds items that suit my style despite the fact that I am not an outdoorsy and sporty gal at all. As long as I’m remixing active pieces with luxurious fabrications and structure, I’m in my comfort zone.
My favourite piece in the Cuddl Duds collection is the Fleecewear with Stretch Half Zip Hoodie made of lightweight fleece. I prefer the half zip style because it’s streamlined, with a short zip and no pockets. I chose the grey and black leopard because the pattern makes it look less like sports gear and more like a casual fashionable piece. It’s stretchy, wow warm, and ultra cozy. The “sleek but not clingy” fit makes it ideal for layering under blazers and jackets, which is a vibe I’ve been wanting to sport for a while. Here was my opportunity to roadtest the combination and I took it.
I tried the hoodie layered under three jackets that vary in dressiness. A formal ink blue blazer as the dressiest option. A black military jacket as a playful alternative. And a distressed two-tone denim jacket as the most casual. I’ve kept the palette dark and monochromatic, which pushes me a little out of my comfort zone because I prefer to lighten up a dark outfit with shades of white. But Greg loved the change so I went with it.
I bat for Team Faded Denim because I love the shade of blue and don’t need to worry about dye rubbing off onto to the rest of my outfit. I also like how light denim lightens up a dark outfit. And with a dark hoodie layered underneath an ink blazer or black jacket, I welcomed a lighter blue.
I like to wear denim on denim, but not when the rest of the outfit is sporty and a little androgynous. And since I’m not wearing girly heels I swapped out the jeans for black cigarette skinnies when pairing the hoodie with the denim jacket. Ironically, although this denim jacket is very rigid, the colour of the faded denim softened the dark hoodie against my pale complexion.
I continued the dark theme by finishing off the outfit with pointy toe ink blue booties and my ancient doctor’s bag. I tried pairing the outfits with chunkier boots, but did not like the effect at all. Things fell into place when my feet were structured. Or at least that’s how I prefer most of my outfits these days — with structured and refined footwear. I’d also wear Converse sneakers with each combination, but I’m glad I kept things a little more dressy on the hoodie’s first outing. I wore white specs so that I had a dash of white close to my face to soften up the dark colours. Silver watch and wedding ring are all I need in the jewellery department.
The hood on this particular zip top is not bulky, so much so that I forgot I was wearing a hoodie under my jackets. No collar popping this time round. And no sleeve scrunching either. Apart from the fact that it’s too cold to scrunch jacket sleeves at this point, I loved popping my thumbs through the thumb holes on the cuff. It’s tremendously toasty — like you’re wearing fingerless gloves with your outfit. A fun and practical detail.
Wearing a hoodie under a formal business blazer is an irregular juxtaposition, and not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s easier to like the combination with a more casual jacket. Either way, I enjoy the jarring juxtaposition for casual settings. It’s visually dramatic, interesting, and warm. But if you’re not into the hoodie, you can substitute it for a Fleecewear with Stretch Long Sleeve Classic Crew, which provides a similar effect without the hood.
I wear layers, a jacket, stretchy jeans or pants, and ankle boots on long flights, so all of the outfits in this post are ideal for travelling. I’m often cold around my ears and neck on a plane, and have frequently wrapped a blanket around my head to combat the arctic air conditioning. Wearing this hoodie, and popping on the hood, solves this problem. I’m going to be much more comfortable on my next long flight.
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