You want the best. And heck, you deserve the best. But there's a lot of choice out there, and sometimes the best is hard to find. Fortunately, we know where to find it. Every week, the Esquire editors reveal their favourite brands, from under-the-radar steals to luxury loves, so you can invest in the best clothes, watches and accessories that money can buy.
This week, a comfy classic: the best men's hoodies.
Officine Générale
Finlay Renwick, Deputy Style Editor
"Pierre Mahéo makes clothes that he wants to wear and, in turn, hopes that you want to wear too. 'Beautiful normality,' as he more succinctly puts it. I’d say so far it’s working. At his brand, Officine Générale, you can buy the perfect seersucker suit for an Italian wedding; an Oxford shirt in just the right shade of pale; double breasted wool blazers; trench coats; derbies; and, really good sweatshirts and hoodies.
"The hoodies are garment dyed, giving them a slightly ‘lived in’ feel, and come oversized, but not too voluminous. There’s a touch of logo detailing, just so you, and those who know, understand where it’s come from. Cool, comfortable and smart enough that you won’t feel like a giant 10-year-old when you wear it."
Nike
Murray Clark, Digital Style Editor
"Nike doesn't really do shouty hoodies. You know the sort: tie-dye, or oversized, or with contrast colour blocked arms, or, perhaps, all three at once. And that isn't levelled as a negative, either: I'm always proud to endorse an outfit that likes to show off a little bit. In a hoodie, though, I don't really want that. It's a basic, meant in the way before Kate Moss turned the word into a pejorative. It's also the best supporting act to the headliners in your wardrobe.
"That's because, in its purest form, the Nike hoodie will go with anything – especially in my favourite shade of pitch black. There are louder options, sure, and you can even play dress-up as your favourite PSG player in one of Nike's many official kit crossovers. But this sparing take is the best (imvho) because it slots under overcoats as well as it flies above jeans or chinos, and its small patch of branding commands respect without all the usual noise in the gridlocked jam of logomania. We all know Nike. We all like it, too – and there's nothing basic about that."
Brunello Cucinelli
Catherine Hayward, Fashion Director
"I recently bought a friend’s newborn son a hoodie, embroidered with his name across the back and the indeterminate ears of a farm animal on the hood. Cool godmother, huh? He’ll grow out of it by week 12, relegated to the hand-me-down pile, and a timely reminder that the current craze for maximalism in fashion is just that – a passing fad.
"Which brings me to the current crop of adult hoodies. There’s an awful lot of print and patchwork around. Too many logos for my liking. And next season, when you’ve worn that hoodie to death, and everyone’s seen your fitpic on Instagram, you will grow weary of your shouty graphics and yearn for something low-key, restrained, classic even. And this is where Brunello Cucinelli comes in. The brand's marl grey hoody is stealth sportswear at its finest. Extremely lightweight 100 per cent cashmere – of course it is – and discernibly fine to the touch, even for a post-pandemic elbow shake. And before you splutter ‘It costs how much?!”, I know, I know. It’s expensive. But just think of that all-important sustainable cost-per-wear ratio when you hand it down to your first born in a few years time. Just keep it away from the moths."
Brunello Cucinelli Cashmere French terry hoodie
Noah
Charlie Teasdale, Style Director
"I’ve always struggled with hoodies – they’re either too long in the body or too wide at the neck or the hood droops down my back, and they never looked or felt very good – but my trusty Noah number fit just-so from first wear, and has kept its shape through the many years and countless washes.
"Founder Brendan Babenzian is a major part of the Neo-Prep vanguard (more info on that in the new issue of Esquire), so I love the general Noah aesthetic anyway, but the brand is a staunch advocate of ethical production and high quality, last-you-forever goods, and the hoodies are the perfect example. Noah is also your spot for rugby shirts, simple tees and anything that a skateboarding music producer/college professor from New York would wear."
Layer Union
Tom Banham, Digital Editor
"Korea's fashion scene is bewildering. Not just your Wooyoungmis and Ader Errors, with their asymmetric cuts and art-project approach to getting dressed. But also because it seems every other person in Seoul runs their own streetwear brand. Step into any clothes store in the Korean capital and you'll be greeted by an array of homegrown, often home-made menswear that rivals any city in the world for creativity and, often, quality.
"One of my finds the last time I was there was Layer Union, which specialises in tweaked basics – think boxy tees with contrast stitching, cropped trousers in shimmering satin, and some amazing suede overshirts. Its hoodies, especially, are perfect: slightly oversized, with dropped shoulders for a slouchy fit, and cut from the same heavyweight cotton you'd normally pay three figures for. In Seoul, they were £25. It was incomprehensible.
"I regretted not stocking up on my last trip – I bought two, then left one on the plane and, a month ago, spilt red wine over the second. So it was very happy to find out that Layer Union is now available through W Concept, a Korean marketplace that specialises in Asian brands, particularly those of its compatriots. The prices are a little higher, but hey, that's international mark-ups for you. But it's a small price to pay for the pleasure of being bewildered by Korean fashion from home, while wearing the comfiest hoodies I've ever owned."
Saturdays NYC
Dan Choppen, Fashion Assistant
"How do you wear a hoodie as an adult, but an adult that’s holding onto the fading light of their youth, disappearing over the horizon? Well, you keep logos and slogans to a minimum, the fit must be tailored and considered (not oversized) and colours relaxed and subtle.
"Thankfully, to make this easy for you, New York City based surf brand Saturdays NYC has made a wardrobe for this very type of adult. Their hoodies in particular, are easy and mature, soft yet durable; they work well with pleated trousers and sneakers for the office or swim shorts and Birks on the beach. As the weather begins to change from these sticky summer months into the unpredictable, wet and windy autumnal season ahead, a reliable hoodie is a wardrobe necessity. A utilitarian accomplice to help you battle the maverick city weather in style."
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