A hoodie is one of the most versatile articles of clothing
in the modern wardrobe. It's a staple for both men and women, and is worn in
almost every season. As such, there are many ways to customize your own hoodie
that can help it stand out from everyone else's boring black or grey hoodies.
Figure 1: a variety of stylish customized hoodies
Hoodies were originally intended as undershirts, but have
evolved into items on their own due to their versatility. They've become an
essential component of any casual outfit - going well with coats and jackets
during chilly weather while also suiting up nicely with some dressier clothes
when you're trying to look more professional at work or school. In fact,
hoodies have become so versatile that they've taken on a life of their own -
often being worn by people even when it's not particularly cold outside.
Figure 2: A man wearing a blue hoodie with some nice jeans and casual shoes
The Conventional Hoodie:
Typically made with zip up fronts and drawstrings to adjust
the fit, conventional hoodies are generally baggy and loose fitting (see Figure
1). Due to this fact, they're ideally suited for those who want to customize
them in order to make their clothes more unique compared to everyone else's
clothes. Typical customization options include screen printing or embroidering
logos onto the front of the sweatshirt (whether as an advertisement or as
something more personal), adding decorations to the hood, or putting patches on
the backs of the sleeves.
Figure 3: A young woman wearing a simple black hoodie with her hair in a bun
Drawstring Hoodies: These are similar to conventional
hoodies but have drawstring string pulls instead of zippers (see Figure 2) -
this makes them tighter around the neck and looser everywhere else for those
who don't like baggy clothes. You can customize your own drawstring hoodie by
tying yarn around certain parts to create patterns or using markers to write
something cool on it.
Figure 4: A young woman wearing a custom dyed tie dye hoodie
Scoop Neck Hoodies: Another common type of sweatshirt,
the scoop neck (see Figure 3) has an extremely wide collar that can be easily
embroidered or screen printed with various designs. These types of hoodies also
look good when decorated in any other way, which can include adding patches and
badges to customize your own unique style. DIY tip: Try applying iron-ones for
making cool designs and keep experimenting with colors and patterns.
Turtle Necks: Similar to scoop necks but having a much
lower collar (see Figure 4), turtle necks are not just for winter - you can
customize these types of hoodies using the same embroidering and screen
printing techniques mentioned earlier. DIY tip: Try dying your own sweaters
with tie-dye or bleach to make them stand out more.
Figure 5: A man wearing a black pull over sweatshirt
Pull Over Hoodies: As opposed to zip up varieties,
these are simply draped over the body's upper half without being zipped at all
(see Figure 5). They are just as easy to customize by adding patches, iron-ones,
or other decorations, although you'll have to be careful when washing them so
that they don't get messed up while in the wash machine/dryer.
Figure 6: A woman wearing a blue hoodie while walking her dog
Other Styles: Some other types of hoodies include
those that have a front pocket for putting things in, a kangaroo pocket to keep
your hands warm, and those with an attached cape or capelet (similar to capes
seen on super heroes) that can be worn when the weather gets colder. As you can
see below in Figures 6 and 7, there are many options for customizing these
varieties of hoodies just like the others mentioned above.
Figure 7: A young woman wearing a custom dyed tie dye hoodie
Although it is possible to customize any type of hoodie
using screen printing or embroidering/appliqué techniques, sometimes you might
want something more interesting to add a personal touch. In this case, try
using marker pens or paint pens because they give you the ability to customize
your own style in ways that might not be so easy with embroidery.
Figure 8: A young woman wearing a handmade knit hoodie
How To Make Your Own Hoodie: It's actually possible to
make your own hoodies without having any sewing/embroidering skills. If this
sounds interesting, then take a look at Figure 8 - it shows an example of
someone who knitted her own custom-dyed hoodie from scratch! DIY tip: Look
online for tutorials and follow instructions carefully when trying to customize
your own clothing without having previous experience.
Conclusion:
There are many types of customize
hoodies out there that you can customize in various ways, but some may be
easier to customize than others. Figures 1-7 show examples of some basic styles
and how they might look when customized, whereas Figure 8 shows what is
possible when you know how to create your own piece of clothing from scratch.
