Cult of the Well-Worn Hoodie

There’s few things better than a custom screen-printed piece of clothing.  But for those times when you’re not feeling so DIY, there’s no shame in rocking some threads that were done for you. Especially when done by a pair of great artists like Jessica Lynch and Arlo Rumpff.

Going by the pseudonym Slow Loris and operating out of an island studio, the duo’s Etsy shop, Slowshirts, is full of some stylish hoodies screen-printed from hand drawings done in ink or cut directly from film using an X-acto knife. I’m particularly fond of the limited edition bike hoodie featured above, with a print on the front and running down both sleeves listed at $38 USD.

And for those of you who haven’t seen the video referenced in the post’s title, possibly one of the greatest (non-hoodie-related) videos on the internet, enjoy.

I personally love the idea of upcycling – converting an item that would normally have been destined for the trash into something of even more value in its second life. So when somebody takes that concept and applies it to hoodies, well sir, that’s right up my alley.

Etsy seller Calico Chameleon has a shop full of stitched-together felted fabrics for men, women and children that look amazing. With colors and a kangaroo pouch that look like they were inspired by a Crockett Johnson painting, the hoodies are as stylish as they are playful.

Prices run a reasonable $50-65 USD, and the straight-from-a-fairytale pieces can also be made-to-order.

Deviating only slightly from the recent batch of animal-themed hoodies, I’d like to introduce you to an imaginary monster friend, Plumkin.

I might be stretching the definition of a hoodie a bit here, but this design by Jessica Ding of JackalHaert Productions was too cool to pass by. The Plumkin “Eatchu Hood” is a one-of-a-kind design, falling just past the shoulders when worn as a hood, and with built-in snaps to double as a muffler.

Plumkin looks like he might have escaped from a Maurice Sendak story to chomp on your noggin; the whimsical style is sure to draw attention wherever you wear it.

The hood is available on Etsy for$27 (JackalHaert hoods normally run $30), though other hoods can be made to order or customized by the designer, who can be contacted at ryashademon@yahoo.com.