I don’t remember when my slip dresses and sweatsuit can look incredibly glamorous.) I pack at least one when traveling in summer and three in winter. And because I’m always on the hunt, it’s not uncommon for me to return from these trips with yet another to add to my collection.
Despite owning so many, I am particular about what I’ll buy. My visual ideal is vintage gym class: a raglan sleeve, bonus points for a V-stitch at the neckline (these were originally added to absorb sweat and add structure to the neckline; now they’re more fashion than function), and a perfectly round collar that covers the clavicle. I want it to feel soft and lived in even when it’s brand new, as if it’s been washed and worn countless times and thus thinned out enough to give the whole thing a breezy, tuck-in-able drape — nothing bulky or structured, and any stretch or sponginess needs to come from the quality of the knit rather than an engineered material. It’s hard to find a single sweatshirt that follows all of these rules, but I do try to check off as many boxes as possible.
The majority of the sweatshirts I wear with any regularity are vintage and thus basically irreplicable (I never buy deadstock as it’s usually too stiff for my taste). When buying new, though, I have the best luck with loopback terry, which usually feels more fluid and drape-y than anything made from fleece. But even terry can be dense and structured, so getting that authentic, non-synthetic lived-in feel off the rack isn’t easy.
But it’s not impossible. There are a handful of currently available sweatshirts that I wear all the time, plus a few others I’m eager to try next, all of which I’ve listed below. Many of them are on the pricier side — I’ve tossed enough fast-fashion sweatshirts over the years to know that investing $100-plus in better materials and more thoughtful design and manufacturing is much more cost-effective than buying and barely wearing the cheap(er) stuff.
While my hyperfocused list of criteria doesn’t leave room for some widely popular picks, I know enough about good sweatshirts to promise there’s at least one style on there for everyone. In fact, I’m willing to bet my entire beloved, 49-piece collection on it.
The (non-vintage) sweatshirts I wear all the time
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Jungmaven makes some of my (and Alpine Raglan, which is pretty darn close to perfect: raglan sleeves, round neck, a tapered silhouette that sits at the hip bones, and deep ribbing at the cuffs and hem that pinch the sleeves and torso just enough to give the whole thing a near-perfect drape. It’s made of 55 percent hemp and 45 percent organic cotton French terry with a small, uneven loopback knit. The natural stretch is minimal, and the exterior has a slightly nubby texture, both of which can be attributed to the hemp content. Hemp is also naturally porous and moisture-wicking, which accounts for Bonfire Raglan, which has similar design details but a more generous cut and longer length, is great if you want something a bit more relaxed.
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The Great makes across-the-board excellent sweatshirts, though I’m most fond of these two. The slim yet oversize Varsity Grey color.
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Primary is known for making high-quality kids’ basics, but it also has a limited selection of key pieces that have been sized up for adults, including the one my daughter wears). It’s made from all-cotton loopback terry that’s just thick enough — any thinner and I’d call it a heavyweight tee. That’s also part of what makes it versatile: The lighter weight is great year-round and makes it easy to tuck in and wear over or under other layers. Take your normal size (or even size down) for a more polished look, or go bigger and really lean into loungewear. As with any good basic, it’s entirely no-frills and very affordable. I haven’t had mine for long, but if it’s anything like all of Primary’s other pieces, it’s built to last.
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I’ve become convinced that Jamie Haller can do no wrong. On paper, her Daily Sweatshirt is merely vintage-adjacent — per Haller herself, it’s “a modern version of a perfect-fitting vintage sweatshirt,” with bracelet-length sleeves and a purposefully wide yet shrunken body, which, on paper, is more styled and zhuzhed up than what usually I look for. On the body, however, it somehow manages to be everything I want: narrow shoulders and raglan sleeves, a perfectly round collar that sits high (but not too high) on the neck, a torso length that implies a French tuck without actually having to do one. Its pre-shrunk Japanese cotton terry has minimal stretch and feels flowy yet substantial, creating the most flattering drape despite its boxy cut. At $275, it’s by far the priciest on my list, but, as with Haller’s penny loafers, the cost is reflected in the quality. This is an investment piece.
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This Cos sweatshirt is also a more modern silhouette than I typically go for, with a slightly belled body, curved sleeves, and loose ribbed hem, but it drapes really nicely over the body and I’m always pleasantly surprised by how flattering it is, no matter what I pair it with. The 100 percent cotton terry is weighty and makes the whole thing look and feel more refined than your standard raglan-sleeve style (though you can certainly wear it casually — it’s a sweatshirt, after all). I bought mine a few years ago in navy, which is no longer available, but the grey mélange colors are both lovely.
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This one’s made of 100 percent cotton fleece, but it’s a fleece like no other. It has a soft, low-pile interior and the same loose feel and flattened, almost matted appearance as a well-worn vintage piece. It definitely has some structure and is on the heavier, less flowy side, but it also feels fluid and drapey in a way that most new fleece sweatshirts don’t. I sized up (true-to-size sturdy sweatshirts tend to feel like they’re wearing me), which gives the body a more generous drape. But the extra-deep ribbed cuffs and hem create a refined shape that, when combined with the weightiness of the material, make the whole thing feel very luxe. (At nearly $200, that’s exactly how it should feel.)
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If you want something midway between a draped terry and a more structured fleece, Zuko.
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I’ve never been a fan of Peanuts cartoons, but I have become a fan of Peanuts graphics on Grassy Green, Perfect Peach — are also supposedly 1:1 dupes of the originals.
The sweatshirts I want to try next
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I have two of these, purchased way back when Dov Charney still laid claim to the American Apparel name, and they’re the oldest sweatshirts I bought new and still wear all the time. They are utterly basic (zero vintage detailing here) and oversize, but they started out insanely comfortable and have only gotten better over time. Since Los Angeles Apparel seems to be a near 1:1 reincarnation of the original AA, my hope is these new ones will be equally great.
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the Stanza’s finished hem. The rolled sleeve looks like a ruffle and gives the whole thing an almost couture vibe (as far as sweatshirts go), which is a nice way to justify the price tag.
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Yes, it’s fleece, but it looks to be on the looser side and it has that V-insert stitch I’m always looking for. It also has some very positive reviews from customers and Hilary Reid says it softens up beautifully over time while maintaining its shape), and it’s not unreasonably priced.
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I’ve never had much luck in terms of longevity with sweatshirts from major retailers (your Gaps, J.Crews, H&Ms, etc.). They tend to be either overly stylized or just not thoughtfully designed, and the material can be questionable, so I don’t hold onto them long. But I do want to give this particular Gap style a try— both the material (French terry) and the design details (raglan sleeves, V-stitch, drapey) have a lot of potential.
A few vintage sweatshirts I’d consider
As I mentioned, most of my favorite sweatshirts are vintage, and while it’s easiest to get that perfectly worn-in piece by shopping in person, you can also find some good options on sites like eBay and Etsy. Even the most ultra-specific search terms can yield unreliable results, though, so vetting each item via pictures (close-ups especially) and measurements is key, as is messaging the seller if you’re even remotely unsure of what you’re getting. These three seem promising, on first glance, in terms of fit and feel.
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The tag reads “fleece,” but one of the product photos shows some light shining through the material near the raglan stitch, which means this sweatshirt is thin thin thin. I also love the rich navy color — though I’d ask for additional photos to confirm it’s not just clever lighting.
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The seller included a video of herself moving around in the sweatshirt, which I love — the perfect way to judge its flowy-ness if you can’t see it in person.
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I have a vintage Hanes Her Way in bubblegum pink — not a color I wear often, but it’s in my rotation because the sweatshirt itself is so good. I’d happily add a neutral version.
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