Should we choose a Hoodie or a Jacket for our group?
People ask us whether the hoodie or the jacket is a better option for their group. There are lots of things to take into account when choosing. Here we look at the issues to be considered before making your buying decision. The article covers the same points that we would discuss with you if you were to call and talk to the team at Leavers Hoodies Company. Once you have considered these factors, you will be better placed to make your decision.
The issues which need consideration include:
- Design look/style
- Features/options
- Decoration options needed
- Cost
- Popularity
- When the garments will primarily be worn
In this article, we focus attention primarily on the jackets, as the more popular hoodies have been discussed in previous articles. So, it may sound like we are ‘selling’ the jackets to you—we aren’t. We are just presenting the options from the standpoint of the jacket first.
Looking at the popularity of the garments
The hoodie is significantly more popular in the UK than the jacket for bulk orders where decoration and/or personalisation is required. Across all categories that we serve: School leavers, trips, teams and uni/college clubs and societies all prefer (we get more orders for) hoodies rather than jackets. Even the fully zipped hoodies we sell are less popular than the pullover versions (see our recent article reviewing the differences between zipped hoodies and pullover hoodies).
However, before being swayed by what other people prefer and buy, consider all of the issues. If everything else stacks up for the jacket, and if standing out a little from the crowd is important to you and the people who will be wearing the garments you buy, then the jackets might well be the best option.
You could be riding on the verge of a new trend – the decorated jacket.
Design look/style
Hoodies, even zipped hoodies, look very different from jackets and the number of options is different too.
Jackets come in a much wider range of materials, designs and functions. Not all will be suitable for use your wearers will make of them. Not all of them can be decorated or personalised in the same way either.
Leavers Varsity Jacket
The most popular jacket we sell owes its design to the US—it used to be called the Baseball Jacket. The version we sell most is the Leavers Varsity Jacket. Like most hoodies, it is made from a cotton/polyester mixture (80%/20%). It uses press-studs for closing (rather than buttons) and has a knitted collar, cuffs and waistband with stripe details and contrast sleeves.
Just like the hoodie, it can be decorated either by printing or embroidery and in basically the same places on the garment too. Full front chest decoration is not generally possible with these garments, again similar to the zipped hoodies.
As a direct comparison to the leaver’s two-toned zipped hoodie the Varsity Jacket
- has no hood
- uses press-studs rather than a zip
- has knitted collar, cuffs and waistband which the hoodie does not
- is slightly larger in each size. So: Small is 36″ compared to Small in the two-toned zipped hoodie being 34″ and XL is 48″ compared to 46″ in the hoodie
- has contrast sleeves, cuffs and waistband rather than the contrasting zip, drawstrings and hood lining of the hoodie
- comes in 20 different colour options rather than the 16 of the hoodie
The Fleece Jacket
The second most popular jacket we sell (not currently shown on this website) is the Fleece Jacket. (If you are interested in seeing more details about this garment please give us a call on 01858 461 686)
The feature list for this jacket includes:
- Full or Half Zip
- Anti pill fleece / Microfleece
- Available as a Jacket or Bodywarmer
- Two zipped closed front pockets
This jacket can be printed but we wouldn’t recommend it due to the material. We would therefore always advise embroidery as the more suitable option on Fleece Jackets.
Other jacket options include:
- Padded jackets
- Softshell jackets
- Hi-viz jackets
- Bomber jackets
- Gilets & body warmer vests
- Quilted jackets
- Waterproof jackets
The decoration and personalisation options on these jackets vary considerably so if you are interested we suggest that you give our team a call and talk through your requirements and we will advise the best option for your intended use.
When will the jacket or hoodie be worn?
Leavers clothing
Since the majority of leaving in the UK is done in the spring/summer, winter jackets are definitely less popular than they might otherwise be for leavers. But as mentioned above the Leavers Varsity Jacket is a suitable replacement for the hoodie options.
Other jackets which are generally deemed suitable for the summer and autumn include the softshell jacket and the waterproof jacket.
Trip (ski) clothing
Ski trips, obviously, take place when it is cold so the winter jacket options available can definitely prove beneficial.
The gilets and vests are most often worn beneath outer garments so getting them decorated and/or personalised might not make so much sense. But other options including quilted, padded, softshell and waterproof jackets all offer great features for winter wear.
Team clothing & Uni Clothing
The season when the clothing will mostly be worn, and the purposes of it, will affect your choice of jacket (or hoodie). Again, it might be best to talk your intended use through with one of the Leavers Hoodies Company experts. After discussing your requirements, they can offer a shortlist of the most appropriate garments that would meet your needs.
Cost
The cost of jackets varies much more widely than for hoodies.
The most popular jacket we sell, the Leavers Varsity Jacket at £14.30, is just 35pence more expensive than the Two-Tone Zipped Hoodie @ £13.95 – at the time of writing. This cost reflects the per garment cost before decoration and or personalisation are added.
However, some of the other, more specialised, options for jackets can be double, triple or more of the cost of the most expensive hoodie which we sell. The cost alone doesn’t rule out a specialised jacket for some people/organisations but can be a show stopper for many.
Decoration options needed
When picking your garment, whether it is a jacket or hoodie you eventually choose, the printing and embroidery requirements remain key.
If you are looking for a design which is going across the front of the garment where the jacket fastenings would be (zip, studs or buttons) we would generally suggest that a pull over hoodie might be the best option. There are a few designs which actually work very well with a zip down the middle – but they tend to have been especially designed for that garment/configuration.
Other than the fastening for the jackets most hoodies and jackets can be decorated in exactly the same way, dependent on material of course.
In summary
The choice between jackets or hoodies can seem to be complex when considering all of the factors outlined above. But, experience tells us that, most people making the decision seem to come to us for additional information to support the decision they have largely made already.
There really are only a few, very limited, circumstances where one or the other garment type is the only RIGHT choice. In most situations a case can be made for both garments.
But, in case you are operating in one of the very limited set of circumstances, please feel free to give our experts a call (01858 461 686) to talk it through. There is never a hard sell only the polite, helpful provision of information to help you make the best decision for your needs.
