Streetwear Layering for Fall: Hoodie, Knit, Jacket

Fall is the only season where you can wear three good pieces at once and have all of them show. It is also the season where most layering goes wrong, because people stack by warmth instead of by shape. Streetwear layering for fall works when each layer is a different length and a different weight, and when the outer layer has room for the ones under it. Here is the system Sulta✦Studios uses.

The three-layer rule

Base, mid, outer. The base is a tee, the mid is a hoodie or a knit, the outer is a jacket. Each layer should be slightly longer or shorter than the one above it so the hems stagger. A 1 to 2 inch difference is enough. If all three hems land at the same point, the outfit looks like a single thick block.

Weight goes up as you move out. A 240 gsm tee, a 450 gsm fleece or a chunky knit, then a jacket with either insulation or a shell. Never put a heavy layer under a light one. The light one will ride up.

Layer 1: The tee

A heavyweight tee, boxy, in a color that will show at the hem and the collar. Black under black is safe. White under black gives a line at the hem that separates the layers. Longline tees make this easier because they are cut to show under a hoodie. Keep the graphic small or on the back, since most of the front will be covered.

Layer 2: Hoodie or knit

This is the layer you will see most, because the jacket is often open. Choose based on the outer layer. A hoodie under a jacket gives you a hood to pull out over the collar. A knit under a jacket is flatter and lets the jacket close.

A knit with a graphic does the work of a print without the bulk of a hood. Our Van Gogh Knit is a jacquard sweater at a mid weight, which sits under a shell without pulling at the shoulders. Browse the knitwear collection for other options at that weight.

Fit note: the mid layer should be one size roomier than the tee and one size smaller in volume than the jacket. If the hoodie is oversized, the jacket needs to be oversized too.

Layer 3: The jacket

Three kinds work in fall. A padded or insulated jacket for cold mornings, a shell for wind and rain, and a denim or work jacket for mild days. The Coldfront Jacket is an insulated piece with a wide body cut to close over a hoodie.

Check the armhole. A jacket with a tight armhole will bind when a hoodie is underneath. Raise your arms in the fitting. If the whole jacket lifts, size up.

Length: the jacket should end at or just below the hoodie hem. A cropped jacket over a long hoodie shows too much of the middle layer and reads as top heavy.

Accessories that finish a layered outfit

A beanie is the easiest addition. It fills the space above three collars and adds a fourth color at the top of the outfit. A cap works when the hood is down. A crossbody bag worn over the jacket breaks up the front and adds a strap line across the layers. Keep the strap short so the bag sits high on the chest.

Socks matter more in fall because a cropped or cuffed pant shows them. A plain crew sock in a color that matches the tee ties the top and bottom of the outfit together. Browse the accessories collection for caps and beanies cut to sit over a hood.

Bottom half and shoes

Three layers on top need a simple bottom. A straight or relaxed pant in black, olive or grey. Cargo pants work if the jacket is not also covered in pockets. Boots or a chunky sneaker ground the outfit. A slim shoe under three layers looks unbalanced.

Three fall fits that follow the rules

Mild day: white tee, black hoodie, open denim jacket, black cargo, white sneaker.

Cold morning: black tee, graphic knit, insulated jacket zipped halfway, straight jean, boot.

Rain: black tee, black zip hoodie with hood out, shell jacket, tapered cargo, waterproof boot.

Every piece ships free within the US with taxes and duties included, with 30 days to return if a layer does not sit right.