My Five Favourite Ways To Style A Sweatshirt (That Aren't Just Loungewear)

As a student who is trying to limit their clothes shopping habits, I love creating different looks and outfit combinations using the clothing that I already own. My wardrobe is far from small, so this is a great way to come up with some unique looks rather than styling an item in the same way every single time, or spending a fortune on new pieces that I don't need.

In March, I wrote a blog post about how to style a slogan t-shirt for any occasion, so I thought I'd do a follow-up and show you some of the different ways that I'd style a sweatshirt. Since 2020 has felt like a never-ending lockdown where we've been living in loungewear, I was eager to step out of this comfortable attire and style a sweatshirt in some different ways instead. Keep reading to see what looks I created!

Layered over a shirt dress

One way to easily style your sweatshirt and look like you've put more effort into your appearance is to layer a shirt underneath. You could totally do this with a crisp white blouse and pair it with jeans, but I thought a flannel shirt dress would be a nice change. This is incredibly comfortable and easy to throw on yet looks like you've put some more thought into your outfit. I also love the look of the collar peeking out from underneath. Although I styled this with bare legs, I think it'd look equally nice with a pair of tights and boots to add a layer of warmth during the winter.

Paired with a pleated maxi skirt

Not only are pleated midi and maxi skirts really on-trend this winter, but they're one of my favourite items of the season. If you're like me and prefer wearing skirts over trousers then this is ideal, especially if you don't want to have your legs on show. Pairing a sweatshirt with a skirt like this instantly makes your outfit feel dressier and completely different to the usual leggings or gym wear combos. I think this would look gorgeous with some biker boots or even a pair of trainers to complete the look.

Mom jeans and roll neck

I feel like this is the way that most of you would feel comfortable styling a sweatshirt, but surprisingly this was the furthest from my usual outfit choices! I don't wear jeans that frequently in the winter, but I have to admit that mom jeans are an incredibly comfortable yet stylish way of wearing them that is great for if you've been living in joggers for the past few months. Since the jumper was already quite baggy on me, as are the jeans, I decided to tuck it in to create a more 'thrown together' casual vibe, which I really like. I also added the roll neck underneath both for an extra layer of warmth and to add a bit of interest to the outfit, since I felt like something was missing.

Swap the jeans for some smart trousers

I love wearing tailored trousers as I personally find them quite flattering and they look like you've put in more effort than just wearing jeans. Although this is the only difference from the last outfit, I feel like it has been completely transformed and creates a very different overall look. I tucked in the sweatshirt again so it didn't drown me and detract from the trousers, and honestly, I really like this overall outfit despite it being very simple. I know that this ended up being quite monochromatic, but I think a pop of colour here would also be amazing!

Underneath a floral mini dress

Ditsy print dresses are really my jam, so an outfit like this one was a must for this blog post. Normally with a dainty dress like this, I'd wear a t-shirt underneath or perhaps a jumper over it so it looks like a skirt, but I instead decided to have my sweatshirt underneath. This is the perfect balance of girly and casual that'll keep you warm this winter, and I can guarantee if I was still going to university in person it'd be easy to wear outfits like this that I'd be throwing on. Yet again, tights and boots would be the perfect finish for this if you're not brave enough to embrace the bare legs this winter.

So these are some of the ways that I'd style a sweatshirt! It was honestly so much fun creating this blog post and trying on a variety of existing items in my wardrobe to create these looks, and hopefully, they've proved that sweatshirts have much more potential than just as a loungewear or gym item. I'd love to know which outfit is your favourite or if I've inspired you to create any pairings, so make sure you leave a comment and let me know!