Most cotton hoodies are not actually that cheap anymore, which makes the ones that still disappoint so much more frustrating. You pay thirty or forty pounds, it pills after six washes, the hood collapses, and the cuffs lose their shape before the year is out. We have spent enough time in bad hoodies to know exactly what separates them from the ones worth owning properly.

The things we look for are heavier fabric weight, a hood that actually sits right on the neck rather than flopping forward, and a kangaroo pocket with enough structure to hold its form. Colour matters too. The wrong shade of grey or navy and it reads as an afterthought. The right one and it works over a t shirt, under an overshirt, or on its own at the weekend without looking like you stopped trying.

These hoodies cost a bit more for reasons you will feel every time you put one on.