There is a difference between a hoodie that looks worn in and one that just looks worn out, and most men have learned that the hard way. The distressed aesthetic done badly looks cheap immediately. Done well, it looks like something you’ve owned for years and refused to part with, which is exactly the impression worth making when the occasion calls for something relaxed but considered. We’ve been looking specifically at pieces where the fading and texture feel like a natural consequence of good materials rather than a factory process applied to bad ones. Weight matters here. A flimsy hoodie with distressing just looks sad. A properly constructed one in a heavier cotton that happens to have some character to it is a different proposition entirely. Fit is the other thing. These work because they’re cut with enough intention that you can throw one on with chinos or raw denim and not look like you’ve stopped trying.