Maybe an unpopular opinion, but winter is my favorite season. I love big, chunky sweaters, cool-looking pants, and a nice pair of Uggs. However, some days I need to ditch the jeans and throw on an easy, cozy outfit. But I still want to look put together. A matching sweat set is always my go-to. As the cold season gets closer, the dilemma of figuring out how to stay cute and comfortable in the cold comes with it. Here, I’ve listed some of my favorite places to buy warm, cute, and high-quality sweat sets.
The Mayfair Group
The first shop is The Mayfair Group. This brand was founded in 2017 in California, and the founder’s main goal has been to use clothing as a platform to spread positive messages. In the brand’s “About Us” tab, CEO Sam Arbrahart shares her struggles with mental health and how that drove her to create The Mayfair Group.
One of the brand’s core beliefs is that “apparel can be used as a catalyst for conversation and change.” Nearly all of their attire has words of affirmation and/or support of women and mental health embroidered or printed onto them. Wearing their clothes is like advertising positivity. A few styles also offer matching sweat shorts for those days when it’s chilly, but not unbearably cold.
The brand is based in California, making for fast shipping and promise of better quality. While their prices may seem a little daunting, the brand regularly holds 30-40% off sitewide sales. If you join its loyalty program, you gain early access to these sales as well as an additional 10% off.
Alo Yoga
Next up is Alo Yoga. While this brand has a variety of sweats, my favorites are from the Accolade collection. They are incredibly soft, the sizing runs slightly big, and the color selection is unmatched.
The Accolade collection has both a hoodie and a crew neck pullover as well as matching sweatpants. The sweatpants come in both a cuffed leg and wide-leg style.
The Accolade collection does have its classic colors, but Alo Yoga also frequently releases seasonal colors. Something to keep in mind however is that the seasonal colors are not always available in every style of the Accolade collection.
Alo Yoga’s price tags can be scary for both you and your wallet. That is why I recommend signing up for the brand’s loyalty program Alo Access. Members gain one point per dollar spent at Alo Yoga. These points can be exchanged for products are access to events and classes. Members also gain early access to sales. Right now, Alo is hosting its Singles Day sale, which offers 30 percent off sitewide. Plus, new members receive 10 percent off of their first order!
Lululemon
Lululemon has had its hype for quite some time. More recently, the brand’s Scuba sweatshirts have gained a lot of popularity. Social media influencers helped garner the craze by posting videos of their enormous Scuba collection with every color imaginable.
However, a new member of the Scuba collection has made an appearance that has not been talked about on social media nearly as much: The Scuba Jogger and the Scuba Wide-Leg Pant.
This collection is very similar to the Accolade collection from Alo Yoga. Lululemon offers several styles of Scuba sweatshirts and sweatpants. Lululemon also drops new colors on products sitewide every Tuesday, so there is always something new to look forward to.
My only advice for shopping the Scuba collection is for the sizing of the different sweatpant styles. The jogger runs true to size; however, I would advise sizing up for the wide-leg pant. This is because the waistband on the wide-leg pant is more stiff than that on the jogger. Another thing to keep in mind regarding the wide-leg pant is that there are not as many colors available in that style. Based on the website, the wide-leg pant comes in neutral colors whereas all sweatshirt styles and the jogger come in a wide variety of colors.
Lululemon price tags can also be a little daunting. If you’re on a budget, I recommend waiting to shop until Thursday mornings. This is when Lululemon updates its sale section called “We Made Too Much.”
Abercrombie & Fitch
I have never seen a company rebrand themselves as successfully as Abercrombie has. I can confidently say that this is one of my favorite stores, especially for buying sweatshirts.
The Essential Popover Hoodie comes in many colors, is perfectly oversized, and serves as the perfect basic. The hoodie comes in a wide selection of solid colors, but there are also a couple of camouflage and quilted patterns. While the company does not release as many colors as frequently as Lululemon and Alo Yoga, it still launches a decent number per season.
If you would prefer a zip-up style, Abercrombie also offers an Essential Cropped Full-Zip Hoodie. This style does not come in nearly as many colors or patterns as the regular hoodie does though.
As far as pants go, two options would match best with the hoodie. The first is the Men’s Essential Sweatpants. These only come in a cuffed-leg style. There is a wide variety of colors as well, but still nowhere near as many options as the hoodie offers. These sweatpants come in mostly neutral colors.
The next sweatpant option is the Women’s Essential Sunday Sweatpant. Of all the styles in the Essential collection I’ve mentioned, this one offers the fewest number of colors.
While the sweatpants are listed online under the men’s and women’s tabs, I don’t see any significant difference in the pants’ fits or styles, so go with whichever will serve you best!
Please note, that this is not a “sign” that you need anything I’ve listed here. Don’t read this and feel pressured into thinking that you must spend your money on anything in order to stay on-trend. Finding your own style through clothes and businesses that make you feel good is what’s important when it comes to fashion. These are simply recommendations for anyone already thinking about building their winter wardrobe, or curating their Christmas wishlists. Happy shopping!