The Anti-Hoodie Hoodie from Calvin Klein
I was recently contacted by an SEO firm called GigaSavvy to review some activewear for women.* I haven’t done much of this stuff in the past, but I figured I’d give it a shot: my clothing budget has taken a big hit over the years as I have prioritized bikes, writing, travel and bike-related travel writing.
I selected this Calvin Klein “Performance Cardigan” both because the term Performance Cardigan made me giggle and also because it looked like something I could easily throw over workout gear or normal clothing and still look relatively put together. You see, I have this thing for hoodies…
As much as I do love my hoodies, every once in a while I wish I had something that wasn’t so 12-year-old-boy-meets-Portland-hipster to wear when I’m dressed down for workouts or on my way to a bike race or sipping coffee in the morning on the porch.
There is nothing that is technical about this cardigan: the cotton spandex blend makes it comfortable and a little bit stretchy, but the fabric has no wicking properties. My favorite things about it are the super cozy thumbholes and the longer center back length which provides extra coverage over running tights or workout pants. It also has a nice weight and is substantially warm.
The cardigan misses in a few places. While I usually appreciate a zippered pocket for security, here they don’t make any sense and the execution is awkward. Part of the problem is that the plastic zippers are extremely cheap, the other part is that these are hand pockets: cut at a slant and best suited for holding… hands. The zippers are superfluous, clunky and a little uncomfortable.
The cut of the garment is also problematic. It was hard to tell from looking online whether it was going to come off matronly or modern and, unfortunately, I think the former is true. The drawstring tie is just a little bit too high and the shawl collar a little bit too wide and stiff.
This is how it looks on a super pretty skinny girl with a perfect manicure and bedroom eyes:
A little detail shot thumbhole and drawstring:
*I received the product free of charge in exchange for the review.
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