Design Ideas For A French Terry Sweatshirt

Getting caught up in the craze associated with French terry fabric and French terry sweatshirts? Perhaps instead you’ve been swept up in the modern trend of reinventing old looks with a little innovation and vision. Whatever the case, you can make a new look out of an old one with a little dose of ingenuity and a small dash of confidence. As in so many areas in life, creativity is the limit.

Today, a surprising number of looks and styles that were seemingly settled into one echelon of fashion have been reinvigorated and given new life. Even plain jersey cotton sweatshirts have been used in a stunning array of styles that only a few years ago would have been unconsidered or even taboo.

We actually wrote a blog on this a short while back. Read up in our blog “100% Cotton Clothing for All Schools of Fashion,” for a heaping dose of inspiration.

Luckily, you can transfer that level of inventiveness and creativity to a French terry sweatshirt, but French terry fabric brings with it a unique set of values that some might prefer. Even you might experience French terry only to wonder how you ever went so long without it in the first place!

What Is a French Terry Sweatshirt?

So that begs one more question before we can dive into the matter at hand, which is, just what is a French terry sweatshirt in the first place? If you already know all about French terry, just take a load off for a few minutes. Everyone else, buckle up.

A French terry sweatshirt, like any clothing that boasts of French terry, is made with that type of fabric. But just what makes French terry different from, say, any other cotton fabric?

The difference between French terry and other forms of fabric lies in how it is created. This type of fabric is a knitted type of fabric, which gives it a weave and a natural tendency to stretch. The manner in which it is knitted leaves it with loops of material on one side and very soft, plush piles of fabric on the other, the side that is worn against the skin, or on the inside.

Because of this weave pattern and the fullness of the fabric, French terry fabric lies somewhere between other heavier weight cotton fabrics and the lighter materials that are used to make t-shirts and other lighter clothing. It’s somewhere in the middle, which makes it perfect for all-season comfort.

One thing to note is that terry cloth is not the same as French terry fabric, despite the name. They are very similar, however, with terry cloth being a thicker, typically heavier fabric that is used to make towels and, unsurprisingly, terry “cloths.” As this fabric is more absorbent and typically heavier, it is better suited for the uses such as towels, rugs, and robes.

Does It Make a Difference?

Now that you have a working knowledge of what French terry is and is not, you might be wondering if it really makes that much of a difference at all. Well, just like all things, including 100% cotton clothing, French terry has a unique list of benefits that keep customers coming back to garments made from it time and time again.

High-quality French terry fabric, for one thing, is remarkably comfortable. This is likely its most valuable asset and what makes it so popular among so many different people. Because it contains luxuriously soft piles of cotton on the inside, it feels soft and comfortable against the skin. This also makes it an excellent insulator, so it is a great garment to use for layering to keep you warm in the winter. However, it’s also great for keeping you cool through the hotter months, since cotton breathes.

Because French terry is woven, the fabric has a natural measure of flexibility and durability. This makes the materially naturally able to move and stretch with you, all while retaining its shape, unlike some other fabrics.

Also because of the weave, it is a material that does not readily wrinkle. Being flexible and resilient, it stretches into and out of shape easily and does not take a set, unlike some other fabrics. French terry is also relatively easy to care for, as it does not need special care or dry cleaning. You can wash and maintain French terry like most of your other cotton garments.

Make the Most of This Versatility!

Good news for you is that French terry fabric isn’t just amazingly plush, comfortable, and versatile throughout the seasons. A French terry sweatshirt also gives you a lot of versatility with how you want to exercise your fashion sense.

Check out some of the ideas in our blog above on how to design and accessorize with other cotton clothing, and then pair them up with these sweatshirt specific ideas.

1. Dress your best: In one of our recent posts, we vindicated the look of a 100% cotton sweatshirt - a hoodie, specifically - as more than a solely casual, informal look. There’s so much more that you can do with a cotton sweatshirt that it’s nearly insulting to think of it as a one-trick-pony. It deserves much better, given its impressive natural range.

To that point, you can actually dress fairly formally in the right cotton sweatshirt, French terry, or otherwise. Consider wearing a nice sweatshirt over a pair of slacks or khakis, mating it to a nice pair of oxblood wholecuts, and topping it with a classy blazer. At first, you might think of the idea as far-fetched, but let us tell you, it looks just as good with a properly cut and sized sweatshirt as it does with a hoodie, if not much better.

Get creative to find the look that really works for you. We’re not suggesting that a sweatshirt is a right match for a black-tie event. All we’re saying is the style is far more flexible than you may have assumed it to be.

2. Pair it with some sweatpants for a casual look: Obviously, you can get a lot of mileage from a cotton sweatshirt by using it in just the fashion that everyone assumes you will. Pair it up with some sweatpants and comfortable loafers or other around-the-house shoes and you’ll be fit for comfort. Here’s the kicker, though. This downplayed, casual look is not just for around the house anymore. This look can fit into the broader look of ‘loungewear’ and it has become an acceptable mainstream design aesthetic. That means you can wear loungewear out on the town. Although it also fits around the home. Whatever works for you.

3. Match up with a comfortable pair of jeans: One of these sweatshirts is also ideal for pairing up with a comfortable, even stylish pair of jeans for a middle of the road look that is not loungewear but certainly not formal. Jeans, like sweatshirts, are kind of like the “everyman’s” garment. There’s a lot of versatility and adaptability wrapped up in them. Once you top a pair of jeans with a sweatshirt or a hoodie you’ll be wondering what else you can do with the look. Hint: you can do plenty.

4. Accessorize with a pair of urban boots: On that note, you can add a decidedly urban flair to your image with a pair of sleek boots like Chukka boots, Chelsea boots, or even a pair of polished service shoes or boots. It will add a bit of an edge to the polish you have cultivated with your look. You may be surprised just how far you can take the look. A leather jacket with the same look appears daring and dashing, but you can also soften the look with a sweatshirt and see what else you can do with it.

5. Scale back the same look with mocs or dressier shoes: Some might consider the above look slightly too bold for most functions, to which sentiment there is more than a grain of validity. It’s definitely true that there are some clashing elements wrapped up in the above style, so you can scale back the tone with moccasins or dressier shoes. There’s a caveat, here. Moccasins more or less go better with the loungewear type of aesthetic than with a casual urban edge, as there is something decidedly, even pronouncedly casual about them. You could take a middle of the road approach with a pair of suede shoes or loafers instead. Pair them with the same jeans and see how you like the look. Actually, you could do the same thing with loungewear, too, now that we’re on the subject. Versatility is the key here.

6. Layer up in the cold - you get function and form: Finally, keying in on the basic utility of a sweatshirt as a garment that is ideal in the colder months, you can layer up with a French terry sweatshirt. While you’ll still look your best, this is not solely a matter of aesthetics. With this approach, you get form and function. The French terry fabric is luxuriously warm, soft, and supple, and when you layer up with it you’ll be as comfortable as you can be. That is, through all the seasons, since cotton breathes, but these types of clothing really shine in the winter month. Layer up and feel the difference in comfort and warmth!

Uncover the Difference

As you can see, there is a great deal of flexibility you can take advantage of when you make it a point to dress creatively and insightfully with a 100% cotton sweatshirt like one made of French terry fabric. Nevertheless, you can expect an uncommon degree of quality from all of the garments we produce, whether made from French terry or otherwise!

• No more pilling: Are you familiar with those uncomfortable little balls of fabric that bunch up at the surface of some fabrics? They create a slightly less than uniform surface and some people even find them irritating. Well, irritating or not, they do make a piece of clothing less soft and smooth than it could be, not to mention the fact that they are somewhat unsightly. Worst of all, if you don’t remove them, they can pick up debris and become darker than the surface of the fabric, altering its appearance. This unpleasantry is known as “pilling” and it is common in cotton fabrics. Some people deal with pilling by shaving them off of the top of fabric, but there’s a better way to deal with it: prevent it entirely. Our clothing is made from ring-spun fabrics, which prevents pilling in the first place.

• Preshrunk fabrics: But wait, it gets better! Our clothing is also made from pre-shrunk fabrics, which is almost as important as the fact that they are made from ring-spun fabrics. Why, you ask? Well, cotton clothing is notorious for shrinking when it is not handled or maintained properly. Careful observation of a few practices can help minimize the risk of shrinking your cotton clothing, but all the same, it’s better to prevent it in the first place, if possible. It is possible, and we use pre-shrunk fabrics so that our garments are better able to retain their shape.

• In search of ultimate comfort: Here at Just Sweatshirts, we’re on the tail of ultimate comfort. In everything we do, we aim to increase the comfort and fit of our clothing so that our customers can enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience. Comfortable, stylish, and practical, our 100% cotton clothing for men and women is unparalleled.

• Service makes a difference: Make sure you check out our collections of men’s and women’s 100% cotton clothing including hoodies, sweatpants, t-shirts, and more. Those who appreciate more contemporary styling will love our PRIVE collection. There’s something for every taste here, and you’ll love the styling and the function of our clothing. You just need to find your favorites.

Any time you have any questions about our processes or you just want some more insight into how to get the most value out of a purchase, give us a call! We love to hear from our customers - you can reach us at 1-866-888-5878.