The world is filled with debates that will never be settled. For example, coffee or tea? The chicken or the egg? In the world of clothing and apparel, there is an ongoing debate over hoodie and crewneck sweatshirts. Which one is better? Settling it is about as likely as determining, once and for all, whether vanilla ice cream is better than chocolate.

Parties willing to debate are only encouraged to do so when they go shopping. And the debate isn’t just limited to jocks buying clothes down at the sporting goods store. Even geeks are having the debate. Have you ever heard of the Umai anime apparel brand? If not, check out their website. Guess what they offer? Both crewneck sweatshirts and hoodies.

You will not see Umai taking sides. Why would they? They want to sell both to maximize their profits. And they should. Umai customers want both options. There is no making sense of it, even if you try. Nonetheless, I did a little digging around just to see what people were saying about hoodies and crewnecks. What I found was fascinating.

Hoodies Look Better

I ran across a Reddit user who insisted that hoodies just look better. There was no explanation as to why. Not surprising. Aesthetic appeal is in the eyes of the beholder. Still, I wish the user would have explained him or herself. Why? Because I have heard the same thing from other people. Yet no one has bothered to explain what it is about hoodies that make them look better. I would really like to know.

Crewnecks Fit Better

A number of the posters I ran across insisted that crewneck sweatshirts fit better. Though a lack of explanation was nearly universal, I did find one user who offered a reason for his logic. He said that hoodies felt too big on him. They were too bulky. That makes sense. That particular user likes the closer fit of a crewneck. I’m guessing not having a hood to deal with also cuts down on the feeling of too much bulk.

Hoodie Necklines Don’t Stretch

I admit that this next comment confused me. I couldn’t tell whether it was good or bad. The user posted an opinion about hoodie necklines not stretching like their crewneck counterparts. On a typical crewneck, the neckline is elastic-like – if not genuine elastic. All you have with a hoodie is a seam where the neckline and hood join. There is nothing to stretch.

I suppose this is a good thing if you don’t like stretched-out necklines. On the other hand, it might be bad in the sense that you have to remove your glasses every time you want to put on or take off your hoodie. I guess that’s your call.

Hoodies Require Less Laundering

Continuing with the theme of confusing comments, I ran across another poster who said she prefers hoodies because she can wear them for several days without washing them. I’m not sure about that. If she thinks that’s okay, more power to her.

Crewnecks With Age

The last word goes to a poster who said he preferred hoodies when he was younger. Now that he is getting older, he prefers the crewneck. He offered no explanation. However, getting up there in age myself, I can tell you that crewnecks are a lot easier to get on and off.

The hoodie vs. crewneck debate will continue for time and eternity. It is one of those questions that doesn’t have a good answer.  It doesn’t need one, so don’t stress over it. Wear whatever makes you most comfortable.