Julia Huynh is the internet’s unofficial Hoodie Princess, self-proclaimed. In October 2023, Huynh coined “hoodie” as a verb in a TikTok video, describing her ideal hoodie with the perfect weight and oversized fit as one that “hoodies.” Her followers and passer-by FYP scrollers were hooked; her post garnered millions of views, and the quest to search for the best hoodie was born.
Over the course of a month, the 24 year-old took recommendations from her followers and reviewed dozens of hoodies to determine if they in fact properly “hoodied.” The 23-part series has collectively gained 42.2 million views so far.
With a cumulative 1.4M followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, Huynh posts content ranging from fashion, beauty, and snippets of her life. “I posted my first TikTok at the beginning of the pandemic. Everyone was home and bored, I didn’t have to go to school, and [was] away from people’s judgment,” Huynh tells Complex. “It was a way for me to have my own little world outside of college. It became a creative outlet that I always wanted and a space where I could express myself authentically—a place where I could create for the sake of creating.”
Tapping into Huynh’s hoodie-obsessed audience, Gap reached out to her via DMs. Within a year, the San Jose-based TikTok and YouTuber became the first social media creator to officially collaborate with the brand. Taking into account all of her hoodie requirements, Huynh helped design Gap’s new Extra Heavyweight Hoodie That Hoodies, which released in October of this year.
The Extra Heavyweight Hoodie That Hoodies comes in six colorways: navy, pink, forest green, and butter yellow selected by Huynh, and black and orange selected by Gap. It’s made from a 650GSM cotton, the heaviest fabric blend of all of Gap’s similar offerings. The fit is wide and boxy, slightly cropped, and sports an oversized hood with no drawstring.
We sat down with Huynh to talk about the viral phenomenon, and why it matters to have a hoodie that hoodies.
What compelled you to start searching for the “hoodiest hoodie”?
I’ve always found fashion and style fascinating and personal. It’s a good way to combine functional design and self expression, and functionality is very important to me. It was getting colder and I was in the market for a good quality hoodie and I couldn’t seem to find one that I really loved. That’s when I made it my mission to find it.
Did you expect your first hoodie video to gain as much attention? What was your favorite or most memorable reaction or comment?
Honestly, no. For all my videos, I have my bar set to the ground. I have no expectations. I did not think that anyone would care so deeply about this piece of clothing as much as I did. But apparently, a lot of people do. That was pretty surprising to me. The most memorable and probably my favorite [reaction] happened in the real world. Someone recognized me at a coffee shop, and they mentioned that they bought their hoodie because of me. It was so sweet and also wild that this idea that I put on the internet surpassed the digital boundary. Sometimes I forget that things online aren’t just online, and can manifest into the physical world.
Feeling cute and comfortable is especially important for Gen-Z. Did the hoodie search validate this for you personally?
It did, because I felt like I wasn’t alone. The Hoodie Hunt was a group effort, everyone was participating in it. There were so many comments of everyone wanting me to review so many different hoodies, and I wanted to make sure that I was reviewing the hoodies that people actually were interested in, not just the ones that I was looking into. I wanted everyone tuning in to have their say as well. I felt like the people’s Hoodie Princess.
How did the Gap collaboration come about? Any particular memory about Gap prior to this?
I feel like it was red string theory. I grew up wearing Gap, and still wear it. Plus, anyone that knows me, knows I’m an avid thrifter. A lot of my loungewear is vintage Gap that I’ve picked up over the years. I gravitate towards it because it’s a brand I can depend on. When I received that DM on TikTok from Gap, it felt an organic fit. I’ve had brands reach out to me about making my own hoodie but it never clicked for me like it did for Gap. If it’s not a ‘hell, yeah,’ it’s a no to me.
What makes a hoodie, hoodie? What are some details you changed when co-designing the Gap hoodie?
I could probably talk for an hour about this, the hoodie and what I need. A very thick material that’s soft and structured, but not rigid. A spacious hood, drop shoulder or a raglan sleeve, a kangaroo pocket, and a wide boxy fit–reminiscent of vintage hoodies. When I walked into the Gap design office in New York, the team had all the hoodies laid out. We had a conversation about what looks best, what we should do with the sleeve length, and the hood. I immediately knew that the hood and neck opening had to be bigger when I tried on the sample.
What’s your favorite Gap hoodie colorway and why?
The Red Violet color. It’s the perfect pink that’s not too in your face but also gives that splash of color and personality. Personally, I never wear colors outside of neutrals. I’m always wearing black, white, gray, and denim, but I’ve been wearing it so much that I know it’s my favorite color. I love it.
Do you have sizing tips to achieve the hoodiest hoodie fit?
Take your normal size, but If you love the oversized and comfy fit, go one size up. I’m 5’ 6”, and I usually wear Small in tops, but for hoodies specifically, I like to go oversized. I tend to grab my Large when I’m traveling or lounging at home, but if I’m going out and I want it for the fit, I’ll wear my Medium with some denim.
Do you have any styling tips with your Gap hoodie?
I am a sweat set lover. I would absolutely love to see matching sweat pants. I hope to continue my relationship with Gap and work with them on more pieces. Maybe sweatpants ‘that sweatpants’ could be in the cards for us?
Lastly, What kind of content creator do you want to be? Any messages for your followers?
I want my audience to really get to know me as a person and not just someone on their phone. That’s why my YouTube channel is something I hold very dearly to my heart. TikTok can be very fleeting. Through my vlogs, I share the good and the bad that happens in my life. I don’t want it to be a highlight reel. It is a documentary of my life but also serves as a medium to make everyone feel like there’s one less lonely girl. I’m a normal girl living in the suburbs, in my twenties, living with my parents, still trying to figure out life. And so if they’re feeling lost, “no worries, girl, I’m too. We’re going to figure it out together.”
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