Layering 101: What Goes Under a Hoodie and Jacket

September 02, 2026 Baliveno Team

Good layering isn't about piling on more clothes — it's about each layer doing a specific job. Getting how to layer a hoodie and jacket right means thinking in terms of base, mid, and outer, not just 'warm enough'.

The base layer, closest to skin, should be lightweight and moisture-wicking if there's any chance of activity, since a damp base layer under everything else makes the whole outfit feel cold fast. The hoodie is your mid layer — its job is insulation, so a slightly looser fit here traps more warm air than a snug one. The jacket is the outer shell, and its main job is blocking wind and rain, not warmth on its own — a jacket with good wind resistance over a warm hoodie usually outperforms a heavier jacket with no windproofing at all.

If you're moving between indoor and outdoor spaces often, prioritise a jacket you can easily take off and carry — the whole system works better when you can actually regulate it through the day, not just at the start.

See our Women's Jackets range to complete the outer layer.