A few months back, I shared my review of the stronger hoodie from Athleta and how much I love mine. Athleta also makes a version of the same hoodie with plush faux fur lining, dubbed the luxe stronger hoodie. Of course I had to try it!
By the way: the luxe stronger hoodie is on sale, so if you want to wear it as a jacket for chilly spring days (and hold onto it for next winter!), you can save a pretty penny by getting it now.
I bought this hoodie in XXS, my usual Athleta size and the same size as my other stronger hoodie. It fits close to the body with just a little extra room. I still have room for a long sleeve tee or lightweight sweater underneath. That said, note that since it has the cozy lining, it does lay just slightly bulkier compared to the regular stronger hoodie. It has a nice stretch to it and isn’t constricting at all. The luxe version doesn’t include the quilted shoulders or side ribbon in favor of a cleaner cut.
The faux fur lining extends through the entire torso and hood. The sleeves are lined with a lower-profile fleece. All told, it feels considerably warmer than my other jackets. When you need warmth but don’t want a peacoat or a puffer, this is the perfect in-between option. I live in a cooler climate with chilly nights even in summer, so I expect this will see lots of wear in all seasons.
Besides the faux fur, I love the gold zipper details. Even after a few months of wear, there aren’t any chips in the gold.
The jacket pairs nicely with activewear when you’re heading to and from your workouts, but is sophisticated enough to wear with jeans around town. It’s way fancier than that 5-year-old hoodie you throw on when you’re lounging on the couch (don’t worry, I have one of those too).
If you’re wondering how the fleece lining holds up, I’ve had this for several months now and it still looks and feels fantastic. I wash it on the delicate cycle and let it air dry. The fleece did not ball up and is still just as soft as the day I bought it.
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Overall, this hoodie was a really excellent purchase that I’ve gotten lots of wear out of. You can find the luxe stronger hoodie in this color (oatmeal) as well as heathered black on Athleta’s website. As of right now, most sizes are still available, but they won’t last long at markdown price!
Outfit details
Athleta luxe stronger hoodie in oatmeal heather
Lululemon align crops in boysenberry
Allbirds wool runners in natural black
Thanks for the very helpful comments! I’ve been eyeballing this jacket for quite a while and finally bit the bullet and bought it. I wanted a loose sherpa fleece-lined jacket, so I’m hoping this fits the bill. I usually wear xs/s in Athleta, but bought the medium for a looser fit. I just hope the shoulders don’t end up looking way too wide…
Nice!! I hope the sizing worked out for you. :)
Actually, the shoulders are a little broad and the overall fit is very loose. I probably should’ve just bought the small. So now I’m hoping that the cotton content will cause the jacket to shrink a little in the wash/dry… I still love the warmth and softness!
Aw darn!! Hopefully you have some luck with the dryer.
What are your measurements, if you don’t mind me asking? The XXS would fit me in the hip but I’m worried it’ll be too tight in the waist and bust (because I’m 25 in the waist and 32 in the bust, and XXS is supposedly 23-24 in the waist and 30-31 in the bust). I also usually get XXS in bottoms, but I’ve never purchased tops at Athleta before.
Sorry I’m a bit late on this. In case the info would still be helpful, I measure 32″ at the bust and 24-25″ at the waist, so pretty much identical to you. I think it will fit you just fine. :)
This is the only item that ever literally stopped me in my tracks in store. I’ve had mine since October 2016 and it’s still beautiful. There’s been a small amount of pilling by the wrists but that seems to be expected. It’s interesting to note that mine has cord stops in the hood to cinch it but I think they’ve since eliminated that feature. Thanks for the review of this one.
Thanks for the note! I agree it’s just gorgeous. And yes, there is no hood cinch on mine. Didn’t know they had that on last year’s, but I don’t mind not having it–I rarely use the hood.
I picked this up in one size up from my usual size. I wanted more room for layering-if I didn’t care about that, my usual size would have been fine. It’s so cozy!
I completely agree! Glad it worked out for you. :)
I bought this yesterday. I really like the regular stronger hoodie. I have 2 of them. One in the cassis heather and abyss. I love them both. Great bum coverage & super soft. The luxe hoodie looks really great on you, so I decided to dive in and try it out. Hopefully I will like the luxe version. I got an amazing deal 39$ with the sale price and I had a 20$ off from a goof up that athleta made with shipping. Thanks for the heads up on the sale!
Wow that’s a fantastic price!!! I kind of want the abyss stronger hoodie but not sure I need a third one… :)
Not to encourage you but I reach for the abyss more. It too is super soft. The color is super flattering for me. Similar skin tone, hair color as you and brown/hazel eyes. The price is quite amazing too at 53$. The price decreased after mine shipped so I received the 53$ price too. So worth it!
Thanks for the extra info! They still have my size so I might go for it… I can’t resist teal!!
I received my stronger luxe hoodie today. I love it! It is super soft and looks warm!! Great transition piece. Thank you for the review, I might have missed this.
I love the look of this jacket and I was wondering about the sizing! You answered all my questions and now I know I need it :)