I’m bald, typical sport type hats look weird on me, IMO. I don’t like carrying around a soft/cloth hat in my pocket for a slight chill if it gets windy, so it’s nice to have a hoodie as a good backup. Almost all of my coats and jackets have a hood on them so it’s just convenient, even if my peripheral vision is impacted.
In the summer its because it looks all dark/dangerous/mysterious in a generally stupid sort of way. Kids love things like that; always have.
I do still use that word, yes. Maybe it’s not as odd to my ears, as I’m used to hearing stuff like “telly” and “welly” from spending many years with Brits. But, no, it doesn’t sound childish to me.
Well, that is exactly the purpose. What else could it be? I would tie my hoodie quite often here in windy Chicago during the fall and winter, otherwise my ears would freeze off. Of course, I didn’t work at a lathe.
I like to pretend I’m a Sith Lord.
If I don’t tie the strings on the hood, then whenever the wind’s in my face it blows the hood back off.
If I’m working around machinery, I tuck the strings in.
Funny you should say that. I spend a lot of time with Brits and things like “brekkie” and “cossie” are endearing to me, so I don’t know why “hoodie” rankles. Anyway, I’m just playing with you 
Try finding a sweatshirt without one.
People decided they looked cool, so manufacturers fed into that. But hoods are more of a disadvantage then an advantage, especially if you wear a hat.
Hoodies are no more or less “fashionable” than sweatshirts without a hood. Which are incredibly easy to find btw. If you are seeing more of them, it could *possibly *be that people like them because they are much more useful and comfortable than those without hoods, as most of the replies here have showed you. :rolleyes:
If it is sunny but chilly I wear a ball cap, sunglasses, and my hoodie’s hood. No problem.
I love my hoodie.
It’s warm and comfortable, and it keeps my head and neck warm when it’s windy.
I think it’s pretty funny that some people think I might wear a completely utilitarian piece of clothing as a fashion statement.
The very sort of fashion statement I like to make as a 50+ suburban white guy. Takes a lot of effort to put together a wardrobe that says, “This guy’s a dork, just leave him alone.” 
Duh!
Yup. All those maintenance guys I see working in the subway tunnels wearing hoodies and jeans, total fashionistas they are.
A sweatshirt without a hood?
This has not been a challenge for me. I have plenty of those, too. I also don’t understand how it’s a disadvantage in any way. If you have a hat, just don’t wear the damn hood over it. I’ve been known to wear both a hat and the hood when shit gets real out here in a Chicago winter. There’s no case I see having a hood attached presents a problem. You don’t have to wear it, ya know? I mean, shit, even my regular jackets often have a hood hiding in the back, should I need one. It’s utilitarian, as many, many posters here have said. I’m sure there are some that wear it for fashion, I guess, but here it’s primarily utility. My high school track practice outfit in 1990 was a hooded sweatshirt, and it was great, because if you were running and it started pissing or sleeting down, you could just pop the thing over your head and be good to go.
Why do people think that fashion and utility are mutually exclusive? Can’t I wear something because it’s comfortable, because it keeps me warm, because I think I look good in it, and because all the cool kids are wearing it?
I had never really noticed hoodies until I had kids in the 1980s. I bought them both various hoodies for the cold days in Winter. Because I only associated the hoodies with little children, when I started to see teens in them they all looked faintly cute and childish to me, although I am sure they felt that they looked cool and tough.
I was wearing one earlier this week because I had to do some walking around and I was visitng somewhere really cold.
I wear hearing aids, which I’m not supposed to get wet. If I get caught in the rain, I can flip up the hood and not have to pocket the devices. I have hats with brims, too, but storms will blow 'em off.
I love my hoodies. I have a bunch of them, zipped and pullover, though I prefer the pullover variety. I don’t put the hood up very often, though. Only when I get caught out in the rain unexpectedly. I just like the way they look with the hood down, and they’re comfy.
Is there no situation in which you can imagine a desire to cover your head and ears might become more important than optimizing your field of vision? Or at least want to have that option?