A Hoodie Built for the Long Run
The Gildan 18500 is one of the most worn blank garments in the world for a reason. It is heavy enough to be genuinely warm, structured enough to hold a print clearly across hundreds of washes, and cut in a way that works on almost everyone without requiring precise sizing. The I Love Myself Wave Hoodie takes this well-proven base and puts the Spring 2026 collection's ocean wave graphic on the chest: a flowing aqua and blue wave composition paired with the self-affirmation lettering that defines the collection. The result is a hoodie that functions as well as any you have owned and says something the others did not.
This is a print-on-demand piece produced through Gelato's fulfilment network, which means every unit is manufactured fresh for the individual order. No warehouse stock, no aged inventory, no print that has faded slightly from months under fluorescent storage lighting. Your hoodie arrives with the same colour depth and registration quality it had when the print was applied. Available in sizes from S upward in a unisex pullover cut with a front kangaroo pocket and an adjustable drawstring hood.
The piece
The Gildan 18500 is an 8 oz blended fleece construction — a 50% cotton, 50% polyester blend that provides the warmth and structure of a heavyweight fleece with slightly better shape retention and moisture management than a 100% cotton alternative. The interior is a soft brushed fleece surface. The exterior has the characteristic medium-texture surface that holds DTG printing with high colour fidelity across the life of the garment. The I Love Myself Wave graphic is centred on the chest or printed across the full chest width, with the wave composition and affirmation lettering clearly legible against the hoodie's base colour. The hood is double-lined and deep enough to provide genuine warmth coverage rather than functioning as a decorative addition. The front kangaroo pocket is stitched to the correct depth for hand warmth during outdoor use.
Who it is for
This hoodie is for the person who buys one good hoodie per season and wears it constantly. It suits the person who wants a garment that is appropriate from the first cool morning of September through to the last grey day of April without needing to make decisions about layering. It suits the gym goer who wants a warm-up garment that has real graphic presence. It suits the streetwear buyer who respects the Gildan 18500 as a base that has been worn by everyone from art school students to professional athletes without the garment ever looking out of place. The self-love ocean wave graphic targets the ocean lifestyle community, the wellness community, and anyone who wants their wardrobe to reflect values rather than logos.
Closer look
- Gildan 18500 base: 8 oz, 50/50 cotton-polyester fleece blend for warmth and shape retention
- Brushed fleece interior: soft against skin across full-day wear without requiring a break-in period
- I Love Myself Wave print: ocean wave composition in aquas and blues with affirmation lettering
- DTG print application: fused to exterior fleece surface for multi-wash durability
- Double-lined hood with adjustable drawstring: genuine warmth coverage, not decorative
- Front kangaroo pocket: stitched to full hand-warming depth for outdoor and commute use
- Ribbed cuffs and waistband: maintain shape after repeated washing
- Unisex pullover cut: appropriate for a range of body types and styling preferences
Fabric and feel
The 50/50 cotton-polyester blend occupies a specific position in fleece construction: it is heavier than a lightweight performance fleece but breathes slightly better than a pure cotton fleece of equivalent weight. The result is a hoodie that handles the transition from outdoor cold to indoor warmth without immediately becoming uncomfortable, which is why the 18500 has remained a standard across decades of sportswear, workwear, and streetwear use. The brushed interior is softer than the exterior surface and becomes noticeably more comfortable after the first two or three washes as the interior fibres settle. The exterior surface is firm enough that it does not collect lint the way pure cotton fleece does, making it a practical choice for daily wear in environments where fabric pilling matters.
Fit and silhouette
The unisex Gildan 18500 cut runs true to size with a relaxed body that is not boxy. Shoulder seams sit at the natural shoulder. The body length is generous enough to cover the waistband of standard-rise bottoms without requiring a deliberate tuck or adjustment throughout the day. Sleeves are full-length with ribbed cuffs. The hood sits at a comfortable height behind the head when down and provides full coverage when up without requiring hands to hold it in position against wind. The kangaroo pocket sits at the natural hand-drop position. Size up for an oversized fit.
Styling
Wear with straight-leg jeans in a darker wash and white low-profile trainers for a clean everyday streetwear combination that lets the wave graphic carry the visual weight of the outfit. Layer under a heavyweight canvas overshirt or workwear jacket in olive or brown for autumn days where the hoodie serves as a mid-layer. Roll the cuffs once for a slightly more deliberate styling detail when wearing with chinos or straight trousers in a less casual context. The wave graphic reads well at distance, making it a strong visual anchor when worn in outdoor settings where colour and composition carry further than fine detail.
Occasions
This hoodie is for every day between September and April and any evening in summer when the temperature drops unexpectedly. It is right for the person who wants one reliable hooded sweatshirt that goes from gym warm-up to coffee run to sofa without needing to change. It is the practical end of the I Love Myself collection: a garment you will wear two or three times a week, wash regularly, and still find looks considered rather than tired after a full season of use.
Care
Machine wash cold with like colours. Turn inside out before washing to protect the print surface. Tumble dry on low heat or hang to dry. Do not bleach. Do not iron directly over the print. The 50/50 blend dries faster than pure cotton equivalents, making it practical for regular washing without extended drying time. Wash with similar dark or medium colours to prevent any initial colour transfer during the first one or two washes. After drying, reshape at the cuffs and waistband if needed to restore the ribbed structure.
Wow detail
The Gildan 18500 has been the background garment of an enormous range of cultural moments across the past thirty years without ever being the subject of those moments itself. It is the hoodie worn by the person in the documentary footage who is doing something interesting. It is the garment that disappears into the background of a creative process and lets the work in the foreground take precedence. The I Love Myself Wave print changes that dynamic: the wave and the affirmation make the garment the thing worth looking at rather than the invisible layer behind it. That shift is the point of the collection.
Conscious fashion
5% of every WowStore order funds a cause you choose — clean water, education, or healthcare.
Promise
We stand behind every product in our catalogue. Your order ships with free EU delivery on orders over 69 euros. If anything is not right, our 30-day returns policy means you can shop with complete confidence.
