Fashion is more fickle than any woman you might have or will ever encounter. It's not so much the constantly shifting perspective that's the problem with fashion trends, as is the fact that they are as unpredictable as they are unreliable. From the mass of totally awesome to completely absurd elements that each trend brings into the spotlight, one thing is crystal clear this year: if you're a man and you want street cred, plus an insurmountable amount of elegance and trendiness, a hoodie should be at the top of your shopping list next time you go out.

Long are the days when hoodies spelled gangsta and outdoor life, since today's trendy man also has a wide range of options of taking this item and integrating it in his daily life, all the while managing to follow the trends without becoming a fashion victim. Big retailers in the fashion industry such as Neiman Marcus, Sacks Fifth Avenue and Abercrombie & Fitch have surely made this possible. Even more, what's now on the table is more than anything we have seen before, as hoodies have come to be the perfect synonyms for urbanization, cosmopolitanism and sophistication in a man.

From plain cotton to soft leather, hoodies are now the hottest fad in terms of men's fashion. Then again, as accessible as they might appear, knowing which type to choose is actually the only key to a guy's looking like the truly undisturbed, edgy and cool character that he is, or like an amateur who wouldn't know fashion if it bit him in the you know where. And here's where a problem might arise as the options are so varied and appealing, from hoodie dress shirts and hoodie Ts, to hoodie jackets and sportswear-like zipped hoodies, that one can often be led astray from the perfect choice.

With all that, the secret is - as always - to keep it simple. You want to be trendy without looking as if trying too hard? Then don't! Choose a hoodie that fits in just fine with the rest of your wardrobe, make sure that, if you pay $800 on such a garment, it's not the strongest piece in your closet and, most importantly, don't be flashy. Leave that to the true gangstas. With these being said, up your trendiness factor by a gazillion this season and happy shopping!