Skip to main content

Apparently This Matters: The Hug Me Jacket

Let's all give a hand to the designers of the Hug Me jacket. Get it? A hand?
Let's all give a hand to the designers of the Hug Me jacket. Get it? A hand?
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Apparently This Matters is CNN Tech's weekly, offbeat look at the world of social media
  • This week, Jarrett ponders the Reddit appeal of the Hug Me Jacket
  • In fact, he ends up pondering all jackets. That's Jarrett for you
  • "Hug Me" creator hopes to put it on the market for about $1,200

Editor's note: Editor's note: Each week in "Apparently This Matters," CNN's Jarrett Bellini applies his warped sensibilities to trending topics in social media and random items of interest on the Internet.

(CNN) -- Every now and then, a singular piece of fashion comes along that absolutely changes the history of the world. Pants come to mind. So far, I'm unimpressed.

But this week, it seemed like the internet went crazy over one particular jacket. And, amazingly, it isn't even made out of kittens. Or "Twilight" books. Or Katy Perry.

No, it's much more interesting than that. I'm referring to the wildly bizarre Hug Me Jacket, conceptualized by up-and-coming Macanese fashion designer Si Chan.

What makes the Hug Me jacket so unique is that, despite the lovable name, it sort of looks like you're being abducted from behind by a giant green alien. Some of you kinky fools call that roleplay. No judgment. That's your business.

You see, the jacket gets its name from a rather comical set of stuffed hands that fasten it closed in the front. To be more precise, it's actually five sets of hands that wrap around the body, in effect hugging the wearer. Hence the name.

Chan asks of his design, "Everybody needs love, don't they?"

To which I cried in a corner while listening to The Smiths.

\
"Apparently This Matters" Is Jarrett Bellini's weekly (and somewhat random) look at social-media trends.

But, yes, I suppose everyone does need love. And that's why the recent graduate of London's College of Fashion created the Hug Me jacket. Though, to be fair, it's actually more of a parka. It's really big. It's really puffy. It's really warm. You could probably even wear it to Everest base camp.

Sir Edmund Hillary's ghost would come down and beat you senseless with a crampon, but you could wear it.

Chan hopes to get his amazing big green prototype onto the market by this winter with a price point of about $1,200. Which is a lot of money for a hug. And, at least to me, a lot of money for a jacket. Especially since I recently dry-heaved for an hour after dropping $200 on a new one.

My friends Marissa and "Big Chill" are getting married next weekend, and I figured I needed a nice sports coat to wear to the rehearsal, something that doesn't say Mountain Hardware on it or otherwise suggest exploring a cave after dinner.

Unfortunately, I know almost less than nothing about fashion. Really, the extent of my knowledge is that I should match my shoes and my belt. Beyond that, I'm fairly certain flip-flops and a Grateful Dead t-shirt work for most every occasion.

"It was a lovely funeral. I'm so sorry for your loss, senator."

Sadly, this venture for a new coat ultimately resulted in a trip to the mall. And I loathe the mall. In fact, if I had to list the top three places I hate in the world -- which I guess I don't, but I will -- the mall would fall right at No. 2, between any amusement park and La Guardia.

But this had to be done. To another part of town. To the mall. To some fancy little store with nice clothes and ambient house music. To a pretty sales lady cheerfully tending to my needs.

"Sir, you can't just lie here in the fetal position."

After trying on a few jackets -- none of which being suitable for kinky, 10-handed alien roleplay -- I set off for Nordstrom on the advice of my friend Allyson. (Dramatic pause.) Allyson is no longer allowed to give me advice.

Big mistake. Big. Huge.

Apparently, the starting price for everything in Nordstrom is: mortgage. Needless to say, my wallet never left my pants. But the bigger takeaway: I was actually wearing pants.

Nevertheless, I did learn a lot from the clerk. For example, I was, in fact, shopping for a blazer. Not a sports coat. A blazer, according this rather dapper man who absolutely hated my guts, is a solid-colored jacket that comes in black, gray or navy. A sports coat can be other colors and is textured and less formal.

Either way, blazer or sports coat, for at least one night next weekend, I'm going to wear my purchase with nice jeans, a crisp button-down shirt and maybe a bolo tie because I'm pathetically starved for attention and, well, LOOK AT ME!!!

So, after all my searching, I finally settled on a handsome navy blazer from Zara. It does have very slight pinstripes, which are currently consuming my ability to breathe, for I'm not sure if it technically counts as a blazer, a sports coat or a suit jacket.

What have I done?

And if it wasn't stressful enough, I offer you a follow up concern: My friends Emmalee and Kevin are getting married two weekends later. Can I get away with the same coat for their rehearsal dinner? I'm pretty sure the rules are (unfairly) different for men than for women, but, regardless, it's going to happen. The jacket is coming out.

Anyway, it's all very confusing for someone like me who was apparently raised by wolves, and right now I could really use a hug. Or maybe just some kinky, 10-handed alien roleplay.

Everybody needs love, don't they?

ADVERTISEMENT
Part of complete coverage on
Apparently This Matters...
May 3, 2013 -- Updated 2137 GMT (0537 HKT)
In my bedroom there's an amazing wall-mounted hideaway ironing board. It even has an affixed light and timed electrical outlet for safety. The thing is absolutely brilliant.
April 27, 2013 -- Updated 1944 GMT (0344 HKT)
"Wow! I totally just watched the awesome cell phone video you shot at that concert!"
April 21, 2013 -- Updated 1011 GMT (1811 HKT)
We're all thirsty and we don't even know it.
April 15, 2013 -- Updated 1456 GMT (2256 HKT)
Abraham Lincoln once said, "In life, what counts is the size of a man's heart, not the size of his disproportionate willie."
April 6, 2013 -- Updated 0052 GMT (0852 HKT)
When something big and exciting happens right in your own backyard, you sort of have to stop, pull up a chair, and enjoy the moment. Especially when it's quite literally in your backyard.
March 29, 2013 -- Updated 1739 GMT (0139 HKT)
When people come to my house for the first time there exists only a handful of personal items worth showing off as part of the tour.
March 25, 2013 -- Updated 1806 GMT (0206 HKT)
Does a special woman in your life spend far too much time thinking for herself?
March 22, 2013 -- Updated 1912 GMT (0312 HKT)
You probably never met Harry Stamps.
March 9, 2013 -- Updated 0039 GMT (0839 HKT)
If I've learned anything after many years in news, it's that people love cute, baby animals. And car chases.
March 2, 2013 -- Updated 0217 GMT (1017 HKT)
"Sim City" is essentially local governance. But laying out your very own town from scratch and destroying the whole community with monsters and earthquakes is appealing.
February 23, 2013 -- Updated 2331 GMT (0731 HKT)
Two rommates sold an antique mirror on eBay because they were convinced it was haunted and willfully endangering their lives. Because throwing it away wasn't enough.
February 15, 2013 -- Updated 2211 GMT (0611 HKT)
Some poor guy in France recently had the craziest ride of his life. Despite miraculously keeping control of his car, he also managed to multitask.
February 8, 2013 -- Updated 2222 GMT (0622 HKT)
Toumaniantz met the girl of his dreams, Lesya, in an Internet chat room. They finally decided to meet face to face in Moscow. Then he tattooed his name on her face.
February 2, 2013 -- Updated 1518 GMT (2318 HKT)
Sometimes pet tortoises vanish for 30 years and end up in a box of records. Still alive. Or they live with San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks.
January 26, 2013 -- Updated 0406 GMT (1206 HKT)
Essentially, it's a plastic membership ID that looks like a high-end AmEx. The idea is that you flash it before a meal and you are showered with extraordinary service.
January 18, 2013 -- Updated 2253 GMT (0653 HKT)
Because nothing says privileged like an adjustable stand made for mounting an iPad so your child can play games and watch videos while learning to make iDoody.
January 11, 2013 -- Updated 1812 GMT (0212 HKT)
Amazingly, just cooking this dish, made with 20 Infinity chili peppers, requires gloves, goggles and a gas mask. And someone managed to finish eating the entire thing.
January 4, 2013 -- Updated 1807 GMT (0207 HKT)
On Sunday morning, a strange word suddenly started trending for me on Twitter. The word was Ruzzle. I had no idea what it meant, so I did the smart thing and asked my dog.
January 1, 2013 -- Updated 1455 GMT (2255 HKT)
It isn't enough to just bask in the original design beauty of your device. Your job, as a consumer, is to cover it with something lumpy.
January 1, 2013 -- Updated 1459 GMT (2259 HKT)
Leggins for men as a legit fashion trend? GQ summed it up with one word: "No."
January 1, 2013 -- Updated 1500 GMT (2300 HKT)
We all need comforting every now and then as we endure the stress of everyday life. Cue the puppy room.
January 1, 2013 -- Updated 1500 GMT (2300 HKT)
On the runways, on the streets. They're everywhere. But do girls actually like them?
November 23, 2012 -- Updated 1554 GMT (2354 HKT)
It's what you reach for when you don't actually have a boyfriend to snuggle with -- and it doesn't snore.
October 9, 2012 -- Updated 1204 GMT (2004 HKT)
Essentially, it's a soft, padded tube in which you can bury your entire head to take a nap, so long as you don't mind burying your entire head in a soft, padded tube.
September 8, 2012 -- Updated 1452 GMT (2252 HKT)
What makes the Hug Me jacket so unique is that, despite the lovable name, it sort of looks like you're being abducted from behind by a giant green alien.
ADVERTISEMENT