The Charcoal Hoodie

[hells_half_acre]

The Charcoal Hoodie



I never believed it to be a provable clothes sharing event, but I was proven wrong with this project. The charcoal hoodie has become Supernatural legend. It has spawned practically a whole genre of fanfic in and of itself, and at the very least has made the idea that Dean wears Sam's hoodies when he's sick widely accepted fanon.

As for the hoodie itself: it's charcoal black and cozier than Sam's regular hoodies. Since Dean is actually wearing it in it's first appearance, there's still room to debate on ownership - but I think, logically, it must be Sam's, since Sam is the one who wears the hoodies in the family.

APPEARANCES:

The Charcoal Hoodie appears first in Faith (1x12). Dean wears it home from the hospital, and keeps it on for the trip to Nebraska and his healing. As soon as he is feeling better, he takes the hoodie off.

In Nightshifter (2x12), Sam wears a charcoal hoodie after he and Dean return to the motel room to review the tapes that Sam confiscated from Ronald. It is the only scene Sam wears it for.

FATE: Perhaps it was lost somewhere in their travels or perhaps it still lies somewhere in the bottom of a duffle bag waiting for the day Dean needs it again.

Master Post

Comments

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

There has to be a special place in heaven for the total nerds who track stuff like this AND THEN SHARE IT WITH THE REST OF FANDOM!

Thank you! Look forward to whatever else you research!

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

oh awesome!!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Haha! Thank you for appreciating my insanity!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

More to come when I get to S4! :)

[mattheal.livejournal.com]

I AGREE! This just made my day <3

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

This is quite possibly my favorite of Dean's borrowed clothes... and he just looks so sick and little-boy in the top pic -- like he seriously needs to be tucked in with bundles and bundles of love. Kudos to makeup crew and JA for pulling it off.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I know! JA and the make-up department did an outstanding job making Dean's illness so realistic.

I always feel sort of bad for finding him so amazingly attractive in this episode, but DAMN...even while looking like death warmed over, JA REALLY looks good in a hoodie.

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

It's definitely one of the reasons why I completely *ADORE* the episode FAITH... The makeup is really top-notch in making Dean look so ill and JA just totally brings the body language and the "I should really be in bed but I don't wanna" thing to Dean. And in that particular pic, he just looks like a very sick, scared KID.

God... I know... I feel horrible, but DAMN IS JA ATTRACTIVE LOOKING LIKE DEATH WARMED OVER WHILE WEARING A HOODIE!

and yes, that totally needed to be capslocky

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Oh man, yes...JA makes me have sympathy pains with his body language in that episode. And yeah, you just want to wrap him in blankets and snuggle him better...

...and then once he's better...

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

I think it was around the time I first saw that ep when I really noticed just how *GOOD* JA is at what he does... I depend on facial expressions and body language and JA is just really fantastic at that aspect of acting and fleshing out his character. Much better than about 90-95% of actors out there. There's very few actors who I qualify as being "fantastic" at facial expressions / body language and JA's on my short list.

Also, that ep... he totally makes you wanna wrap his character up in blankets and snuggle him better...

And yes, yes to the once he's better...

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yes, he's on my shortlist too! I don't have your perspective, but it really wasn't until I started realizing how good JA was at body language and facial expressions that I realized how sucky other actors were at them. And I agree, it was really around this episode (that and the phone call to John in Home) that completely sold me on JA (and Dean) being totally awesome at his job.

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

Facial expressions / body language is the first thing I tend to glom on in movies/tv shows... and yes, the vast majority of other actors just suck at facial expressions and body language. And then I get all desensitized and then someone like JA comes along and makes my brain explodes and ovaries sing and then I realize just how rare someone like JA is and I get all depressed because other actors just plain suck.

I don't think actors always realize just how important expressions and body language is... it's about 75% of all communication. They focus on dialogue and delivery but can be lackluster in HOW they stand or slouch or whatever while delivering it.

I hate to lambast JP because he isn't horrible -- he's not GREAT, but he isn't the worst I've seen... he's gotten better around the time of S5, but his weakest season facially/bodily speaking was S1/S2 -- but he consistently looks so wooden to me because JA is just so darn FANTASTIC at it. I think if JP was with a less adept actor, his skill would show more, but as it is, JA has him so far outstripped it's kind of pathetic.

But it's really around this episode where JA just gets consistently awesome at allowing Dean's expressions and body language speak for his character. The phone conversation in HOME was amazing... but the one that ABSOLUTELY SOLD me was actually SKIN. JA never leaves any doubt regarding the difference between Dean and Shifter!Dean... but what's awesome is how subtle the difference is... He never comes out and blatantly yells out "I'm SHIFTER!DEAN" but he does use his body differently as Shifter!Dean versus Dean -- walk, bearing, swagger, etc. and it's a total red flag when you're looking. The best moment, for me, is in the sewers when Shifter!Dean is talking to Sam right before Dean kicks off his tarp.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think JP has really improved by leaps and bounds BECAUSE he acts with JA! I mean, I love JP to pieces, but especially at the beginning of the series, you can tell there's a huge difference in ability between the two of them.

And I agree about how important body language is. I absolutely hate the phone because I can't SEE the person and it really drives me nuts. My friends tend to know that if they can't see me in person, then it's better to email than call. :P

But yeah, it's not until you see a really good actor that you realize how sucky the vast majority of them are. One thing I love about Supernatural is the way Sam and Dean can have a whole conversation just with facial expressions...and I love it because it makes the characters more realistic and REAL, because that's how REAL people tend to communicate (unless they are blind, I guess.)

You know that JA knows how important it is too, because when he talks about "The End" he talks about how he got his stuntman to fill in for the "other Dean" because he "knows how to move like Dean."

And yes, SKIN is AWESOME!

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

Oh don't get me wrong, JP definitely improved by leaps and bounds... especially between S4 and S5. Maybe JA gave him some lessons during that particular hiatus? Or at least S5 is when I really start noticing JP. Sam!Girls will kill me, but it's just the way I roll. I think my standard is higher than most people just because I depend on it so much. That's not to say he's bad in S3 and S4... just that he really hits his groove in S5. S1 and S2 are definitely his weakest seasons, facially and expressionally speaking. In S1 and S2, it's very obvious there's a huge difference in ability and polish between JA and JP. JA is definitely the more polished of the two and it really shows in his stage presence. JP, I think, is just rawer and more inexperienced but he does catch up and I agree with your assessment that it's because he acts with JA (and probably took notes from his co-lead).

HEE! We won't even discuss the phone....

I love that about Supernatural. I think it's partly why I glommed on it. As a whole, the writing is just okay (with the vast exception of Ben Edlund... SHIT that man's episodes consistently make my favorites...) and it's just all right. BUT what I really loved about it is the dynamic between Sam and Dean as brothers (as well as the chemistry between JA and JP) and how they just literally communicate with facial expressions and it really does make their characters more REAL.

HEE! I didn't even know JA said that -- the extras (gag reels, commentaries, con vids, etc...) are never subtitled so I don't bother with them... but that's so awesome about JA actually realizing and knowing how important it is. I think that's the majority of the reason why he's so good at it -- that and he has the most expressive eyes/eyebrows I've ever seen. Ever. And that's kind of sweet about him using his stuntman to fill in for the "other Dean".... :)

SKIN is still one of my all-time favs...

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm a rare Jared-fan who will actually acknowledge that he was a puppy out of the gate at the beginning of the series, and has really been growing in ability since...it kind of drives me crazy when fans believe that just because they like an actor, that actor can't have any faults and has to be the best actor in the world. :P But yes, I totally agree about JP finally hitting his stride in S5-S6...not that he was horrible before, just that he still had a lot of room to grow.

I definitely think Supernatural really lucked out with their two leads - if they had gotten more wooden/less-talented actors, I doubt the writing would be enough to carry it as far as it's gone.

Haha, I consume con-videos and commentary like a crazy person, so if you ever want to know what was said at any of them, just ask. I can be your personal subtitler. (I actually once did apply for a job as a subtitler, but they did not hire me :( )

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

I'm always reluctant to tell Sam!Girls that "um... JP's kind of a puppy out of the gate in S1 and S2 and honestly isn't all that impressive" (and I love you called him that! He totally is one!) It's really not any fault of his own, and like you said... he wasn't *BAD* per se -- I've seen worse and will acknowledge worse -- but just that he had lots of room to grow and mature as an actor. I kind of saw it as he wasn't sure *what* he was as an actor and was using Supernatural to figure it out -- which is fantastic by the way, and obviously worked as he finally really hit his stride and took off in S5, even impressing me at times in S5 -- while JA kind of already figured that out for himself and was already on the ground running with it as early as S1.

I agree with you totally because it drives me absolutely INSANE when fans get all militant about how just because they like an actor, that actor can't have any faults and has to be the best actor in the world. :P

I mean, I like JA and he's *good* -- like REALLY GOOD (to the point where I'm actually "Why the HELL are you on the CW payroll?! You should be in MOVIES! And not horror movies with a B-rated budget... I'm talking like GOOD MOVIES...") but is he perfect? No. He's got his faults too... not that I can actually think of any... but he's not perfect and is not the BEST ACTOR IN THE WORLD. No actor is. Actors are all human and they all grow and develop and are just there to share their talents much like writers.

I totally agree -- even as awkward as JP was in the beginning, it worked for Sam as the little-brother-still-figuring-out-how-to-grow-up. It just really WORKED. JA had Dean's experience and confidence (or facade, at least) down flat. And if the Show had more wooden/less talented actors, I don't think I'd have stuck it out. The writing wasn't enough for me. And there were moments when I pretty much watched it just because of JA's expressions (I have an expressions kink and you have no idea just how RARELY it's hit -- like I'm talking almost never and JA hits it pretty consistently... so all the better).

HEE! I'll have to think about that!

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think one of the great things about JP is that he was willing to learn - that he KNEW he was untrained and not-perfect and could improve greatly...and I like that about him. You can tell he's really trying to constantly improve...I mean, a lot of people on a long-running series could just phone it in, but neither JP or JA seem to take the standpoint.

Have you seen Sherlock (bbc)? I really like the two leads in that - I think they have good expressions, but then, I might not be the best judge because I don't rely on expressions as much as you. They definitely don't have JA's lips or eyes. :P

As much as I love having Jensen on the show - I often feel like we're stealing him away from the movies he SHOULD be doing :P But then, who knows if anyone is smart enough to hire him - the movie industry is kind of a stupid place where talent doesn't seem to matter 90% of the time.

[nwspaprtaxis.livejournal.com]

It's true -- JP was totally willing to learn and expand as an actor. And it definitely shows. With each season it's clear he improved -- although the most noticeable jump was between S4 and S5. I think he just *got* Sam in S5 for some reason like he finally found that emotional vein he needed to tap into to BE SAM -- which JA had figured out for himself since mid-S1-ish. And I really do like JP for it -- you can tell he KNEW he had potential and was just untrained and not-perfect and could improve and he does constantly try to improve himself. JA also seems to try as well, but it's less noticeable with him than JP because he's already the much-more-polished of the two from the start.

I haven't seen Sherlock... Although NO ONE has JA's lips and eyes -- I'm doing a deaf!Sam fic and I totally shout-out to that. :P I'm telling you, the man's face is MADE for lipreading....

It'd be so easy for both of them to phone it in, and cruise through the roles but I'm thrilled neither of them take that standpoint because it'd make me very sad. But I definitely agree -- I feel like Supernatural steals JA from the movies he SHOULD be making... but then again, the movie industry is stupid and don't rely on talent. If I ever made a movie, he'd so have first offer of top billing. JP, I think, needs another couple years on TV before he's groomed for movies. But he's definitely getting there. JA NEEDS TO BE ON THAT RED CARPET DAMMIT!

[bjtp.livejournal.com]

"..the idea that Dean wears Sam's hoodies when he's sick.."

THIS IS NEW AND OH SO ADORABLE INFORMATION TO ME. THANK YOU FOR THE SQUEE! :D

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

YOU ARE WELCOME!! It is one of my favourite fanons out there! :)

[katiki7.livejournal.com]

Hey, just followed a link in from SuperWiki. And it totally made my day there is proof it is Sam's hoodie! Well, I take it as proof anyway. As you say, Sam wears the hoodies in the family, and it fits Sam just right whereas it looks too big on Dean. WHICH IS A BIG PART OF THE REASON HE LOOKS SO IRRESISTABLY ADORABLE IN IT!!!

Thanks for doing this. Perfect timing too, because Faith is next up in my rewatch of the entire series, and now I will appreciate it all the more!

I'm off to read the rest of the clothes entry.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Man, he DOES look irresistibly adorable in it! And I also take it as proof that it is Sam's hoodie, even though Dean wears it first.

I'm glad you stumbled across this entry before you rewatched the episode! That's fun. :) I'm glad I could contribute to your rewatch-entertainment!

[fantsywever.livejournal.com]

JA was the better actor when they started. I think the boys are about equal in ability now. Sadly, J.A. has definately aged better. Sam lost all of his baby softness, and I don't think He's so cute with out it.
That Said, I'm a total Sam girl. I understand his intensity of Character better, because I'm the same way: Utterly driven.

I'm also liking Dean Better the secondtime around Than I did the first time I watched the show.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Sadly, J.A. has definately aged better. Sam lost all of his baby softness, and I don't think He's so cute with out it.

Thankfully, that's a matter of taste - and while I agree that JA has aged very well. I think J.P. is better looking now without the baby-softness. But, I've always liked my men with harder lines.

And I agree, the boys are totally equal in ability these days.

OMG

[0x72476f.livejournal.com]

I never realized until just this very moment that I have this very same hoodie. I wear it constantly (like right now). I've had it for years, it's my favorite. How did I miss this? Bad fan. Bad fan.

Re: OMG

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Obviously, it is a very good hoodie! :)

Re: OMG

[0x72476f.livejournal.com]

As a follow up, I really appreciate all the work you put into this collection.

Re: OMG

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm being a bit slow to post S7, but it'll be up in the next month or so. I've got it all on my computer, I just have to take the time to update the site.