SpiritHoods Stories: Connection, Confidence, and the Wildest Moments We’ll Never Forget

Nigel and Bernice on their wedding day in matching SpiritHoods coats.

We asked… and WOW, did you deliver! When we launched our SpiritHoods story contest, we hoped to hear a few fun tales of faux fur fabulousness. But what we received was something much bigger.

You sent us your heart. Your most transformative memories. Your stories of healing, hilarity, courage, and love. From the first festival sober to dancing under desert stars, from wedding nights in can-filled warehouses to a coat lost (and mourned) at Beyond Wonderland- you opened up, you showed up, and you moved us more than we can ever express.

There were stories that made us belly-laugh. Some brought us to full-body goosebumps. And many brought tears to our eyes, the kind of tears that come from feeling deeply seen. And what we felt reading all of these was love. So much love. Many of you shared how your Spirithoods helped soothe anxiety, panic, or PTSD- how simply wrapping yourself in softness or clutching a keychain could provide grounding in moments of fear or overstimulation. 

And some stories left us speechless. Stories of surviving deep trauma, addiction, grief, and illness- of finding peace in the plush softness of a hood when everything else felt lost. These moments reminded us that SpiritHoods aren’t just comfort objects. They can be lifelines. For many of you, wearing a SpiritHood faux fur coat or holding one helped you reclaim joy, rediscover purpose, and rise again.

Your stories reminded us of what we’ve always believed: SpiritHoods are more than just faux fur coats. They’re confidence boosters. Ice breakers. Emotional armor. Family heirlooms. Symbols of transformation, connection, and joy. And for so many of you, they’ve helped create the most unforgettable moments of your lives.

So thank you from the bottom of our wild hearts. Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for being your bold, hilarious, powerful, soft-hearted, magical selves. We are in awe of you.

Please read until the end to find out who the winners of the contest were!

Now, without further ado… grab your favorite hood, curl up, and enjoy just a few of our favorite tales from the wild.

1. From Hoodie to Healing "Being newer to large festivals, crowds could feel overwhelming. But pulling up that generous hood created an instant sense of personal space. It became a cozy sanctuary. I’ve made amazing friends, sparked by this beautiful hoodie."

2. Sobriety & SpiritHoods "I had just quit drinking and wore my hood to my first sober festival. The paw pockets gave me something to do with my hands, and the ears helped with social anxiety. That hood was an instrument of success in my sobriety story."

3. When SpiritHoods Helps You Meet Your Favorite Musician ;) "Met Kesha in my Ke$ha Wolf hood- she signed it, freaked out, and called back memories of her tour. I’ve been collecting SpiritHoods since 2011 and wear them every day."

Daisy C. and Kesha

4. Love, Cans, and NYE SpiritHood Magic "Got married NYE morning, danced in a can warehouse that night in borrowed SpiritHoods. Now we own four and can’t imagine life without them."

5. Puppy Paws in Paw Pockets "My puppy snuggled into the paw pockets while we napped. Cutest moment ever."

6. A Funeral, But Make It Fabulous "I wore my Midnight Wolf coat to a funeral. Got so many compliments, it kind of stole the show."

7. Burners, Beyond, and New Beginnings "Wore my black coat to Beyond Wonderland. Met Deadmau5 fans, danced, then lost the coat. It was heartbreaking, but I’ll never forget the memories it made."

8. Rooftop Laughs & Music Fate "Last night in Denver turned magical: burner meet-up, Uber driver who worked with my boyfriend’s favorite band, and rooftop laughs in my hood."

9. Family, Strength & SpiritHood Armor "My husband, battling tumors and Parkinson’s, wears SpiritHoods as armor. It gives him and our family joy and identity through every season of life."

Jeremiah and his beautiful family in their SpiritHoods

10. The Millionaire’s Club "At Opryland Hotel in our coats, a kid whispered, ‘That guy’s a millionaire!’ We now call it Millionaire’s Club Day."

Jonathan T. at The Opryland Hotel

11. Snow Leopard Love Story "A Groove Cruise hookup led to a lifelong friendship and later, a wedding- where the couple wore the same SpiritHood they met over."

12. Cosplay & Chewbacca’s Favorite Hood "Chewbacca petted me at a hockey game. Turns out snow leopard hoods are a hit with Ewoks too."

Carlos Q. in his Snow Leopard SpiritHood.

13. Majestic Creatures & Road Trip Joy "49, in a SpiritHood, got called a majestic creature. Also made my ex’s road trip crew so happy they filmed a video in my coats."

14. I Wouldn’t Sell It for a Million Dollars "My 2015 collector’s edition Blackmilk hood is my rave crown jewel. It’s rare, iconic, and the start of every great outfit."

15. Librarian in the Wild "My school’s heat went out. My SpiritHood made me excited to go to work again. Students loved it. I miss the cold now."

16. Porto Potty Perseverance "Dropped my Ice Leopard hood into a porta potty. Yes, I fished it out. Washed it. Still wear it. Worth it."

17. Two Wolves, One Destiny "Met my soulmate at Lightning in a Bottle. Both wore wolf hoods. Years later, we sew festival wristbands into our hoods-and raise our little one in hers."

18. Tokyo Rockstars "Wore SpiritHoods to Taylor Swift’s Tokyo concert. Got stopped for photos nonstop. Felt like fashion royalty."

Trevor B and friend in Tokyo 

19. Norwegian Metal & SpiritHood Swagger "At a black metal bar in Oslo, someone asked if I was in a band. Nope- just cold and from Tennessee. Made friends anyway."

20. Sequin Ceremonial Sparkle "Wear my white sequin hood in sacred mushroom ceremonies. It’s not a coat- it’s my aura. A sacred, shimmering guide."

21. Grey Wolf, Bright Spirit "Got my poncho while recovering from Crohn’s surgery. It’s my hospital buddy, travel blanket, and post-surgery celebration cape."

22. Mauve Fox Meets Cheetah "Cheetahs at the zoo thought I was one of them. Wore my mauve fox SpiritHood. They came right up to the glass to say hi."

23. The Red Fox Ritual "Champagne, salmon, lasers, and SpiritHood dancing in a canyon. My Red Fox coat summoned a desert disco among the Saguaros."

24. Team Fur-Coat-Licious "Got auctioned off for $5 in my SpiritHood. Married the bidder. Formed a plunge team. Built a wedding wardrobe. Now we’re running Ragnar. Fur-ever."

25. MudMan Magic "Rain soaked Burning Man 2023, but we howled when the sun came out. Hosted a muddy dance party. The Playa never forgets."

Artemis and Cowboy at Burning Man 2023

26. Twin Paranormal & the Power of the Coat "Met the Twin Paranormal crew and learned about SpiritHoods. Now I own a pastel dream coat that helps me own my haunted business boss era."

Beth F. entering her boss era wearing her dream coat by SpiritHoods.

27. Spirit Animal of the Playa "Got a wolf coat for my partner at Burning Man. He became a mythical, howling cuddle monster. SpiritHood transformed him into the Playa’s furry guru."

27. Spirit Animal of the Playa "Got this wolf coat from SpiritHood for my partner for Burning Man- and wow. The moment he put it on, he became the unofficial spirit animal of the Playa. Strangers were howling with him. Someone called him their 'furry guru.'

28. Comfort in the Palm of My Paw "Living with PTSD and anxiety, I’ve found that even holding something soft can bring calm. My SpiritHoods keychain, Hawty, is now my daily anchor. Just petting her helps me breathe again."

29. A New Chapter in Faux Fur "After trauma, addiction, and nearly giving up on life, I found SpiritHoods- and with it, peace. My first hood brought back a sense of safety I hadn’t felt in years. I found community, confidence, and the strength to start again. Even through illness and loss, my SpiritHoods reminded me who I was. They saved my life, and they continue to carry me forward."

Out of so many beautiful and moving entries, four stories rose to the top as the most unforgettable:

1. Daisy Carr’s iconic story about meeting Kesha, getting her Ke$ha Wolf hood signed, and becoming a lifelong SpiritHoods collector captured the perfect blend of pop culture, deep connection, and timeless style.

2. Brianna Watson’s breathtaking story of meeting her soulmate at Lightning in a Bottle in matching Wolf hoods reminded us that love can strike when you least expect it- and that SpiritHoods sometimes lead you to your pack.

3. Nigel Lofgren’s tale of Team Fur-Coat-Licious was everything we love- joy, laughter, community, a love story, and a full-circle fur coat legacy. Proof that when you show up in your wildest self, life meets you there. (We loved their love story so much, we featured them as the main blog image on their wedding day.)

4. Virgil S’s radiant reflection on the white sequin hood worn during mushroom ceremonies revealed how fashion can become sacred- an amplifier of light, selfhood, and collective transformation.

Virgil S. sparkling in SpiritHoods.

Congratulations to Daisy, Brianna, Nigel, and Virgil! And thank you again to every single person who shared their hearts with us!

Nigel proposing to Bernice in their SpiritHoods

You’ve made us laugh. You’ve made us cry. You’ve reminded us why we do what we do. You’ve reminded us that strength can look like starting over, sewing your own fur after loss, or facing a hard diagnosis with a hood as your armor. You’ve shown us how faux fur can hold real weight. And we will never forget the stories you trusted us with- they live in our hearts and designs forever.

SpiritHoods isn’t just a brand, it’s a movement. It’s a community. It’s a feeling. It’s a spark. These stories prove that our hoods are more than just coats- they’re protectors of the vulnerable, amplifiers of joy, magnets for friendship, and shields of strength.

We are endlessly inspired by the ways you’ve let our creations become part of your weddings, your first sober festivals, your hardest hospital days, your wildest dance floors, and your most unforgettable love stories. Each one of you brings our designs to life in ways we never imagined. And your courage, creativity, and spirit fuel everything we do.

Thank you for trusting us to be part of your journey. Thank you for sharing your stories, for showing up fully in your faux fur, and for reminding the world that softness is a superpower.

We are honored to walk beside you- tail wagging, ears up, and hearts full.

Stay cozy. Stay bold. Stay wild.

Love always,
Your SpiritHoods Family

Nick C's SpiritHoods' collection of hoods