Hip-Hop Fashion

I. Introduction

        A.Backround

        Hip-hop fashion, also known as urban fashion, is a distinctive style of dress. Hip-hop fashion complements the expressions and attitudes of hip-hop culture in general. This style or expression we call hip-hop fashion started in the late 1970’s. This style was originated In New York City, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Bay Area, Detroit, Memphis, Virginia, Atlanta, and in the St. Louis area.

        Hip-hop fashion has changed significantly during its history, and today, it is a prominent part of popular fashion across the world and for all ethnicities. In the late 1970s, Hip-Hop established sportswear and fashion brands, such as Le Coq, Sportif, Kangol’s, Adidas, and Pro-Keds emerged on the hip-hop scene. 10 years later in the 1980’s hip-hop icons wore brightly colored clothing items such as, name-brand tracksuits, sheepskin, and leather bomber jackets, Clarks shoes, Britishers a. k. a. British Walkers, and sneakers (usually Pro-Keds, Puma, Converse's Chuck Taylor All-stars, and Adidas Superstars often with "phat" or oversized shoelaces).

        Popular haircuts ranged from the early-1980s in Jheri curls to the early-1990s hi-top fade popularized by Will Smith and Christopher "Kid" Reid of Kid 'n Play. Kids were seeing these stars on television and wanting the same hairstyles and clothing. Hip-hop fashion is not only clothing but, everything included with style. This included hair, how they wore there hats, also the way someone walked.

         Another trend in hip-hop clothing was introduced in the in the early 1980s by Dapper Dan, with the adaptation and brand marketing of high net-worth fashion brands such as, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Gucci. Not only did they market high net-worth brands but also popular accessories such as, large eyeglasses, Kangol bucket hats, gold nameplates, huge name belts, and many name rings, heavy gold jewelry. In general, men's jewelry focused on heavy gold chains and women's jewelry on large gold earrings. Performers, for example, Kurtis Blow and Big Daddy Kane popularized gold chains. As well as female rappers such as, Roxanne, Shanté, and Salt-N-Pepa helped popularize oversized gold doorknocker earrings. The heavy jewelry was suggestive of power and wealth, and some have connected the style to Africanism. This is why 1980’s hip-hop fashion is remembered as one of the most important elements of old school hip-hop.

        The hip-hop fashion trends of the 2000’s were all over the place and changed constantly. For example, the image of extra baggy clothes, jerseys, and bling bling was introduced and highly demanded. Hip Hop artists made their styles very popular amongst the hip hop community. Throughout these years, many fashion trends from the 80s and early 90s were made popular again being brought back by today’s icons. Today hip-hop fashion embracers like tightly fitted clothing, also high-priced belts and shoes. The last few years of the first decade gave rise to the popularity of tattoo covering artists from head to toe. Soulja Boy, Wiz Khalifa, Lil' Wayne and Tyga are all examples of artists that have set the trend of being completely "tatted up”. Although, having tattoos is nothing new to the music industry, never have tattoos been so meaningful in the hip-hop industry. Tattoos covering the face and the head have also become increasingly popular.

        In recent years the hip-hop world has seen abundance of old fads as well as the emergence of new ones. Although it has been such a controversial subject since the early 1970’s, hip-hop fashion has been around and still relevant for 44 years. For most kids growing up a rapper or singer is your first role model implying you will want to look, move, sing, or rap like them, as you age. This comes with being influenced by their hairstyle and/or style in which they dress.

B. Interviews

        I had the opportunity to sit and interview four persons to get their thoughts on the topic of Hip-Hop Fashion. While interviewing all four persons, I asked them the same question; “Why is Hip-Hop Fashion so Controversial?” The first person was a 24 Hispanic lady by the name of Sara Mercado. The second was a 55-year-old African American named Charles Granby. The third was a 30-year-old Jamaican man named John Sumter. The fourth was a fellow college student of mine 19-year-old Caucasian Brandon Thompson.

        Sara was a friend of the family that works at a doctor’s office in New York. Her response to my question was:

Hip-Hop fashion is so controversial because of its diversity. Every once in a while, the certain style or the new “it” look changes. Before gold chains, leather, all-white Nikes, and crop tops were in style, floral patterns, high-low skirts, and adidas was the current “it” look. My point is that it always changes and I don’t have time to keep up. That exactly why I don’t feed into it and why it’s controversial today. (Sara Mercado, Personal Communication, 2/7/14)

            My second interview was the total opposite of Sara’s. Charles is much older so he has seen different varieties of Hip-Hop Fashions. This was very evident from his interview. He stated:

These days hip-hop is not what it used to be! Now all of the "hard core" rappers wear tight jeans and come up with songs that makes you dance, smoke, and drink. Let's use souja boy for instance he's just horrible! He came up with a song called superman.... superman was one of the worst songs I've ever heard. Hip-hop is not what it used to be and it will never be the same! Young dudes get robbed for trying to look like their favorite rapper. Then you got smart kids making dumb decision by wearing all that jewelry or sagging their pants. This Bullshit has to stop and that why it’s so controversial. (Charles Granby, Personal Communication, 2/7/14)