Hip hop fashion 559618 225114688 2008-07-11T23:11:12Z Barkjon 4835232 /* Late 1980s to early 1990s fashion */ [[Image:Darra j berlin retouched.jpg|thumb|222px|Faada Freddy of the Senegalese rap crew [[Daara J]] in Germany, 2005.]] '''Hip-hop fashion''' is a distinctive style of [[clothing|dress]] originating with the [[African-American]] and [[Latino]] youth in [[The Bronx]] ([[New York City]]), and later influenced by the [[hip-hop]] scenes of [[Los Angeles]], [[Chicago]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Pittsburgh]], [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)]], and [[Southern United States|The Dirty South]] among others. Each city contributed various elements to its overall style seen worldwide today. Hip hop [[fashion]] complements the expressions and attitudes of [[hip hop culture]] in general. Hip hop fashion has changed significantly during its history, and today it is a prominent part of popular fashion as a whole across the world and for all ethnicities. ==Early 1980s to Mid-1980s== In the early 1980s, established [[sportswear]] and fashion brands, such as [[Le Coq Sportif]], [[Kangol]], [[Adidas]] and [[Nike Inc]] attached themselves to the emerging hip hop scene. During the 1980s, hip-hop icons wore clothing items such as brightly colored name-brand [[tracksuit]]s, [[sheepskin]] and leather [[bomber jacket]]s,<ref name="kitwana198"/> [[C&J Clark|Clarks]] shoes<ref name="kitwana198"/>, [[Dr. Martens]] boots and [[Sneaker (footwear)|sneakers]] (usually Adidas-brand shelltoes and often with "phat" or oversized shoelaces). Popular haircuts ranged from the early-1980s [[Jheri curl]] to the late-1980s [[hi-top fade]] popularized by [[Will Smith]] (The Fresh Prince) and [[Christopher "Kid" Reid]] of [[Kid 'n Play]], among others. <!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Kurtisblowalbum.jpg|thumb|200px|Kurtis Blow wearing his trademark gold jewelry. Blow helped popularize gold necklaces in the early 1980s.]] --> Popular accessories included large eyeglasses (Cazals<ref>[http://shopping.guardian.co.uk/beauty/story/0,,1561369,00.html Specs appeal | Beauty & health. | Guardian Unlimited Shopping<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> or Gazelles<ref name="kitwana198">Kitwana, Bakari. The Hip Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture, p. 198.</ref>), Kangol [[bucket hat]]s,<ref name="kitwana198"/> nameplates,<ref name="kitwana198"/> name belts,<ref name="kitwana198"/> and multiple rings. Heavy gold jewelry was also popular in the 1980s; heavy jewelry in general would become an enduring element of hip hop fashion.<ref name="keyes152"/> In general, men's jewelry focused on heavy gold chains and women's jewelry on large gold earrings.<ref name="keyes152"/> Performers such as [[Kurtis Blow]] and [[Big Daddy Kane]] helped popularize gold necklaces and other such jewelry, and female rappers such as [[Roxanne Shanté]] and the group [[Salt-N-Pepa]] helped popularize oversized gold [[door-knocker earrings]]. The heavy jewelry was suggestive of prestige and wealth, and some have connected the style to Africanism.<ref> MC [[Schoolly D]], for instance, claimed that wearing gold "is not something that was born in America. This goes back to Africa. The gold chains are basically for warriors. The artists in the rap field are battling. We're the head warrior. We got to stand up and say we're winning battles, and this is how we're doing it." Quoted in Keyes, p. 152 (quoting Schoolly D. "The Meaning of Gold." Spin (October 1988), p. 52).</ref> 1980s hip hop fashion is remembered as one of the most important elements of [[old school hip hop]], and it is often celebrated in [[nostalgia|nostalgic]] hip hop songs such as [[Ahmad (rapper)|Ahmad]]'s 1994 single "[[Back in the Day (Ahmad song)|Back in the Day]]", and [[Missy Elliott]]'s 2002 single "[[Back in the Day (Missy Elliott song)|Back in the Day]]". ==Late 1980s to early 1990s fashion== [[Black nationalism]] was increasingly influential in [[rap]] during the late 1980s, and fashions and hairstyles reflected [[African clothing|traditional African influences]].<ref name="keyes152"/> Blousy [[Trousers|pants]] were popular among dance-oriented rappers like [[MC Hammer]].<ref name="keyes152"/> [[Fez (hat)|Fezzes]],<ref name="keyes152"/> [[kufi]]s decorated with the [[Kemetic]] [[ankh]],<ref name="keyes152"/> [[Kente cloth]] hats,<ref name="keyes152"/> Africa chains, [[dreadlocks]], and red, black, and green clothing became popular as well, promoted by artists such as [[Queen Latifah]], [[KRS-One]], [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]], and [[X-Clan]]). In the early 1990s, pop rappers such as [[Will Smith|The Fresh Prince]], [[Kid 'n Play]], and [[Left Eye]] of [[TLC (music)|TLC]] popularized [[baseball caps]] and bright, often [[neon]]-colored, clothing. [[Kris Kross]] also established the fad of wearing clothes backwards.<ref name="keyes152"/> [[Kwamé]] sparked the brief trend of [[polka-dot]] clothing as well, while others continued wearing their mid-80's attire. [[Image:Chanelfall1991.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Hip hop influences are seen in Chanel's Fall 1991 collection.]] The [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]] capture of soon to be superstar basketball protege [[Michael Jordan]] from rivals Adidas in 1984 proved to be a huge turning point, as Nike dominated the urban streetwear [[athletic shoe|sneaker]] market in the late 80's and early 90's. Other clothing brands such as Champion, Carhartt and Timberland were very closely associated with the scene, particularly on the East coast with hip hop acts such as Wu-Tang Clan and Gangstarr sporting the look. Gangsta rap pioneers [[N.W.A.]] popularized an early form of gangsta style in the late 1980s, consisting of [[Dickies]] pants, plaid shirts and jackets, [[Chuck Taylors]] sneakers, and black Raiders baseball caps and Raiders Starter jackets. [[Starter jacket]]s, in addition, were also a popular trend in their own right during the late 1980s and early 90s. They became something of a status-symbol, with incidents of robberies of the jackets reported in the media. Hip hop fashion in this period also influenced high fashion designs. In the late 1980s, [[Isaac Mizrahi]], inspired by his elevator operator who wore a heavy gold chain, showed a collection deeply influenced by hip hop fashion.<ref name="vibe280">Wilbekin, Emil. "Great Aspirations: Hip Hop and Fashion Dress for Excess and Success." The Vibe History of Hip Hop. Three Rivers Press 1999. Page 280.</ref> Models wore black catsuits, "gold chains, big gold nameplate-inspired belts, and black bomber jackets with fur-trimmed hoods."<ref name="vibe280"/> Womenswear Daily called the look "homeboy chic."<ref name="vibe280"/> In the early 1990s, Chanel showed hip-hop-inspired fashion in several shows. In one, models wore black leather jackets and piles of gold chains.<ref name="vibe280"/> In another, they wore long black dresses, accessorized with heavy, padlocked silver chains.<ref name="vibe280"/> (These silver chains were remarkably similar to the metal chain-link and padlock worn by Treach of [[Naughty by Nature]], who said he did so in solidarity with "all the brothers who are locked down."<ref name="vibe280"/>) The hip hop trend, however, did not last; fickle designers quickly moved on to new influences.<ref name="vibe280"/> ==Mid-1990s to late 1990s fashion== ===Gangsta style=== [[Gangsta rap]] became one of the most prevalent styles of hip hop, and by the mid-1990s, hip hop fashion had taken on significant influence from the dress styles of street [[Gangster|thug]]s and [[prison]] inmates. West Coast gangsta rappers adopted the style of Los Angeles' cholos (Chicano gangsters),<ref name="keyes152">Keyes, Cheryl. Rap Music and Street Consciousness, p. 152.</ref> including baggy [[trousers|pants]],<ref name="keyes152"/> black ink tattoos, bandanas,<ref name="keyes152"/> and [[shirt tail]]s outside one's pants.<ref name="keyes152"/> Dark denim prison gear were also popular. The style of [[Sagging (fashion)|sagging]] one's pants, or wearing them baggy and low without a belt, was also style that originated in prisons. This style of fashion, along with its associated hand signs and territorial or "homeboy" mentality, was adopted by African-American youth in Los Angeles initially, and later by the hip hop community at large. ===Fashion among "hip-hop" elites=== On the West Coast, members of the hip hop community looked back to the gangsters of the 1930s and 1940s for inspiration.<ref name="vibe281">Wilbekin, p. 281.</ref> [[Mafia|Mafioso]] influences, especially and primarily inspired by the 1983 remake version of ''[[Scarface (1983 movie)|Scarface]]'', became popular in hip hop. Many rappers set aside gang-inspired clothing in favor of classic [[gangster]] fashions such as [[bowler hat]]s,<ref name="vibe281"/> double-breasted suits,<ref name="vibe281"/> silk shirts,<ref name="vibe281"/> and [[alligator]]-skin [[shoe]]s ("gators"). In some areas of the mid-west, including Detroit, this style has been a staple in hip-hop fashion, regardless of current trends.{{Fact|date=March 2007}} On the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]], "[[ghetto fabulous]]" fashion (a term coined by [[Sean Combs]]) was on the rise.<ref name="vibe281"/> Combs, [[the Notorious B.I.G.]], [[Faith Evans]], Russell Simmons ===Sportswear=== [[Image:dorag.jpg|thumb|200px|Rapper [[Slim Thug]] wearing a Du Rag.]] [[Tommy Hilfiger]] was one of the most prominent brand in 1990s sportswear, though [[Polo]], [[Calvin Klein]], [[Nautica (clothing company)|Nautica]], and [[DKNY]] were also popular.<ref name="vibe282">Wilbekin, p. 282.</ref> When [[Snoop Doggy Dogg]] wore a Hilfiger [[sweatshirt]] during an appearance on [[Saturday Night Live]], it sold out of New York City stores the next day.<ref name="vibe282"/> Hilfiger's popularity was due to its perceived [[White Anglo-Saxon Protestant|waspiness]], which made it seem exclusive and aspirational.<ref name="vibe282"/> Moreover, Hilfiger courted the new hip hop market: black models featured prominently in the company's advertising campaigns, and rappers like [[Sean Combs|Puffy]] and [[Coolio]] walked during its runways shows.<ref name="vibe282"/> Other brands, such as [[FUBU]], [[Ecko Unlimited]], [[Mecca USA]], [[Lugz]], [[Rocawear]], [[Boss Jeans]] by [[IG Design]], and [[Enyce]], arose to capitalize on the market for urban streetwear.<ref name="vibe282"/> They followed in Hilfiger's footsteps by manufacturing all-American styles emblazoned with huge logos.<ref name="vibe282"/> ==== Throwback jerseys ==== One sportswear trend that emerged was the rise in popularity of [[throwback jersey]]s, such as those produced by [[Mitchell & Ness]]. Sports jerseys have always been popular in hip-hop fashion, as evidenced by [[Will Smith]]'s early 90's video "[[Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince song)|Summertime]]", and [[Spike Lee]] wearing a throwback [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] jersey in the film "[[Do the Right Thing]]". But in the late 90's saw the rise in popularity of very expensive throwbacks, often costing in the hundreds of dollars. Hip-hop artists donning the pricey jerseys in music videos led to increased demand, and led to the rise of counterfeiters flooding the market with fake jerseys to capitalize on the craze. The mid-to-late 2000s saw a decrease in popularity of throwbacks, with some hip-hop artists even shunning the raiments, such as Jay-Z, who rapped "''And I don't wear jerseys, I'm 30-plus, Give me a crisp pair of jeans, Button up."'' ===The rise of hip-pop=== The rise of [[hip-pop]] in the late-1990s, primarily the work of [[Sean Combs|Sean "Diddy" Combs]], known locally around New York at that time as the "Shiny Suit Man" brought elements such as loud, flashy PVC aviator inspired [[Suit (clothing)|suits]] and [[platinum]] jewelry to the forefront of hip hop in an effort to add a new vivid dimension of color and flash to the videos produced as a marketing tool. Combs, who started his own [[Sean John]] clothing line, and clothing manufacturers such as [[Karl Kani]] and [[FUBU]] brought hip hop fashion to the mainstream, resulting in a multi-million dollar hip hop fashion industry. There was a resurgence of traditional African-American hairstyles such as [[cornrows]] and [[Afro]]s, as well as the [[Caesar cut|Caesar]] low-cut. Caesars and cornrows are maintained by wearing a [[du-rag]] over the head during periods of sleeping and home activity to prevent the hair from being displaced or tossled. Du-rags soon became popular hip hop fashion items in their own right. The "hip-pop" era also saw the split between male and female hip hop fashion, which had previously been more or less similar. Women in hip hop had emulated the male tough-guy fashions such as baggy jeans, "Loc" sunglasses, tough looks and heavy workboots; many, such as [[Da Brat]], accomplished this with little more than some lip gloss and a bit of make-up to make the industrial work pants and work boots feminine. The female performers who completely turned the tide such as [[Lil Kim]] and [[Foxy Brown (rapper)|Foxy Brown]] popularized glamourous, high-fashion feminine hip hop styles, such as [[Kimora Lee Simmons]] fashion line of [[Baby Phat]]. While [[Lauryn Hill]] and [[Eve (rapper)|Eve]] popularized more conservative styles that still maintained both a distinctly feminine and distinctly hip hop feel. [[Image:bling.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Bling-bling jewelry]] ===Jewelry culture=== {{main|Bling Bling}} In the mid- to late 1990s, platinum replaced gold as the metal of choice in hip hop fashion.<ref name="keyes152"/> Artists and fans alike wore platinum (or [[silver]]) jewelry, often embedded with [[diamond]]s. [[Jay-Z]], [[Juvenile (rapper)|Juvenile]], and [[The Hot Boys]] were largely responsible for this trend.<ref name="keyes152"/> Platinum fronts also became popular; [[Cash Money Records]] executive/[[rapper]] [[Brian "Baby" Williams]] infamously has an entire mouthful of permanent platinum teeth. Others have fashioned [[grills (cosmetic dental apparati)|grills]], removable metal jewelled teeth coverings. With the advent of the Jewelery culture, the turn of the century established luxury brands made inroads into the hip hop market, with brands like [[Gucci]] and [[Louis Vuitton]] making appearances in hip hop videos and films.<ref>See [[List of most frequently mentioned brands in the Billboard Top 20]].</ref> ==Modern Hip Hop Fashion== [[Image:Kanyecropped.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Kanye West]] performing in 2006 wearing a fitted [[sportcoat]]]] In the 1990s and beyond, many hip hop artists and executives started their own fashion labels and clothing lines.<ref>Wilbekin, p.283</ref> Notable examples include [[Wu-Tang Clan]] ([[Wu-Wear]]), [[Russell Simmons]] ([[Phat Farm]]), [[Kimora Lee Simmons]] ([[Baby Phat]]), [[Sean Combs|Diddy]] ([[Sean John]]), Apple Bottom Jeans (Nelly), [[Damon Dash]] and [[Jay-Z]] ([[Rocawear]]), [[50 Cent]] ([[G-Unit]] Clothing), [[Eminem]] ([[Shady Limited]]), [[2Pac]] (Makaveli) and [[OutKast]] ([[OutKast Clothing]]). Other prominent hip hop fashion companies have included Karl Kani and [[FUBU]], [[Ecko]], [[Dickies]],[[Marithe Francois Girbaud|Girbaud]], [[Enyce]], [[Famous Stars and Straps]], [[Bape]], [[Lifted Research Group|LRG]], [[The Timberland Company|Timberland]] Boots, and [[Akademiks]]. Today, Hip hop clothing is produced by popular and successful designers, who charge significant amounts for their products. Hip hop fashion is worn by a significant percentage of young people around the world, with a significant number of retailers that are dedicated to the sale of hip hop inspired fashions. Several web sites are dedicated to hard to find hip hop sneakers and apparel. ===Recent trends=== [[Image:Commonrap.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[Common (rapper)|Common]] wearing shorter length t-shirt and tight jeans]] Due to the recent trend in hip hop fashion to revert back to the "old school", the clothing is becoming similar to early 80's form of dressing. It has geared toward a more hipster-inspired style of dressing (so-called "prep-hop"), which may include items such as [[polo shirts]], [[sportcoat]]s, woven button [[shirts]], large ornamental belt buckles, [[cufflinks]], skull and skeleton decorations, elaborately decorated zip-up [[hoodies]], [[trucker hat]]s, tighter-fitting "vintage style" t-shirts with shorter arm sleeves, Lumberjack button ups or plaid designed shirts, Snow Inspired Fashions and [[Slim-fit pants|tighter denim jeans]]. Shorter length t-shirts have become involved in recent trends, in order to expose decorated belts and belt buckles and [[Biker Chains|biker chains]]. Although the "baggy" style of dress remains relevant, some hip hoppers forego that particular style, opting for colorful fitted prep-hop and hipster-inspired clothing as exemplified by the growing influence of rappers such as [[Kanye West]], [[Common (rapper)|Common]], [[will.i.am]], and [[Andre 3000]], as well as the tighter-fitting [[skateboarding|skater]] influenced styles in the case of [[Pharrell]]. 80's trends have reemerged, such as [[Members Only]] jackets, huge oversized chains and large eyeglasses. ==Criticism of hip hop fashion== Commentators from both inside and outside of the hip-hop community have criticized the cost of many of the accouterments of hip hop fashion. Hip hop fashion is also often [[satire|satirised]] by comedians such as [[Ali G]]. [[Chuck D]] of [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]] summarized the mentality of Hip hop fashion and some low-income youths as "Man, I work at McDonald's, but in order for me to feel good about myself I got to get a gold chain or I got to get a fly car in order to impress a sister or whatever."<ref>Keyes, p. 172 (quoting Eure and Spady, 1991).</ref> In his 1992 song "Us", [[Ice Cube]] rapped that "Us [African-Americans] will always sing the blues / 'cause all we care about is hairstyles and tennis shoes."<ref>Quoted in Keyes, p. 173.</ref> Some fans have expressed disappointment with the increased amount of advertising for expensive hip-hop brands in hip-hop magazines.<ref name="keyes172"/> In one letter to the editor in Source magazine, a reader wrote that the magazine should "try showing some less expensive brands so heads will know they don't have to hustle, steal, or rob and blast shots for flyness."<ref>Quoted in Keyes, p. 172.</ref> In fact, there were many highly-publicized robberies of hip-hop artists by the late 1990s.<ref name="keyes172"/> [[Guru (rapper)|Guru]] of [[Gang Starr]] was robbed at gunpoint of his Rolex watch, [[Queen Latifah]]'s car was car-jacked, and [[Prodigy (rapper)|Prodigy]] was robbed at gunpoint of $300,000 in jewelry.<ref name="keyes172"/> A few hip hop insiders, such as the members of [[Public Enemy (band)|Public Enemy]], have made the deliberate choice not to don expensive jewelry as a statement against [[consumerism|materialism]].<ref name="keyes172">Keyes, p. 172.</ref> ==References== <div class="references-small"><references/></div> {{hiphop}} [[Category:Hip hop fashion|*]] [[de:Street fashion]] [[fr:Streetwear]] [[ja:ヒップホップ系ファッション]] [[ru:Хип-хоп мода]] [[sv:Hiphopmode]]