Added: 11/18/2005 |
HIP HOP Clothing and Today?s Youth ? They?re InseparableYouth clothing styles are less about fashion than they are about emerging trends in the very fabric of modern life. In many ways they reflect radical new attitudes and ideas on far more important issues than style.
Just as any new idea must survive a gauntlet of criticism and isolation before its merits are fully tested, so too have ground-breaking fashion statements like the mini-skirt, jeans and flared trousers faced their own trials before achieving universal acceptance and popularity.
Hip Hop clothing is the latest fashion trend to embark on this journey. From its roots in New York's inner city ghettos to its emergence on the fashion runways of the world, thanks to designers like Tommy Hilfiger, J LO clothing company, Phat Farm, FUBU, Rocawear, Mecca, Enyce, Sean John and AZZURE, Hip-Hop clothing has literally transformed modern culture.
Today's youth has embraced Hip Hop clothing because it represents much more than radical a new look. Thanks to Hip-Hop's pervasive influence, today's music, dance, art and language have taken radical turns as well.
Speaking to those who live life on the edge, Hip Hop clothing celebrates the individual who is unafraid to stand out from the crowd. Breaking with tradition at every turn, it represents a 'streetsmart' lifestyle that sometimes shocks and occasionally frightens those who are threatened by radical change.
Introduced by ghetto youth, Hip Hop clothing was designed for comfort and practicality rather than conforming to traditional notions of style. With ease of movement and convenience guiding design choices, pants grew long, wide and baggy. Shirts, sweaters, vests and jackets with wide hoodies and Hip Hop gear became virtually dementionless. Pockets were deep and plentiful. Snaps and buttons, hooks and rivets, zippers and buckles served both function and fashion.
As the style grew in popularity, its designers became household names. Virtually overnight, people like Derrick Murray, Pierre Haurchet and Milo Revah were launched as fashion icons, their fortunes riding on the "baggyboy" bandwagon.
As with the evolution of any fashion trend, while Hip-Hop clothing continues to make its statement on the street, it has come to dominate all aspects of today's fashion choices. From our first taste of '90's gangsta' Hip-Hop clothing has blossomed into a respected trend in functional fashion design. Wide-legged jeans are as common as straight-leg and comfort fit. Blasting jackets and pants are popular with every crowd. Baggy sportswear lines promote freedom of movement while specialized industrial designs address the unique demands of skateboarders and rappers.
Enthusiastically embracing 'bling' along with more elegant fabrics, Hip-Hop clothing has come to reflect success as much as it does convenience and simplicity. It is only a matter of time before we see its impact felt on such classics as the business suit and formal wear. When that day comes, our youth will once again be on the move, eagerly in search of its next radical fashion phenomenon.
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