Garments with hoods are not exactly new to the world of clothing, with it believed that the inspiration behind today's 'hoodie' being the hooded robes that monks wore during the Middle Ages. How true this really is we're unsure, but what we do know is that the market and use for today's hooded top are quite different.
It all started in the 1930s when an American sports and active wear brand, Champion, designed the first hoodie (they are also known to have created the first sports bra and reversible t-shirt amongst others). Aimed at up-state New York labourers, the hoodie was designed to keep them extra warm during their cold winters. At this point, for labourers and sportsmen, the hoodie was a purely practical garment.
Then in the 1970s, Sylvester Stallone and his character Rocky hit our screens, bringing into vogue the hoodie. Unfortunately, for the next three decades the hoodie became synonymous with violence and menace, with this sinister appearance hard to shake off even today.
Throughout the 70s, 80s and early 90s, the hoodie was a staple clothing item for rappers and street or gang members. It was not until around the mid-1990s that the hoodie's image began to change. Sports men and women, especially skateboarders and surfers, started once again to adopt the hoodie as a part of their statement style, which it still is today.
When all-American fashion designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger designed the university sweatshirts that are still popular today, the hoodie's image really started to change. Since then, people from all backgrounds, countries, ethnicities and classes all wear the hoodie, although it still maintains its sinister image. Despite this under-current, it is still seen as an acceptable item of casual dress amongst children, men and women of all ages, and for the last decade has been stocked in most sports, high street and designer stores.
It all started in the 1930s when an American sports and active wear brand, Champion, designed the first hoodie (they are also known to have created the first sports bra and reversible t-shirt amongst others). Aimed at up-state New York labourers, the hoodie was designed to keep them extra warm during their cold winters. At this point, for labourers and sportsmen, the hoodie was a purely practical garment.
Then in the 1970s, Sylvester Stallone and his character Rocky hit our screens, bringing into vogue the hoodie. Unfortunately, for the next three decades the hoodie became synonymous with violence and menace, with this sinister appearance hard to shake off even today.
Throughout the 70s, 80s and early 90s, the hoodie was a staple clothing item for rappers and street or gang members. It was not until around the mid-1990s that the hoodie's image began to change. Sports men and women, especially skateboarders and surfers, started once again to adopt the hoodie as a part of their statement style, which it still is today.
When all-American fashion designers like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger designed the university sweatshirts that are still popular today, the hoodie's image really started to change. Since then, people from all backgrounds, countries, ethnicities and classes all wear the hoodie, although it still maintains its sinister image. Despite this under-current, it is still seen as an acceptable item of casual dress amongst children, men and women of all ages, and for the last decade has been stocked in most sports, high street and designer stores.
0 comments:
Post a Comment