The History of Hip-Hop Fashion

Everyone would be aware of hip fashion. However, it would be difficult for many people to define when they see this fashion. People say it is a musician or dancing era, but many of them fail to draw a complete picture. Today, hip-hop is a mainstream topic. However, the distinctions between what is and is not considered hip-hop have become hazier. There is a fundamental concept that underlies the development and expansion of online hip-hop clothing brands.

What is Hip-hop Fashion?

Many people probably limit themselves to the knowledge that hip is only a type of dance, way of dressing, or genre of music. The real answer to hip-hop is it is a culture that we have seen for decades.

The hip-hop culture originated in the Bronx in New York City. It offered an escape from a variety of economic, cultural, sociological, and political influences through its music, graffiti, DJing, and dancing.

Hip-hop may be traced back to the 1970s when the style reflected the streetwear that Bronx youth owned. This fashion trend includes huge shoelaces, tracksuits, sneakers, and bomber jackets.

Pro-Keds, Chuck Taylor, and Puma were the top leading brands in the footwear world. The prevalence of baggy clothing was probably brought on by the poor fit of the inner city . Streetwear and ingenuity were combined in the trend of early hip-hop rising days. It was a mashup of readymade attire, dressing it up, and discovering innovative ways to wear it with attitude.

Even though hip-hop fashion had a wide spectrum in the early 50’s and it dominated the fashion industry for several years. The partnerships between significant sportswear brands and hip-hop artists dominated this fashion sense, casual shoes, and activewear.

Who Started The Hip-Hop Industry?

Urban culture was already involved in hip-hop before it even existed. Hip-hop fashion gained popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Many people adopt it as a daily wear outfit. It has become a spotlight on the fashion choices made by young urbanites.

It stands in striking contrast to disco, and hip-hop clearly has roots in the streets. Additionally, it has been affected by disco in several ways.

Despite the fact that hip-hop is DJ Hollywood of Harlem rapped over disco music. Major hip-hop musicians today acknowledge him as the first rhythmic rapper. Apart from the original rap influence, disco is another component that shaped hip-hop fashion.

The young people of less-income communities learned this mentality at block parties in the 1970s. This was when people wore hip-hop-style clothes to parties, discos, and clubs.

The Cold Crush Brothers and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five were early hip-hop groups. These people embraced the theatrical aspect of disco through their hip-hop clothing. Both groups used to dress up for shows in extravagant costumes and knee-high boots.

While performing, Cold Crush wore full suits and mink coats. In the early 1980s, Russell Simmons supported many musicians, such as Run-DMC and Kurtis Blow, who presented sharply dressed in corduroy suits.

However, Run-DMC boosted the basic hip-hop look when they traded their plaid sports jackets in favor of casual streetwear. It only makes sense that the iconic hip-hop appearance refers to the group as they are known as The Beatles of rap.

80s Hip-Hop Fashion

Run-DMC managed their sense of style while still maintaining their leather costumes. They performed in streetwear, which was rare among hip-hop pioneers. The hip-hop trio was the apex of the subgenre; they defied all conventions in both attire and music. And as a result, fans were identified with their dress, which included black bowl hats, shell-toe sneakers, and denim jackets.

Alongside them, LL Cool J supported the B-Boy fashion with his signature shoes, baggy clothing, Kangol bucket hats, and gold jewelry. A person who dances during musical breaks is referred to as a "B-Boy" because the "B" in that word stands for a break.

Run-manager DMC proposed writing a song about the company. The group frequently wore the traditional white Adidas sneakers. Furthermore, the sneakers have a very basic distinctive three stripes on the sides, and the toes are rounded.

90s Hip-Hop Fashion

In the 1990s, hip-hop style was influenced by a variety of trends from the decade before. Hip-hop rapidly entered the mainstream thanks to television, particularly MTV.

Boyz II Men and other R&B groups embraced hip-hop fashion. Additionally, MC Hammer participated in the scene wearing his legendary harem, also known as "hammer" pants. The Australian knitwear brand Coogi was introduced to the scene by The Notorious B.I.G. He was one of the early hip-hop fashion icons; eye-catching and vivid sweaters flooded the streets.

Timberland work boots, Puffy jackets, flannel shirts, and more denim in the form of jeans, jackets, and overalls became more popular. However, oversized white T-shirts, sneakers, and sportswear remained the foundation of the hip-hop wardrobe.

In the 1980s, fashion giant Nike endorsed NBA star Michael Jordan. Nike sneakers also attract many hip-hop stars, and within no time, footwear becomes the trendsetter in the hip-hop world.

After this moment, the window of opportunity for celebrity partnerships with activewear brands suddenly widened. Hip-hop celebrities favored Starter's snapbacks and jackets because the company had relationships with professional sports teams. At this time, Champion hoodies and Throwback jerseys also became famous.

Hip-Hop Fashion in the 2000s

Hip-hop clothing, from rappers' own lines, became too popular after hip-hop successfully blended with mainstream American culture. According to fashion and marketing experts, the lack of sustainable power and competition in the hip-hop industry faced a major collapse.

This situation also affected hip-hop streetwear. Whereas, in the 1980s and 1990s, baggy jeans, oversized white T-shirts, and large belts were popular among artists. Throwback jerseys and baggy camouflage pants also paid homage to the iconic B-Boy look of the previous two decades.

However, dental jewelry and intemperate tattoos took the place of gold chains with the emergence of new artists like Eminem, Ludacris, 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne. Headwear was dominated by bandanas, trucker hats, snapbacks, sweatbands, and du-rags with shiny stickers still on them. The Nike Air Force pulled up their game of sneakers with a vengeance. In 2009 Kanye West and Nike jointly released the Air Yeezy 1.

The 2010s

Jay-Z and Kanye have already created the "proper swag" aesthetic in the last ten years. This fashion scene is famous among celebrities like Pharrell and A$AP Rocky.

Outfits, for example, Polo shirts and fitted designer jeans with customized suits, are the suitable representation of proper swag. In the late 2010s, A$AP Rocky collaborated with Calvin Klein and Dior.

Haute couture expanded its influence to hip-hop as hip-hop made its way back into high fashion. In 2017, Marc Jacob's show “woman” featured substantial gold chains, vintage coats, and tracksuits. The collection of Marc gained popularity in the early times. Jacobs commented on his fascination with hip-hop style. He defines it as the stylish dressing up of casual athletic wear.

Final thoughts

While many trends come and go, hip-hop's core values never change. Hip-hop, which has its roots in the best streetwear outfits in Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and other relevant areas. Additionally, this fashion trend is always pushed by itself or any third person to remain constant in the mainstream.

This blog is about the entire journey of hip-hop fashion, from where it came from, how many industries implement it, and where it stands today. From clothing fashion to the music industry today, multinational giants focus on hip-hop because it has a broad spectrum.