Hip hop fashion

Street fashion (even urban fashion and hip - hop fashion ) is the generic term for a number of fashionable phenomena that originate from the ghettos of American cities and related to hip hop music. Often - for example, by KRS One - the fashion is considered one of the elements of hip- hop culture. In recent years, it may be assumed that the fashion even before the music to the most commercially successful part of hip-hop. The fashion evolved along with the entire hip-hop in New York City in the 1970s and learned by both the gangsta rap as well as by the increasing success in the mainstream decisive changes.

These include in stark contrast to other youth cultures:

• Very wide, low hanging pants ( baggy pants )
• Strong brand awareness
• Bright, colorful clothes
• White sneakers, sneakers
• Sizes (T -shirts to 9XL )
• Accessories: Lanyard, externally worn chains (some with flashy trailers), eye-catching sparkling stud earrings, head scarves (also known as bandana ), head stockings (also called Do Rag ), caps ( often in combination with Do Rag / Bandana )

Early street fashion

In the 1980s, the fashion was one of the most important elements of old-school hip-hop and is still often celebrated as such in reminiscences of the time. Examples are Ahmad's single Back in the Day by Missy Elliott's single of the same in 1994 or in 2002.

Along with the rest of the origins of hip-hop, the fashion developed in the South Bronx. She set a counterpoint to the prevailing disco trend is, was more connected with the daily life of the African American community in the social focal point, should be paid to individual expression more weight and was like the whole development of hip-hop in the time strongly influenced by the marked physical limitations, which were subject to the former protagonists.

The fashion of that time should firstly demonstrate the personality, and she was so much more varied than in later times. Kurtis Blow notes in his memoirs that it is - in contrast to later times - still no dress code were parties to the block. On the other hand they also obeyed to the practical requirements of dancing and particular breakdance, and she was influenced very sporty.

For the typical fashion of that time were oversized glasses, Kangol hats, rings on several fingers away and sneakers, especially just by Puma, Adidas later with oversized laces. Known to the public, they were by artists such as Run DMC and LL Cool J. Run DMC were there the first 1987 who completed a highly doped sponsorship agreement with a company, in this case Adidas to wear their clothing in public.

With artists such as Kurtis Blow and Big Daddy Kane became popular gold jewelry to wear especially in the form of necklaces. The large colored bandwidth of that clothing was based probably on an embossed by graffiti aesthetics.

Hairstyles ranged from the Jheri Curl the early and mid- 1980s to the Hi-top fade in the late 1980s. The Black Pride movement at that time also had great influence on the hip- hop movement and thus also on fashion. For style that goes back to them, belonged Africa chains, dreadlocks, and red - black-green ( the Pan-African colors) clothing that was worn by Queen Latifah, KRS One and Public Enemy.

Development in the 1990s

After hip-hop more and more a mainstream phenomenon began to be, street fashion began to be worn outside of the scene, on the other hand changed the fashion in hip-hop: Will Smith, Kid 'n Play and Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes (TLC) popularized the wearing of bright, often neon- colored clothing and regular accessories such as baseball caps in unusual styles. At that time there were some short-lived hypes, such as Kris Kross ' way wrong to put the clothes around, so that zippers and openings were on the back of the wearer.

In the early 1990s, the gangsta rap began as the most influential of the genre Substil enforce the fashion experienced a significant influence through the typical clothing of gangsters and prison inmates. The typical baggy pants until now often known as the accessory of the hip- hop fashion, had their origin in the rules of the prisons that belts were confiscated with the first and the clothes accordingly often sat very deep. Hoodies and Timberland boots were popular, especially in New York, while the west coast flannel shirts and Converse All Stars made ​​popular. Artists from the South made ​​gold teeth in a typical accessory, some like Master P, wore the whole mouth gilded teeth.

The Gangsta Rap West Coast made ​​also to a wider public the dress codes and identification of street gangs known. Gangsta rapper, who belonged to a particular passage, presented the symbols of belonging in their videos showcased: Particularly well known here are the two signature colors of the two largest street gangs of LA - red for the Bloods and blue for the Crips. Baseball Caps certain teams, sports jackets, and the now popular bandanas in corresponding colors were also worn in a special way, made ​​possible an assignment to a particular passage. So, for example, played West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg still in 2004 in his hit single Drop it like it 's hot with the line I keep a blue flag hanging out my backside / But only on the left side, yeah that's the Crip side of his membership of a Crips gang.

With the rise of West Coast rap, particularly the G- Funk, early to mid -1990s did West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg and Too $ hort also the pimp lifestyle (eg the lifestyle of the African American pimp ) in the hip- hop scene popular. Fur coats, expensive suits and bright colors like green, purple or pink, found their way into the ghetto fashion. With its eye-catching, baroque outfits and exalted occurs, the West Coast rapper distinguished from the rather gloomy, ghetto- and road-oriented style of the East Coast - a difference that continued in the music, where in the 1990s the grim reality rap by East Coast artists like Mobb Deep, Nas and the Wu -Tang Clan, the funk -heavy G -funk sound of the West Coast, faced.

Since the mid- 1990s also influences stereotypical Mafia clothing prevailed, mediated by films such as the classic 1983 Scarface. Fedora hats were included, such as shoes made ​​from crocodile leather. Especially The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay -Z they wore. Also Zootsuits (suits with long jackets ) and from the Italian luxury company Il Padrino Moda are worn by famous rappers from the scene at performances and concerts like scene.

As the hip-hop and even some designers have developed the commercial potential of fashion, 1990 's fashion labels for the style began to develop since the middle. Leader was here Puff Daddy with his Sean John brand. Karl Kani, whose clothing company was already longer rooted in the African American community of New York, began to expand internationally. Companies such as Fubu began to specialize in this market segment. For the new generation of clothing that they created, were suits of expensive material, often with shiny surfaces, as well as jewelry made ​​of platinum, which replaced the then prevalent gold jewelry. As a major manufacturer Tommy Hilfiger could enter the market. He was able to dress many big stars from Snoop Doggy Dogg to KRS -One. Snoop Dogg appeared in 1994 in a U.S. nationally broadcast Saturday Night Live episode and was dressed from head to toe by Hilfiger. Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest praised the company in a song and others could not figga / / How me and Hilfigga / / Used to move through with Vigga. Meanwhile, depends of a hip-hop - Santa -Clause in the White House who is dressed in Hilfiger clothing. Hilfiger achieved success by acting as one of the first focused on the market and the stars of the genre courted to enforce them with his clothing brand. 1994 - the year she succeeded in the breakthrough in this respect - increased the company estimates its sales by 90 million U.S. dollars.

About the same time also typically African hair styles such as cornrows, Afros, or Caesar cut began to assert themselves. In order to protect the cuts, the carrier has a doo -rag had to wear during sleep, which soon also became the worn in public accessory.

In the 1990s, the fashion for women and men began auseinanderzuentwickeln. Women contributed previously often female versions of men's fashion or as Da Brat quite the same clothes began to wear special woman fashion in the time the first women. Lil 'Kim and Foxy Brown ( rapper ) made ​​popular in the fashion style of striking ball clothes while Lauryn Hill or Eve is more conservative, but still clearly feminine attracted.

After platinum had finally prevailed as the metal of choice, the successful rapper often wore platinum jewelry ( the less successful silver jewelry ) with inset diamonds, like in larger quantities. The reference to the jewelry has been to demonstrate a significant means of their own success and The BIG in 1999 she took a hit on who summarized the phenomenon with the slogan Bling Bling, and thus created the term for this form of fashion. At the same time began platinum teeth, to replace those made ​​of gold. The rapper and president of Cash Money Records, Bryan Williams, can fill the entire mouth with permanent platinum crowns.

In conjunction with the bling bling ghetto fabulous style can also find luxury brands like Gucci, Prada, Carlo Colucci, Louis Vuitton and Fendi receipt in the street fashion. Here, garments and accessories of different levels of style are combined.

Situation today

Having originally developed the fashion in the social settlements and ghettos, today's hip- hop fashion has little to do with the worn on the streets of style, but rather represents the idealization dar. It is often of designers and large garments manufacturers specially for produces the market segment, and it will be for some very high prices demanded. The clothes now plays a major role in the entire setting of the individual Hip- hop artists. Well-known brands find frequent mention in their lyrics, which in turn indirectly affects their recipients.

After the teen fashion has almost reached a significant market share worldwide, more hip-hoppers have moved on to establish their own clothing lines and thus to silver her name. These include Russell Simmons ( Phat Farm ), Damon Dash, Wu -Tang Clan ( Wu Wear), Method Man (Johnny Blaze ) and Jay -Z ( Rocawear ) and OutKast ( OutKast Clothing ), 50 Cent (G Unit Clothing ), in collaboration with Ecko and P. Diddy (Sean John ). Major Brands that do not come directly from hip- hoppers are, and were Willie Esco, Ecko, Songs of Freedom, Karl Kani, Sir Benni Miles, South Pole, Nike, New Era Cap, Joker Brand, Timberland, 96 North, Mecca, pelle pelle, Coogi, artistry World, K1X, Raw Blue, etc.

Street fashion blogs

With the proliferation of Weblogs have become established as a separate subgenre blogs to street fashion or street fashion. They are usually operated by private citizens in major cities - as for example in trendy cities like New York or Berlin. It is trying to track trends by current photos are published by particularly unusual or fashionably dressed passers-by.