Hip hop style emerged in the 1980s, characterized by baggy clothing, baseball caps, and “bling” jewelry. Sportswear brands became associated with hip hop culture, and rap artists started their own clothing lines. Kanye West revived the trend of colorful plastic sunglasses, and many artists have launched successful clothing brands.
Hip hop style is a fashion style first popularized by the emerging hip hop culture in the early 1980s. The look is characterized by strong urban influences, often typified by baggy pants, oversized shirts, and caps. of baseball. Statement jewelry, known colloquially as “bling,” is another key element in hip hop style, helping to create a lavish street look often referred to as “ghetto fabulous.” The style became mainstream when sportswear brands began to be associated with hip hop culture, and it became a trend for rap artists to start their own clothing lines.
In the late 1970s, rap and hip hop emerged. During this period, fans of these musicians began to copy the appearance of the artists. This came to a head in the 1980s, when followers of hip hop’s most popular icons co-opted the musicians’ look by donning brightly colored tracksuits, bomber jackets and sneakers. The 1990s ushered in baseball caps and sports jerseys, as well as hip hop style trends for women. Female hip hop artists began wearing sports bras under oversized shirts as their own brand of femininity.
The influence of sportswear on the hip hop style grew in the mid-to-late 1990s, as artists began wearing aspirational sportswear brands. Designer Tommy Hilfiger was one of the first to bridge the gap between classic preppy and urban style. Instead of ignoring the hip hop community like many designers have done, he created baggy clothing in bright colors and courted the hottest hip hop artists. Hilfiger became a household name in hip hop when rapper Snoop Dogg performed on live television wearing Hilfiger’s clothing.
At this time, the jewelry culture became a prominent part of the hip hop style. The word “bling” refers to ostentatious and elaborate jewelry worn by hip hop artists or installed on their tooth caps and mobile phones. In the 1990s, the go-to choice was gold jewelry, but platinum took over by the middle of the decade. Diamonds, known to many supporters of hip hop culture as “ice,” are another popular accent in many people’s accessories.
Hip hop artists continue to influence hip hop style as much as they did in the 1980s. The most notable trend in the last decade is Kanye West’s revival of the shades, colorful plastic sunglasses whose lenses are replaced for a “shutter” reason. Many artists, such as Eminem, 50-Cent, and P. Diddy, have also opened their own clothing brands and met with favorable commercial success.
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