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The History Behind Urban Clothing

By: Paige Price

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You might be surprised to learn that urban clothing has its origins in late 1970’s punk rock scene. Punk’s do-it-yourself, anti-mainstream, ethos set the tone and the feel for what became known as the hip-hop movement, the genre of music most identified with urban clothing. Hip-hop and punk also have strong roots within the skate and snowboard scenes, two sports which have also played a distinctive role in shaping urban clothing.

Urban clothing first became popularized in the early 1980’s by hip-hop pioneers such as Run DMC and LL Cool J. The scene back then was strongly associated with established sportswear brands such as Adidas and Pro-Keds, along with brightly colored name-brand tracksuits and sneakers with oversized shoelaces. Heavy gold jewelry was also in fashion: men sported gold chains while women rocked over-sized gold doorknocker earrings. Heavy gold jewelry is one of the few early urban clothing trends that remain popular to this day. It is used as a symbol of wealth and prestige. Some believe that this customs has roots in Africa.

In the late 1980’s, urban clothing fell under the spell of traditional African influences such as blousy pants, fezzes, kufis, dreadlocks and the wearing of red, black, and green colors as a symbol of Africa. This changed when, in the early 1990’s, the emphasis turned to wearing bright clothing, often with polka dot patterns. However this whimsical movement had a more serious counterpart: gangster-inspired clothing. The use of baggy pants is probably the most well-known characteristic of this style, inspired by the prison fashion of not using a belt (belts are confiscated as a weapon in most jails.) Hooded clothing, which allows the user to conceal his identity, also became popular. This look was modified in the mid-1990’s to what became known as the ‘Mafioso Look.’ The Mafioso was a more high-end gangster look which took its inspiration from the Mafioso stlye of the 1930s and 1940. This includes: double breasted suits, silk shirts, alligator-skin shoes and bowler hats.

Today, urban clothing is about more than hip-hop. It seamlessly blends a number of different styles, the most notable being the extreme sport clothing of skaters and snowboarding. Like hip-hop, these sports take their inspirations from the streets. Skate and snowboarding clothing styles are known for their arty designs. This mixture has resulted in a surge of urban clothing that sports bright and innovative designs on t-shirts, hoodies and jeans.

For a sample of the latest trends in urban clothing, visit yukka.co.um/ the online Urban & Hip Hop Clothing Boutique. With over 75 of the hottest brands to choose from, it is guaranteed that you will find something that suits your unique style. Fly 53 is known for being one of the most innovate urban clothing makers within the UK while Volcom is known for its sophisticated take on urban clothing. Www.drjays.com/ and www.icandyclothing.com are also worth browsing for their urban clothing collection.

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Robby Sur is an urban clothing enthusiast who is particularly excited about Volcom’s new line.

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