New Fashion Hip Hop Industry

A person’s choice of clothes reflects a lot about their mood, health, and confidence among other social factors. Social theorists assert that the choice of clothes is a form of language that allows a message to be passed. This is because society has a way of connecting fashion with specific messages. As such, a person’s choice of clothing is determined by the impression they want to make. Although there is a lot of stereotype on the impressions that some clothes have, the social meaning of fashion in the community cannot be ignored.

This paper performs an in-depth analysis of items of material and pop culture in comparison to the sociological ideas, meaning in the society, and contribution to culture.

Rugged/Ripped Jeans

A few decades ago, it was impossible to spot a person dressed in rugged jeans in the name of fashion. Rugged jeans were closely associated with poverty and homelessness. Additionally, fashion brands did not produce rugged jeans because it would not have been accepted in such a setup.

There was no market for rugged jeans. I look at my wardrobe today and I cannot keep count of the number of rugged jeans I have. This proves that the setup has changed and the society embraces a new dimension is as far as fashion is concerned. Additionally, society today believes that fashion communicates a lot about a person’s identity. Based on this approach, there are people who feel dressing in rugged jeans is unacceptable and less fashionable.

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The society deems rugged and ripped jeans as unprofessional and lack of money to buy a new pair of jeans. This is especially in the context of people who believe in traditions such as dressing neatly and smartly. Rugged and ripped jeans would therefore not fit neat and smart. It is considered unprofessional for a person to show up in the office dressed in rugged or ripped jeans. This type of dressing does not meet the standards of professionalism (Bullimore). In the 1980s, dressing in ripped jeans implied that a person was a heavy metal rocker and was just about to showcase his or her talent on stage. It was expected that such an individual would have wild hairstyles and the more the holes in the jeans the more a person was considered fashionable.

Although the trend of dressing in ripped and rugged jeans may be deemed ridiculous, it is surprising that a ripped jean costs more than jeans without holes. There is an obsession with ripped jeans prompting the fashion industry to increase production. This communicates volumes about the community’s social and cultural values (Saltares). The social setup has changed to the point where people consider fashionable clothes that would not have made it in the fashion world a few years ago. Celebrities have become an important instrument for introducing and promoting such fashion trends. Social media has become a powerful tool that allows young people to connect with celebrities and the fashion world. Interestingly, around 2010, ripped jeans were promoted by designers such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren proving how much fashion changes and improve. Young people find their identity in imitating the celebrities, which explains why the ripped and rugged jeans are a success in the fashion industry.

Dressing in ripped and rugged jeans is therefore considered normal and acceptable. It is also recognized as an element of socialization when young people identify themselves with common fashion. Ripped jeans are fashionable and have become a symbol of culture and values in the society (Rainey). A person is seen as fashionable when they dress in ripped jeans. It gives some form of identity especially to individuals who have a hard time interacting with other people. The ripped jeans have created a family of people who feel free enough to dress in anything they want. Unlike before when the society dictated what was fashionably acceptable, today’s world allows the youth to find their identity by dressing freely. The ripped jeans are one of the clothes that has increasing sociability and support of a new culture where people dress as they please without fear of being judged or discriminated.

Hoodie

Hoodies are my favorite when it comes to fashion. Interestingly, it is also very common among young people in today’s society. Young people invest in branding hoodies to communicate the messages they want to the society. Some fashion companies also produce branded hoodies in order to meet the growing needs of the market. A hoodie is one of the few fashion items accepted in both men and women. The market produces hoodies specifically for men and women. There are also unisex hoodies which can be worn with both men and women.

A hoodie is common among middle-school, high-school, and college students. It makes them look fashionable and in some cases uniform especially in cases where the school is specific about the branding to be done on the hoodie. The young people have the option of displaying their school names, their beliefs, and anything they want to communicate with the public. A hoodie is therefore pursued more than just a cloth. It is an instrument used to communicate a specific message. In the cultural and social setting, hoodies are mostly embraced by hip hop culture. A person would include composite drawing on the hoodie as part of pushing the hip hop culture. Hoodies were mainly used in communicating messages on race and racism.

In the past, hoodies were pursued as black-people clothes. This is because the black community adopted the hip hop culture and dressed in a hoodie. The society, therefore, assumed that a hoodie is only to be dressed by the black community or individuals supporting hip hop. However, the modern world considers this a stereotype because hoodies are now for everyone including those that do not support the hip hop culture. Hip hop artists loved to dress in hoodies because it was easy to hide their identity (Wilson). They would composite messages against racism, supporting crime, and support of the hip hop culture among other messages and posse without the fear of being recognized. The hoodie was pursued as a garment and tool for fighting for the rights of the minority and those that embraced the hip hop culture.

Hoodies were also associated with criminal behavior mainly because most of the shoplifters used to wear them in order to conceal their identities from the CCTV cameras. This resulted in hoodies getting a negative image and therefore those that wore them especially in the 1990s were associated with criminal behavior. However, in the modern day, a hoodie is considered a fashionable garment that does not necessarily prove the beliefs and identity of a person. Dressing in a hoodie no longer implies that a person has an outraged code of conduct such as shoplifting, crime, and supporting ruthless hip hop culture (Wilson). Hoodies today are an instrument for people to pass positive messages and cultural preferences by compositing positive messages.

Hoodies have also been embraced by manufacturers with some of them branding the hoodies as part of their marketing strategies. This is part of an initiative towards changing the negative perception that people used to have in as far as hoodies are concerned. In the modern world, hoodies are considered the same as any other type of clothing. People do not have to conceal their faces because they are participating in an outrageous activity. Hoodies are pursued as a tool that can be used in bringing people together by communicating messages that inspire and inform.

Conclusion

Fashion is a powerful tool that brings people together. The increase in the use of social media platforms has played a fundamental role in the spread of fashion which has also influenced the society’s perception of fashion. Fashion communicates a lot about culture because people practicing a specific type of culture have a specific way of dressing. The social media allows such cultures to be spread across a wider scope. It is interesting how hoodies are acceptable in different countries across the globe. Even the millennials and elderly population have a developed a taste for hoodies. There are some fashion items such as ripped and rugged jeans which are yet to be fully accepted by every individual. However, people have matured in their understanding of fashion to the point where they cannot discriminate on such basis.