THE HOODIE

  

The hoodie’s history dates back to medieval Europe, it was a large hood known as a cowl. The cowl was a long hood attached to a monk’s cloak or robes. As the monks worked in cold unheated monasteries, it was essential to retain as much body heat as possible. As the head releases roughly 50% of body heat, the cowl was no doubt worn on a regular basis by monks. It was not until the 1930’s that the hooded sweatshirt we know today was brought out by Champion Products. Champion previously specialising in undergarments, decided to use the same warm materials to create a hoodie for the cold storage workers in New York City. Later, this was then adopted by American football players and soon on to their partners, gradually getting into the mainstream of the public. Rocky’s claim to fame of the 1970’s saw an underdog wearing a hooded garment who rose from the depths of despair to triumph boxing. From being laughed at by society, he rose to being a hometown Hero, the hoodie was a symbol of this success. The film’s success was followed closely by the rise of Graffiti, Hip-hop and rap culture on the streets of New York City. Graffiti writers as they still do today, using the hoodie to hide their identity, while they were painting and also to keep a low profile, whilst operating in the city. This links the hoodie and criminal activity with anonymity. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that the hoodie was picked up by fashion designer Norma Kamali. Kamali was promoting ready to wear clothing with her use of everyday material in high end design[1]. In the 1990’s the movement of hip-hop culture with the rise of rap groups like Wu-Tang Clan into popular culture. It was in the 1990’s that the hoodie began to be picked up by fashion designers like Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren. (Due to the rise of the hoodie from hip-hop culture into mainstream, Tommy Hilfiger and others had to maintain stock of the hoodie in their shops due to popular demand.) At this time, hip-hop acted a voice for those that were largely ignored by the governments. The hoodie began to represent a level of defiance and a stand against the system for surfers, skaters and colleges, within sports and fraternities. The hoodie stereotype connotes a criminal intent. The rise of Rap, Hip-hop culture and graffiti writers into popular culture in the 1990s, provides direct links to criminal activity.

Then by 2012, the hoodie could be seen in all walks of life. A common piece of clothing available in every outlet store across the globe. 2012 was a very significant year in the controversy of the hoodie as it was the year of the Trayvon Martin case. Trayvon Martin was a seventeen year old, African American, who was fatally deemed suspicious due to attire of a hooded sweatshirt. Trayvon was shot down 70 feet from his home[2], by George Zimmerman, a Hispanic neighbourhood watch volunteer. This sparked a national debate on profiling. People began protesting all across the US, In Million Hoodie Marches, where thousands of people gathered in protest of the injustice if Trayvon’s death. . This made famous the hoodie as an icon of identity defiance.

Death and cruelty, alongside anonymity and criminal activity are many create fictional characters from which we learn about morals. This plays into our subconscious as adults. The perception of the hoodie today can be influenced by these characters of old, relevant through what we have been taught by modern media. The hoodie is also portrayed in film, stories and books, introduced to us as early as children. From the Grim reaper to Robin Hood to even the innocent Red Riding Hood, provide characters in folklore who illustrated the hood. I think I can safely say we all can picture the Grim Reaper in our minds. The Grim Reaper, always cloaked in a large dark hood.[3] Similarly, Robin Hood, a legendary character from English folklore was a goodhearted outlaw who sported the hood. Another fictional character adorning the hood was Red Riding Hood.[4] These characters of old and also the history of the past form how we view the hoodie today. These stem from our subconscious or are what we have been taught through the media.

 

    

 

 

 

[1] Zarrella,K.,2014.www.style.com. [Online] Available at:http://www.style.com/trends/fashion/2014/072114_Norma_Kamali_Designer_Activewear[Accessed Monday October 2014].

 

 

[2] A.D.S.Burch, 2012.www.tampabay.com.[Online] Available at: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/trayvon-martin-a-typical-teen-with-dreams-of-flying-or-fixing-planes/1221425[Accessed Monday October 2014].

 

[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_%28personification%29

 

[4] http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/Little-Red-Riding-Hood

 

 

by Kevin O'Shea