Complete guide to Hip-hop style: The evolution of the fashion and how it shaped streetwear
Hip-hop fashion is a type of clothing style that originated in urban Black America and among inner-city youth. Initially, it was characterised by loose-fitting clothing, athletic wear, bold colours, and streetwear brands, reflecting the culture's influence. Over the decades, the hip-hop style has evolved from its roots in the 1970s into a global movement, constantly adapting to new trends while staying true to its cultural influence.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Hip-hop style has evolved from subcultural roots in hip-hop music.
- The style has given rise to streetwear or street fashion, a blend of luxury and casual dress.
- In the 1970s, hip-hop fashion was characterised by tracksuits, bold jewellery, baggy pants and Kangol hats.
- Since then, it has been influenced by the modern evolution of black culture and streetwear.
Complete guide to hip-hop style
Hip-hop has evolved into a way of living, encompassing different sections of life such as art and dressing. It emerged from the Bronx in New York City in the 1970s. This fashion guide follows the growth of the movement into the mainstream culture through each decade.
The 1970s hip-hop style
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The emergence of hip-hop culture in the 1970s to the adoption of sportswear brands like Kangol, Adidas, Pro-Keds, Scott NYC and Dr. Martens. This style blended elements from punk, Japanese street fashion, and heavy metal.
Adopters of the fashion trend such as performers and rappers often donned large gold chains and rings. Female artists solidified the importance of bold accessories in hip-hop fashion, like oversized gold door-knocker earrings.
Footwear was integral to the style, with brands like Pro-Keds, Puma, Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars, and Adidas Superstars. Some wore sneakers with oversized shoelaces.
The 1980s hip-hop style
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The 80s hip hop style, also known as the b-boy years, borrowed heavily from the 70s. Kangol bucket hats, heavy name-plate gold necklaces, shell-toe sneakers with phat laces, leather jackets, and black tracksuits characterised it.
Other pieces in this fashion trend include chunky gold medallions, bracelets and earrings. Other than Kangol hats, baseball caps were often worn with the brim facing forward.
This era, also referred to as the Black Pride Era, featured fashion pieces that expressed social consciousness, and political, and racial ideals. This was often seen through paramilitary fatigues, and bold yellow, red, black and green colours inspired by black nationalist movements such as the Black Panthers.
The 1990s hip-hop style
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The 1990s marked a defining era of ghetto fabulous hip-hop fashion and baggy streetwear. The polar opposite trends featured baggy pants, oversized shirts, and flannel shirts as well as extravagant fedoras, suits, light gold jewellery, and alligator-skin shoes.
Popular male and female rappers such as Missy Elliott, Gang Starr, the Wu-Tang Clan, Nelly, Lil Kim, and Ludacris often donned baggy styles, complete with do-rags, baseball hats, and basketball tops. On the other hand, the slick and flashy trends were often worn by artists such as Sean Combs, Snoop Dogg, and Notorious B.I.G.
2000s hip-hop style
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The 2000s saw hip-hop fashion become even more mainstream, with an emphasis on luxury brands and bold, statement-making styles. Baggy jeans, oversized T-shirts, and hoodies became centralised and popularised as high-end streetwear.
Accessories such as footwear took centre stage, with limited-edition sneakers and collaborations between artists and brands like Nike and Adidas giving them massive popularity. Other accessories in this period include fitted caps, diamond-encrusted watches, eyewear, necklaces and gold chains.
For girls, the 2000s hip-hop style was influenced by brands such as Baby Phat and the Y2K fashion trend. The classic Baby Phat look brought together a blend of luxury streetwear with bold, form-fitting and feminine touches.
The 2010 hip-Hop style
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In the 2010s, hip-hop fashion evolved to blend streetwear with high-end luxury, creating a more polished and diverse style. Popular designers such as Virgil Abloh and Kanye West brought a fusion of urban streetwear with high-fashion sensibilities, popularizing oversized silhouettes, minimalism, and distressed clothing.
Athleisure became prominent, with hoodies, joggers, and sneakers becoming staples in both casual and high-fashion looks.
Sneaker culture reached new heights, with exclusive releases and collaborations between artists and brands like Nike, Adidas, and Puma dominating the scene. Limited-edition drops and custom designs became a symbol of status.
Accessories remained a key part of the look, with oversized chains and designer bags complementing the streetwear aesthetic, representing luxury and individuality in the evolving hip-hop fashion scene.
The 2020 hip-hop style
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The 2020 hip-hop era style is defined by the dominant influence of streetwear inspired by designer artists such as Chief Keef, Asap Rocky, and Kanye West. Streetwear, a practical and utilitarian dressing style, has been influenced by high-end fashion brands. This has resulted in fashion pieces that combine functionality with high-end appeal.
The style borrows from colourful, print and retro styles from the 1990s and early 2000s. Tracksuits, oversized denim jackets, and cross-body bags are staples, offering a relaxed yet fashion-forward look.
The rise of gender-fluid fashion has integrated elements of performance and individuality in the hip-hop industry. The trend toward customization and personal expression has grown, with many artists often collaborating with designers to create custom-made pieces.
What are the basic hip-hop clothes?
Hip-hop style clothing typically reflects the culture's roots in street style and freedom of movement. Key elements include oversized clothing, bold prints and logos, and diamond and gold jewellery.
What is Y2K fashion?
This is a fashion style that originated in the late 90s and early 2000s, named after the year 2000. The Y2K fashion style was characterised by tank top T-shirts or saggy sweatshirts, with dark denim jeans, to micro mini-skirts.
What type of style is hip-hop fashion?
Hip-hop fashion is a bold and expressive style rooted in the music genre and street culture, often featuring oversized clothing, bold graphic tees, hoodies, baggy jeans, and athletic wear. This style is all about individuality, confidence, and self-expression.
The authentic hip-hop style represents a blend of individual and cultural expression, as well as artistic identity. It is more than fashion and symbolises identity, growth, resilience, rebellion, and heritage.
Legit.ng also published an article listing all the rappers with dreadlocks. These artists inspire fans to wear bold and stylish dreadlocks as a symbol of artistry, authenticity and culture.
Dreadlocks are a statement hairstyle that has given artists varied personas based on how they are styled. Which artistic powerhouses have made a mark in the hip-hop industry with dreadlocks? Read on and find out.
Source: Legit.ng
