Hooded Culture

The history of the hood as a garment originated during the Middle Ages, dating back from the 7th-13th century, as formal Monastic attire. Throughout time, the cowl, whose name derives from the Latin word cuculla, meaning "hood”, has been stripped of its original religious purpose. Primitively declared the "Angel Attire", the Benedictine monk's hooded uniform was a reverent to Christ's divinity. According to Benedictine rule, clothing was to remain basic to "conform with local conditions"

The hood was considered and respected as the symbol of an angel, the hood "towered towards the heavens and loosely flowing sleeves represented wings... and transcended the confines of the physical world returning to man's original state in paradise." Almost seven centuries later, the contemporary "hoodie" remains a part of common culture, as it has sustained itself throughout the years with its purposely warm and protective incentive. But, with today's world lost in the depths of mainstream consumerism, society's hunger for over-indulgence has left the "hoodie" with a different kind of duality within its function and prior significance that has triggered a worldwide controversy.

Appealing to a widespread of cultures and sub-groups, hooded clothing as a subject of dispute has only recently become more active as increasing crime cases constitute from its liberty to keep a person wearing it anonymous. The adaptation of the hood as an appropriated mechanism for intimidation and criminality dates back from the Ku Klux Klan's use of it for concealment, as a way to exert guerilla warfare tactics. Around the time of its orientation into a more associated with, Hip Hop culture, it has become a favorite costume of misdemeanors.

The garment itself no longer stands by its intended religious symbolism and remains blank canvas for an upcoming culture. While still true to a basic structure that consists of an adjustable drawstring hood, a zipper, and large pockets. The "hoodie" has extended its way through the historical time line, landing directly into branded mainstream as well as underground
consumerist culture to yet again retain its function and obtain new connotative meaning.

The standard cotton “hoodie” made its first appearance as potential casual-wear in the 1930s, and since then continues to exist due to its skyrocketing popularity. With technology
advancing by the second, it is fabricated in multiplicities and sold by everyone, from high-fashion designers to common department store labels. Originally designed by Champion
Sportswear, the sweatshirt was to provide New York industrial workers with warm protective clothing inside frozen warehouses. Popular culture, being a big part of who we are, it is not a
doubt that the hoodie has made some of its first appearances in such pop culture films like Rambo. Its high-demand and functional appeal have allowed the public to further focus on its
identity and symbolism. Whether done consciously or not, the film debut might have caused an abrupt shift of understanding as people began to disassociate the film character’s actual
violence, with heroism. It became an eponym to mainstream consumers as consequence and the idea of a hooded sweatshirt offering protection now developed into the idea that this garment would scare others and display power and strength.

The sense that a garment could offer that dimensionality, being capable of both offending and defending, generates questions of freedom and vigilance as well as separation, and segregation. In MacLean's, a Canadian current affairs magazine, An article, "More menacing than bell bottoms? Impossible," describes issues of hooded sweatshirts as problematic in current social dress standards. Described as a form of rebellion and consequently, a threat that is understood from a pattern of unusual or inappropriate social behavior related to this type of clothing. Once associated with specific sub-groups, it becomes an effortless task to shift concentration on those specific groups. Once a behavioral pattern is identified, the attention and concern comes unjustified from assuming that different is unacceptable. The results for all the energy put into persecuting and isolating these groups remain futile.

"The counterculture has never managed to bring down the system through sartorial rebellion ... on the other hand, less than liberal minded authorities have known for centuries that laws regulating what their subjects can and cannot wear makes for an effective tool for social control and cultural."
http://blog.macleans.ca/2008/09/25/more-menacing-than-bell-bottoms-impossible/

With the current concerns for safety, surveillance and repression remain reoccurring themes that develop numerously either from the other or towards the other. Unfortunately, they
are rarely examined together as possible reactions, both beginning with abusive implements that in the end die out through public disobedience. "Hoodies" are now banned in several states
because of their ties to anti-social or criminal behavior. This does not stop manufacturers from providing consumers with the product that they want, nor, does it prevent anyone from wearing
them otherwise. In essence, something popular does not gain its popularity from immediate acceptance, it goes through a cycle of phases of social disapproval and awkwardness until it is
reconditioned to fit everyone's needs. The "hoodie" remains appealing today partially because of its inherent controversy and will be subject to praise just as it will be rejected and forgotten. It will go though the basic cycle of trends, the principle of styles and fashion, notoriously come into existence and fade out soundlessly.{image 1}

Tue, Feb 3, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: culture, hoodies, hood

RSS for this post