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African American fashion, dating, hair care |
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Did you know? Many hip-hop stars have their own clothing lines today, including Baby Phat, J.Lo, Outkast, Sean John, Phat Farm, Apple Bottoms, G-Unit and Jay-Z.
TakeawaysDressing proper is now back in style.Bold colors, daring cuts of dresses, perfect shoes and accessories epitomize the ladies of hip-hop.Nelly popularized the Air Force One shoes with a song of the same name.Forget the baggy jeans and the oversized hoodies…..today’s hip-hop fashions include some of the world’s top designers integrated with the old school flavor. Most want to portray themselves as fresh and on the cutting edge of fashion, while others prefer the wild and flagrant clothes that scream, “Look at me!” On either side of the coin though, it’s all fun and exciting to see.
From flashy to trashy to clean and lean, if there’s one word that most of the hip-hop world wants you to view them as, it is the phrase “fresh to death”. This means that you always have on the newest gear, the freshest shoes and it all comes together effortlessly. Artists such as Kanye West, Diddy and Jay-Z seem to prefer the clean cut look, dressing in fine-tailored suits with every detail catered to such as shinin’ cuff links and silk ties. If they’re not in dapper suits, you can catch them in loose-fitting designer jeans and a button-down shirt. Button down shirts might possibly be one of the most popular items to make its way back into hip-hop fashion, dressing proper is now back in style. Flip the pages of any popular magazine to see some of today’s hottest stars dressed in blazers, jeans, aviator glasses and a pair of great shoes.
There are also the attention grabbers that prefer the…non-traditional look. Take a look at Andre 3000 from Outkast, he dresses in plaid and polka dotted pants with suspenders and a crazy hat, but he pulls it off with finesse and style, he portrays the kind of confidence most people could only dream of having. He is usually the talk of the town at every awards show for his bold and eccentric outfits. He is fun and fresh, not afraid to express himself through every creative outlet he has. One of the founders of a popular phrase, “So Fresh & So Clean”, he definitely knows how to captivate while having fun at the same time. His flair is infectious, his individuality is appreciated and I would give Andre 3000 two thumbs up for originality!
One popular word in hip-hop: SHOES! Many stars wear dress shoes when appropriate, these can include the finest in leathers and another popular choice is “gators”. Sneakers include Air-Force Ones; popularized by St. Louis native, Nelly (he even made a song entitled, “Air Force Ones”), newly released sneakers and highly coveted “throwback” sneakers. (Anytime you hear throwback in hip-hop terms it means old, but classic, as in, “A Throwback Jersey”, this is a jersey probably 10-20 years old, an O.J. Simpson Jersey would a "throwback").
Ladies in hip-hop fashion change as fast as the weather…..if not faster. Although most of these songstresses have personal shoppers and designers, many take their talent and creativity to pull together a look that is sexy, classy and of course, expensive. Bold colors, daring cuts of dresses, the perfect shoes and accessories epitomize the ladies of hip-hop today.
One of my favorite artists is Beyonce, she always looks like a perfect lady. You’ll see her wardrobe almost has a chameleon effect, understandably coinciding with her busy schedule. One day a Versace gown at an Awards show, another day form fitting jeans with the newest boots and of course, even stars have their down time, these are the pictures we see in the likes of the Enquirer; in velour running suits and Nike’s, but still as captivating as ever.
Another one of my favorite artists is Alicia Keys. She is creative and unique in her wardrobe and music, of course, being from New York City, we expect to see this. I believe one of the secrets to her great style is her accessories. Hats, scarves, seldom-seen jewelry, interesting shoes and great hair all add up to enviable fashions. For the most part though, these ladies are just like the rest of the women in the world, they like variety and to feel pretty while still comfortable.
It would be a crime if I didn’t mention jewelry also known as bling, bling-bling, blingage, and/or ice. Most of today’s stars drip in expensive and rare cuts of precious stones. Ladies prefer rings and earrings in a variety of colors from canary yellow to pink lemonade. Men usually have a chain and a unique medallion; this shows their individuality and expresses their personality. Another popular item is not a watch, but a timepiece, almost every star will have a great timepiece and they aren’t shy to tell you where it’s from. Last, but not least, we have “grillz”....tacky to some, an addiction to others, when you see a smile gleaming from 100 feet away, you know this star has jewels in his mouth. Popularized by southern rappers, Mike Jones, Paul Wall and yet again, mid-west rapper Nelly, (and yes he does have a song for it appropriately entitled, “Grillz”), this fad is far more popular in the mid-west and the south, but is becoming popular anywhere a radio plays. Bottom line: if you are singing you are blinging!
Whatever the current hip-hop style might be, it will be exciting and it will be forever evolving. These are just a few of the current basic fashions today. Everyone has their own idea of what’s hip and what’s not. What I love about hip-hop fashion is the confidence and individuality, not being afraid to be creative and fun. I think we could all take something from these artists and put it to use in our own lives, adding a little freshness and edge makes us feel good! User-generated content powered by Associated Content| Publish your own Content|
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