| fashion can be traced back in The Bronxareas in | | | | fashion is said to be influenced by the styles of West |
| New York City where most low-income | | | | Coast street thugs and prison inmates. It can be |
| African-Americans reside. Later on, styles and | | | | recognized in the fashion sense of Chicano gangsters |
| distinctive elements have been influenced by the | | | | who are frequently seen wearing baggy and dark |
| scenes in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Philadelphia among | | | | denim jeans worn low and sagging without a belt, |
| other cities where the hip-hop culture originated. | | | | sporting bandannas on the head while having their |
| Significant changes in hip-hop styles and trends can | | | | bodies painted with black ink tattoos. Other cultural |
| be due to such sporadic elements. Today, hip-hop | | | | analysts would say that the sagging, baggy jeans |
| fashion is not only prevalent among African-American | | | | style is brought about by the realities in urban poor |
| youth, as it became popularized worldwide by | | | | communities wherein clothes have to be passed |
| African-American trendsetters in the entertainment | | | | down from the eldest member of the family to the |
| scene. | | | | youngest sibling to cut on clothing budget. |
| The roots of hiphop fashion are influenced by | | | | Hip-hop fashion also plays a major role when it comes |
| Africanism and Black Nationalism of the 80’s | | | | to the dichotomy between the urban poor |
| when most hip-hop artists and rappers don | | | | African-American and the ghetto fabulous |
| themselves with attire, hairstyle and accessories that | | | | elites of the high street. Gangsta fashion is still the |
| reflect traditional African themes. Blousy pants, | | | | name of the game but for those who can afford |
| Kemetic ankh designs on kufis, Kente cloth hats, and | | | | double-breasted suits, bowler hats, silks and |
| red, black, and green clothing reminiscent of the flag | | | | alligator-skin shoes, the classic gangster fashion of |
| of Ethiopia were staples until the early 90’s. | | | | The Godfather fame is more prevalent than the |
| The mid-90’s paved way to gangsta rap | | | | previously mentioned threadbare attire. |
| which eventually altered the hip-hop fashion to | | | | Since the media is more hyped up on the ghetto |
| something that would most identify with the current | | | | fabulous fashion, most African-American youth across |
| trends. Baseball caps and starter jackets became the | | | | the States are driven to sport the same expensive |
| emblem of the new era in hip-hop culture and as if to | | | | attire. Those who could not afford were conveniently |
| stick with the gangsta attitude, incidents of | | | | catered by counterfeiters capitalizing on the hip-hop |
| theft of expensive starter jackets were reported in | | | | fashion craze. Fashion garments piracy worsened |
| the media during that time. The gangsta hip-hop | | | | when hip-hop became pop during the late 90’s. |