Hoodies! They have a long, somewhat difficult history in the United Kingdom. Its history in the UK is similar to what 18 to 24-year olds have to go through with their parents during the long difficult years of teenagers. Hoodies are the symbol of teenage angst and devil-may-care attitude.

What are Hoodies? Hoodies are bits of versatile and comfortable clothing which are popular with younger set, especially 18 to 24 years old. They’re pullovers with a characteristic hood, thus, the term “hoodies.” Hoodies often have large frontal pockets and drawstrings to adjust the hood opening.

Hoodies: A History

You will possibly not have noticed it, but hoodies date back again to the Middle Ages as Catholic monks’ clothing. Look carefully at the monk’s garment and you will see similarities in design to the cowl. Cowls are the decorative hood that Catholic monks wear over their tunics or robes. The hoodie as it looks now were first worn by labourers in NY in the 1930s. These labourers work in frozen warehouses. Claire McCardell, the American fashion designer that introduced casual dressing to Americans, popularised the hoodie by designing entire collections based on the hoodie. The 1970s made the hoodie more popular than ever. Legging Sets for Women SALE | Luxury Streetwear – SOLEBOY® that grew along New York streets loved the hoodie as a result of anonymity that the hood brings. High fashion, such as for example Norma Kamali’s collections glamorised the hood-ie. Movies, such as Rocky, put into the popularity of the hoodi-e.

Hoodies and its Popularity in the UK

Hoodies found the shores of the UK when the hip hop culture began to go mainstream. The hoodies’ popularity with 18 to 24 year olds was unmistakable because of its promise of mystery, anonymity, and anxiety. A professor at Goldsmiths College in the UK, Angela McRobbie, said that the hoodie is part of the distancing of the 18 to 24 year olds to the institution uniform and any office suit. She said that the hoodie is really a symbol of rebellion and works the same way as the leather jacket and bondage trousers in the past youth cultures. In May 2005, the hoodie gained notoriety whenever a Kent shopping centre, Bluewater, banned hoodie wearers from their premises. When Prime Minister Tony Blair supported the anti-hoodie call, the public was outraged. Lady Sovereign, a London-based rapper, wrote the song “Hoodie” in protest. People joined the “Save the Hoodie” campaign especially since the cold winters of 2009 to 2010 forced people to wear hoodies to help keep warm from the freezing temperatures.

Now, hoodies are back the wardrobe of 18 to 24 year olds. Because of the busy lifestyles, this age group love the hoodi-e because it’s comfortable enough to wear to the gym. However, it is stylish enough to be eligible for party wear, too. Add this to the fact that the wash-and-wear hood-ie makes them better to clean. Besides, while you are young and always ready to party, who has time to do the laundry?