Hip Hop Clothing Gear

Here comes the hot stepper, murderer
I'm the lyrical gangster, murderer
Pick up the crew in-a de area, murderer
Still love you like that, murderer

Ini Kamoze sure became a 'hotstepper' with this chartbusting track in the '90s. 'Here comes the hotstepper' also saw itself being played at all major fashion shows and this was the time supermodels were labeled as the hot steppers during that time. When it came to sporting the latest fashion trends, hip hop songs have always been known to influence people.

The dance style is informal and it allows the dancer to move with a lot of freedom incorporating his/her own attitude into the steps. This dance refers to mainly street dance styles. It is primarily danced to hip hop/rap music.

B-boying or breaking was first associated with this culture, and now many new styles of dance have become popular with the MTV generation of today.

Think hip hop and you can always recall rappers wearing cool jackets and low, baggy jeans with sporty trucker hat. Svelte ladies with braided hairstyles wearing tight micro minis and bright tees also dominate the scene even today. Hip hop fashion has seen a lot of transformation from the mid 70s till today.

• Leggings
• Baggy sweatshirts
• Cargo pants
• Ornamental belts

• Colorful bandana
• Baggy t-shirts
• Loud/bright colors
• Singlets w/t-shirts

• Bling jewelry
• Baggy jeans
• Baggy shorts
• Sneakers

Given below are examples of what type of clothes were worn in different decades.

Baggy pants, over-sized athletic jerseys, and expensive sneakers were sort of a uniform for all the fans of this culture. Although it is a musical outgrowth of urban African-American culture, it soon traveled across the globe. Brands started associating itself with the culture.

Bright tracksuits, leather bomber jackets, and sneakers were now being manufactured by big brands in the business.

It was not only the clothing but also the accessories that gained a lot of prominence. Bling was considered 'in'. Men wore huge necklaces, chains, rings, and bulky belts whereas women adorned huge, heavy earrings with metallic belts.

Different types of braided hairdos and dreadlocks dominated the scene at this time. Neon-colored clothing with neon shoelace was flaunted by leading musicians and bands. MC Hammer popularized the wide pants and it resulted in them being a common item in the corridors of colleges.  era.

There was even a trend of wearing clothes backwards. Silver and gold jewelry gained prominence during this

Rap being popular by now, it took on a new look with the trend of 'Gangsta' rap catching on among the hip hop fanatics. Branded baseball caps, plaid shirts, and outfits that resembled prison gear caught on among people like wildfire. Low-waist pants actually originated from the gangsters who wore such clothing in prison. Lots of tattoos and bandannas also gained impetus.

Despite all the changes and transitions, the main elements for men was baggy pants, polo t-shirts, and gold/platinum chains. With huge boots or sneakers and caps were worn to complete the look. The women who originally adopted the 'tough-guy' look, now sport feminine gear.

The base often remains the same, the pants are slimmer, the skirts-shorter, and are often combined with leggings and boots. The glam look can never be complete without some loud makeup and a touch of lip-gloss.

Earlier, groups like Salt-N-Pepa made a mark with their bold videos and overt dressing. Cornrows with colorful beads, chunky, beaded jewelry, and tying a bandanna around one's thigh also remains to be a popular trend of this style.

Today, there are many brands that cater to the growing market for hip hop clothing gear. Of course, whether one wears a branded jacket with a non-branded baggy pant, the entire look can never be complete unless you manage to season it with attitude combined with some snazzy head spins on the floor. This is definitely the true flavor of hip hop.