The history of the hoodie is consistent with the racial, ethnic, and identity differences in America. It has been a platform for both the aspirations and rejections of this nation (luxury, athletics, higher education) (counterculture, anti-Establishment, racial injustice). When Champion, a garment manufacturer of sweatshirts, added an Ahegao, the trend was formed. Due to the additional fabric’s role as weather protection, it quickly gained popularity among athletes and workers in the Northeast. Later, high school players wore their schools’ crests and insignia on their chests, which contributed to its popularity. The Fear of the Hoodie
History
When the Bronx beat hit in 1973, MCs, stickup youngsters, graffiti artists, and b-boys all adopted the hoodie as their go-to outfit. The hoodie, a mainstay of hip-hop fashion, stood for disobedience, the underworld, discretion, and decency. The hooded sweatshirt gained notoriety when punk rockers in NYC and skateboarders in L.A. started wearing them. The counterculture was now faced with a new street-style norm that allowed for individualism in terms of color, size, patches, shredding, band logos, safety pins, skulls and crossbones, bleaching, and anything else you wanted to add to scream, “Fuck you!” The Fear of the Hoodie
The hoodie became widely popular during the height of hip-hop. On the cover of their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan and Tupac Shakur both sport the same Faces hoodie. The “urban” aesthetic was then appropriated by the fashion industry, which went on to design the designer hoodies seen on the runways of brands like Gucci, Prada, Versace, Ralph Lauren, Isaac Mizrahi, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani. The hoodie has again crossed over, much like hip-hop. The Fear of the Hoodie
Ahegao Hoodie style
However, its connection to Black culture incensed the white Establishment. Under then-Commissioner David Stern, the NBA introduced its contentious dress code in 2005, outlawing the wearing of jerseys, shorts, caps, durags, T-shirts, big jewelry, shoes, boots (particularly Timberlands), and hoodies by players.
The hoodie became a symbol of Black life, suppressed rage, and worldwide social justice when Trayvon Martin was shot to death. Activists in New York organized the “Million Hoodie” march from Union Square to the United Nations on March 21, 2012. In place of our customary blazers, trousers, jeans, and button-down shirts that day, I wore my sweatshirt to work with my coworkers, on the train, and while strolling through midtown.
during the COVID-19
The hoodie has evolved into a superhero cape for Black public figures today, in large part because of Trayvon’s killing. It is now the go-to outfit for people who wish to promote social and racial justice. Since the death of Trayvon Martin, much more so during the COVID-19 outbreak, and most definitely ever since George Floyd’s murder, the hoodie has evolved into an essential part of my clothing. The Ahegaahoodie has come to stand for security, comfort, and a clear statement to the world that, despite how uneasy it may make white Americans feel, my life and the lives of my community matter as a Black gay man living with HIV in this nation.
Wash With Cold Water
Although cold water washing is difficult to advocate, it is the best option.
We learn early on that hot water is preferable for cleaning. In general, that is undoubtedly accurate. Hotter isn’t necessarily better for laundry, though.
The detergents of today are made to wash garments in cold water. They include enzymes that were created specifically to function in cold water.
On the other side, using hot water increases the likelihood that something may go wrong. Warm or hot water might shrink the fabric or cause the color to bleed, harming the embroidered stitching on your sweatshirt.
It’s important to note that heating the water consumes the majority of the energy used for laundry. So, washing with cold water is much less expensive and more ecologically friendly than washing with hot water, and it also reduces the danger of clothing damage.
Sort Your Light and Dark Laundry
Laundry color sorting is not as crucial as it formerly was. Cotton loses color more easily than modern synthetic fabrics like polyester. Furthermore, if you know how to wash with cold water, this also lessens the possibility of color bleeding.
You might want to be extra cautious while handling your embroidered clothing, especially when it comes to light-colored needlework, even if severe color bleeding is uncommon in contemporary washing.
A little bit of color bleeding onto needlework may have a significant negative impact on how it looks. Imagine a large white sign with pink spots that looks tacky.
Keep your darks and whites apart to reduce the risk of color degradation. Wash your hoodie with your whites if the embroidery is white (even if the body of the sweater isn’t).
Don’t Overstuff the Washing Machine
An overcrowded washing machine has higher friction throughout the wash cycle. The surfaces of all the clothing constantly rub against one another when a load is too heavy. This can cause embroidered stitches to fall apart.
Load your machine to a maximum of three-fourths full to prevent overloading.
Use a Laundry Bag
Use a washing bag, also known as a washer bag or a garment bag, to protect embroidered garments.
A washing bag is a bag that may be used for a wash cycle without risk. Mesh or a material comparable to it is used to make laundry bags. This material allows water and soap to permeate the clothing but prevents direct contact with other things.
The likelihood of damage is decreased when you wash your embroidered sweatshirt in a laundry bag since the embroidered area experiences less damaging friction.
