How Men’s Graphic Hoodies Have Become a Style Staple

Hoodies have come a long way in the last ten years. What used to be reserved for workouts and weekends can now be found in tech boardrooms and Fashion Week runways. 

The question is, how did the hoodie, specifically the graphic hoodie, become an item that every man should own? A little bit of history can answer this question.

Hoodies Have Been Around For a Long Time

Hoods were invented sometime in the middle ages, and have appeared as a shield for wind and rain on various garments ever since. Whether it is a waxed sailing slicker or a monk’s robe, hoods have served us well as a weather shield for a very long time.

Hoods may have been around, but most people have something very specific in mind when they say “hoodie”. A hoodie isn’t just a hooded coat.

The modern hoodie isn’t necessarily made of the same material as sweatshirts. They may be pullovers or zip up. There is a lot of variety in what is a hoodie, but we still somehow know when a top is a hoodie, and when it isn’t.

The modern hoodie was created in the 1930s by the company that would eventually come to be known as Champion. They created a fleece-like fabric that was utilized for sweatsuits. These hooded sweatshirts were perfect for factory workers in the north where they were created.

Because of their hoods, sweatshirts came to be known as hoodies, and became exercise staples, especially in areas with cold winters. 

Even though they were well known among athletes and students, hoodies weren’t really that common as daily wear until 40 or so years after their creation. That changed in the 1970s when Rocky came out. 

The iconic scene of Rocky running up a Philadelphia staircase, and the movie poster of the same shot, put a gray hoodie sweatshirt in front of the world. Hoodies soon became standard wear, not just for workouts, but for regular casual wear.

When MTV came around, Hip Hop culture went mainstream. Hoodies were common streetwear in urban areas where rappers like Run DMC were from, and they wore them in their videos. Hoodies became the standard wear for rappers, from Tupac to Eminem. 

Beginning in the early 2000s, many rappers crossed from artist to mogul, and from mogul to fashion designer. Clothing lines from artists like Sean “Puffy” Combs and Jay Z had huge cross-market appeal.

As each of these artists produced lines, elements of urban streetwear remained, and hoodies have remained a consistent thread. In the words of rap mogul turned fashion designer Kanye West, “Sweatshirts are F***ing important”.

Silicon Valley Played a Role

Hip hop might have made hoodies universal streetwear, but you can thank the dot com boom for their appearance as workwear.

Beginning in the 1990s, tech companies had a hard time finding enough people to work in a rapidly growing field. One of the creative perks these companies introduced to try and attract talent was the relaxing of dress codes. 

As young millennials entered the workforce in the early 2000s, their daily wear became the norm for many workplaces. Hoodies became one of the primary articles of clothing in a young man’s closet, for every day of the week. 

When you only have one hoodie, solid color makes sense, but when you are wearing them everyday variety is vital! By incorporating men’s graphic hoodies in solid colors, you can make your daily wardrobe easy to maintain while still having different looks. 

In summary, the graphic hoodie has become a staple wardrobe item due to music, film, and good old fashioned comfort!