Nowadays, urban clothing is identified with hip hop and the culture. It is mostly worn by young people who are involved in things like extreme sports. This type of clothing is always bold and fresh and expresses the hip hop generations views. It is not enough to look urban the designs have to be bold and in your face. The fact is there is much concern that these images are reflecting badly and people are wearing them to project the wrong kind of image. Now newer companies like Vokal are stepping in and modifying urban wear and including fleece loungewear and velour’s, denim and bright athletic jerseys. Baby Phat has a different approach. They create a blend of hip hop and uptown metro fashions.

It is a more refined urban look that trend setters like and in this way cashing in on the nature of consumers. Of course this urban wear is for people with money who want to make an impression. If on the other hand you don’t have that kind of moolah lying around you can opt for wholesale urban clothing. Urban wear designs change quickly and manufacturers have to stay ahead to survive. They will sell large amounts of designs at very low prices. So clothing merchants could buy up the large and medium lots and sell them in bulk, on the internet. They can sell them at larger discounts then most urban clothing stores. The exact meaning of the urban look is hard to explain. It depends on the geographical location and musical styles of the individual.

So the term “urban”, has no real specific meaning. In the U.S. urban culture is directly linked with rap and hip hop. The brands Akademiks, Rocawear and Ecko are urban labels that are known for designing with the culture and roots in mind. Many rappers have founded these labels on their own putting their lifestyles directly into their clothing and accessories. In the U.K. and Europe there is a stronger residence of the New York hip hop of the eighties. As the UK culture has evolved so has the urban look. Then there is Casual Street Fashion. There is a theme here that urban clothing is not dictated by catwalks and fashion experts. Urban can best be described as created by people reflecting their mood and attitude on those that wear it.

As we know at one time the baggy clothes were all the rage. However, that look has evolved and is now portraying more stylish versions with brighter colors and newer patterns. The fact is that if you want to dress hip hop you can use clothing from every genre and still meet the urban clothing directive. The baggy look is just one of the styles that are part of this evolution. Now it seems to have evolved into colourful, shiny and flashy items that are being produced by major urban manufacturers. The changes in urban clothing really have no limits so it opens up designers and stars to new and different possibilities. Many urban manufacturers are taking the tastes from society and adapting them to the many styles around the world.

This has led to the urban design industry. There is one rule to keep in mind when you are trying to imitate the urban style and that is that there are no rules. You can put in any piece of clothing from all the clothing styles into an outfit and make a new wardrobe that will match the criteria of the hip hop nation. Adaptations from other industries and the inception of baggy clothes are just the two of the integrations. There have also been new clothing concepts into the industry. One of the key concepts is using shiny, eye catching and flashy design patterns in outfits to enhance the traditional urban clothing styles. Hip Hop fashion has become trendy looking and somewhat controversial. There has been a slight decline in the urban clothing sales but that is due to the industry. However, it will never disappear. The difference between a few years ago and now is evolution. Glamour emerged and the male R&B hip hop icons took over and the ghetto fabulous looks. It is inevitable that more mixes will appear as the years go by.

By: Terrence Kent

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