Sick Wit It

I'm dying...well, not really. Just sick. Got a sore throat that is uber annoying. Had a fever and was dizzy earlier but meds not that out. I'm sitting here now about to eat a hot dog and coming up with questions for my Mims interview that's coming up soon and was on some random thoughts. This all came from a conversation I had with someone from NY. He claimed cali was always late in fashion. That we rock what NY used to rock and that we have no style. This is just my reason for his thoughts. So without further ado...THE EVOLUTION OF LA URBAN STYLE

When people outside of california usually think about how we dress, they all have that image of NWA, the movie Colors or any other gang movie in mind. Like we still wear flannel shirts and khakis and snap back caps. It doesn't help that the only southern hip hop images to the rest of the world are a blood and a crip who stay with creased dickies and chucks on. The reason we were stuck in time for so long is this, out here you can't leave your hood to buy clothes. Everyone knows how gang life is out here. Its no joke. So rather than cross through our enemies hood to go to the mall for the new shit, you go to your local discount store or t-shirt warehouse and just cop pro clubs, dickies and fat laces. Every hood has a shoe store but not every hood has some where that you can buy hot new clothes. Most stores in the hood got the bootleg shit. And all the niggas is wearing the same bootleg shit. We didn't know what was hot because we didn't go to the mall that much to see. You relied on what you saw in videos. Not know that by the time the video came out, that shit isn't hot anymore.

But... now, fashion is more apart of life than anything else. It used to be either you banged or you didn't. Then when the black clothing lines started popping up sean john and roca wear, you had to have it. Karl Kani and Phat Farm was out but it didn't really appeal to the urban youth. It was a grown mans take on how to be hip and dressy. Then you could shop online or through magazines like eastbay. Real talk, I had that magazine but never ordered shit from it. You used to know be able to wear 2 or more different labels together, they called it cross dressing. Its not like that anymore. You can mix and match now along as the color scheme is right. shoes match the shirt that match the hat. Not sure when Melrose popped off but all the sudden Melrose was the shit. They have every kind of clothes that's hot. And its not in any one's "hood". I found out about it because of a record store that I found online called Fat Beats. I also think the fashion boom comes from all the independent designers out here. We have the top fashion school out here in LA. Its too the point where we all know one tight ass designer.

It was once cool to all dress the same, now its about being an individual. We stopped dressing like the east coast and started wearing shit from other countries. Japanese denim and shit like that. We started actually putting money towards our appearance. Especially around 01-02 when niggas was putting gucci, LV and burberry on everything they wore. No one wants to be the same anymore. We all want to be the first one to wear something instead of saying "I got that too". I remember when none of my friends had the internet and now we are all online everyday. You can find out whats hot, what's suppose to be hot next, where to find it, etc. all online. Don't get me wrong, you still got the chucks and dickies in the closest but we also got the new new shit too because the clubs don't play on that dress code shit lol. You gotta dress like Neyo to get on the club now

Fashion all starts with the shoes. When they started making better casual shoes, clothing lines had to make better outfits to go with them. I stopped buying basketball shoes soo many years ago. I only buy shoes now if I plan to buy a whole outfit with it. Remember when you had to get something to go with your air force ones in that new color that just came out?

So in all, we went from dickies and pro clubs, to denim suits, to gucci/LV/burberry monogram, to throw backs, to button ups. Now its soo many different things. You are just free to do you. Skinny jean gangstas are all over lol. I blame lil wayne and jim jones. Funny thing is, cali is dressing better and NY is going back to the bubble vest, carhartt jackets and shit. Like its "One more chance" video shoot in this bitch lmao.

As for my personal style, that will be in another blog. I'm out. Still sick and my hot dog is gone...:(

~1~