From streetwear to athleticwear to everyday wear, hoodies are the favored garment in many people’s closets.
They’re available in a wide variety of materials — including plush fleece, lightweight cotton, various fabric blends, and more. You can find the perfect style to suit just about any occasion and every season. Today, hoodies can be seen almost anywhere, from the gym to the red carpet. For some, they are more than just fashion – they’ve become a cultural symbol.
So, where did hoodies begin? How did this comfortable, traditionally casual garment become such a popular item today?
Here’s an immersive look at the history of the hoodie, how it began, gradually evolved over the decades, and what its contemporary importance is now.
Hoods in Ancient History
Hoods, headgear and coverings have been used in clothing for thousands of years. Traditional hooded garments are quite different from the hooded clothing of today. The beginnings of the hoodie must first acknowledge the previous centuries-long standing of hoods in fashion — for both practical and modesty reasons.
People have worn head coverings dating back for millenia, during biblical times when women covered or veiled their heads, to the ancient Romans that wore cloaks that had hoods.
In Medieval Europe, both male and female peasants wore hoods, which were sometimes attached to their capes. In most places, during this time, women covered their hair as a symbol of respectability. Medieval monks wore cowls, which were robes with hoods.
The History of the Hoodie: Beginnings
The history of the hoodie, as we know it, began nearly 100 years ago. The exact beginning of the garment is not definitive. One thing is clear, however, like many other garments, it was created for practical reasons – to keep the wearer warm.
In the 1930s, seeking to meet the needs of athletes, clothing brand Champion claims to have created the first hoodie. They designed it for athletes to wear during warm ups at practice or on the sidelines. Over time, the garment became very popular.
Factory workers in 1930s New York also wore hoodies to keep themselves warm inside of drafty warehouses.
The Hoodie’s Rise to Popularity
Around 40 years after it was created, the hoodie’s popularity sharply increased in the 1970s. Its rise in favor was largely due to an integration with early hip-hop, skateboarding, punk rock, and graffiti art cultures.
Hoodies were no longer simply a garment worn for practicality reasons — they became a popular street style favorite and were, in some places, a symbol of counterculture.
As the hip-hop music culture exploded in the 1990s, so did the prevalence of hoodies. The hooded garment that began as a humble sports item became popular again — but this time it was both a fashion and cultural symbol.
Hoodies in the Modern Day
Today, hoodies are ubiquitous. They’re fashioned from just about every fabric available, and in nearly all colors imaginable. From the teen in a black fleece hoodie and a backpack, to the business owner shopping for brown hoodies in bulk, this fashion staple has broad appeal.
Hoodies are worn everywhere today: at home, the gym, the office, evenings out with friends, and yes – even on the red carpet.
Luxury Fashion and Hoodies
High-end brands and designers have taken the hoodie from an accessible, often streetwear-inspired and practical garment, and leveled it up to luxury. Over the years, several designers have made high-dollar, high-end versions of hoodies.
From $1,000 hoodies created by Vetements in 2016, to Timothy Chalamet wearing a Louis Vuitton hoodie on the red carpet at The King premiere in 2019, conversations have buzzed about how the once traditionally casual garment had become formal wear.
From its humble, practical beginnings, the history of the hoodie has evolved into an everyday — and sometimes high-fashion — piece in the closets of myriad people. They are worn blank, as-is, and often customized with fun printing or embroidery designs to show people’s personalities.
Hoodies as a Social Symbol
No true discussion of the hoodie’s history can be had without acknowledging all of its history – the good and the bad. By the 2000s, far from its low-key starting point, the hoodie was experiencing turbulent times.
In 2005, the NBA instituted a dress code banning players from wearing clothes mainly associated with the hip-hop culture, and requiring that they wear business casual attire to games, and sport coats with dress shoes while on the bench. By 2020, however, the dress code was relaxed to allow team-branded leisure attire.
In 2012, the tragic shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin (wearing a hoodie at the time), quickly transformed the hoodie into a symbol of social justice, as people began wearing them in solidarity. Miami Heat NBA players were among those who put their hoods up in solidarity with Martin.
Hoodies remain a popular apparel item across a broad, global demographic. For many people in the African American community, however, it is symbolic of cultural and social justice.
Hoodies: Transforming for Nearly 100 Years
Head coverings, hoods and hooded garments dating back to biblical, Ancient Roman, and Medieval times, have transformed over the centuries. Since their practical beginnings in the 1930s, the hoodie has had a significant evolution in nearly 100 years.
The history of the hoodie has seen this garment go from being purely practical, to a symbol of counterculture, to being intertwined with hip-hop culture, to prevalence in many closets, to even becoming a symbol of social justice for some. Hoodies have had a unmistakable transformation over the years, and continue to hold important cultural significance.
Hoodies, as we know them today, have drastically risen in popularity since they were first created nearly a century ago. They don’t appear to be going away any time soon, either.
Whether you like the comfort that hoodies provide, or the variety of colors and styles, the next time you wear your Bella + Canvas hoodie to a workout class, in the office, or while lounging at home — take a moment to pause and think about its history. Appreciate all that this garment represents, and has represented over time, and ponder its possible future.
