Trends in Sweatshirts

Friday 30th of September 2011 04:51:35 AM

Trends in Sweatshirts

The hottest trend in cotton clothing is the hoodie. Retailers are stocking up on hoodies for winter and spring after seeing huge sales during the holiday season. Hoodies are being worn by people of all ages too. Once the clothing for the young or sports people, they are now worn by children and senior citizens alike.

Originally designed for laborers in the early 1900’s, hoodies have caught on. A huge factor in their instant popularity seems to be Hollywood. Hoodies are popping up in movies and are being worn by actors and musicians.

Why are hoodies, or sweatshirts with hoods, so popular with everyone? Fashion trends usually focus on one age group or one gender. Hoodies have surprised retailers by becoming fashionable for men and women of all ages and social classes. They are durable, inexpensive, come in many different designs, and are easy to find. They wash well too.

The basic hoodie is made from 100 percent cotton, has large front pockets, (or a single front pocket), a hood, and a drawstring that is used to adjust the size and fit of the hood. Some styles have a zippered front and others are pull-overs.

The history of the hoodie is very interesting. While it was originally designed to be a durable garment for hard laborers the hoodie shot to fashion fame in the 1970’s when worn by Sylvester Stallone in the movie Rocky. Everyone is familiar with the scene of him sweaty after a hard workout and his hoodie on to keep his muscles warm.

The hoodie went through a period of time during the ‘90s when it was considered unfashionable by the general public because gangs and criminals had adopted it as a “uniform”. The hood could be placed over the head to hide facial features from security cameras.

Skateboarders, skiers, and Hollywood can be credited with the hoodies new mainstream marketability. Hoodies are a popular as college wear, athletic wear, and street wear. They are worn as protection against the cold and purely for fashion.

Hoodies are now being produced with blend of fibers, 80 percent cotton and 20 percent polyester. This is thought to increase the wear--ability, wash-ability, and durability of the garment.