Cultural Fashions : United States of America : Clothing Types

Clothing Types

Rock

• The Rock style of Americans can be broken down into even smaller groups including Punk Rock, Gothic, and Emo

• Punk Rockers wear T-shirts with logos. Wallet chains and jewelry are also popular. Heavy boots such as Doc Martens or other combat boots are very popular. (Wiki Punk)

• Gothic style includes plain black shirts, heavy, dark pants with belts and additionally sewn zippers. Hot Topic is a favorite store for more mainstream goths, but many "off the beaten track" types claim they do not and would not shop there.

• Emo (short for "emotional," somewhat of a misnomer, since most music is inherently emotional) style includes faded jeans, polo shirts, and Converse shoes. (BYB Emo)

Urban

• Oriented with Hip Hop and Rap music, which started way back in the 1980s. (Wiki Hip Hop)

• Bandanas and do-rags are worn on top of the head. Baseball caps are also very common. (Wiki Hip Hop)

• Long, loose t-shirts or jerseys are worn. White t-shirts and white sleeveless athletic tops are worn. The typical length for these clothes is about mid-thigh, although they can sometimes droop even lower. (Wiki Hip Hop)

• Oversized, baggy shorts or long jeans are common, and the pants are usually allowed to sit very, very low on the hips. Belts are usually not worn. This interesting feature was picked up from prison "fashion," since belts are confiscated when a person is jailed. (Wiki Hip Hop)

• Common types of jewelry include thick silver or gold chains around the neck and large earrings. This type of jewelry is referred to as "bling bling." (Wiki Hip Hop)

• Shoes include Timberlands, Air Force Ones, and other expensive brand names (Wiki Hip Hop)

West Coast

• Styles are usually very relaxed, classy, or conservative.

• Influenced by surfing, beach lifestyle, and climate. This type of lifestyle is most popular around Los Angeles, Orange County, and Malibu County.

• Popular brands include Billabong, Quiksilver, and Roxy.

Alaskan

• Due to the cold climates in the northern most part of America, Alaskans and Inuits have to dress accordingly. (Native Carvers)

• Native Alaskans wore slippers, parkas, hats, and gloves to keep them warm. (Native Carvers)

• Clothing was made from furs and hides skinned from fox, rabbit, squirrel, weasel, seal, walrus, and bears. The Inuit peoples believe in using all of the animals they kill, and each and every part of their kills are used in their society. (Native Carvers)

• Some common Inuit words for clothing include:

Nasak: Hat or Hood (Wiki Inuit)
Mukluk: Soft boots made of reindeer hide (Wiki Mukluk)
Amautik: A parka (Heritage Fair)
Qaksungauti: A belt that goes under a baby when it is in a pouch to support the baby (Cultural Heritage)
Kamik: A kamik is a boot made of sealskin, different from the Mukluk. These boots are made to be durable and can get wet, while the Mukluk is made of softer materials and is less durable.