A hot topic in the media lately has been the hoodie, an
article of clothing that has gained some recognition after the death of Treyvon
Martin, a teenage Florida residence.
Let me start by stating that I have an adverse reaction to the hoodie
mostly due to the time I spend with teenage drug addicts. By and large their must wear item of clothing
is an oversized hooded sweatshirt.
Let’s take a moment
to break down the design of this article of clothing. From the name sweatshirt we can infer that the original purpose of this item was
to serve as warm athletic clothing, the loose fit allows for full range of
motion and the ability to layer. The
hood allows for covering your noggin without having to carry a separate hat or
an umbrella. The front pouch is open on
both sides to allow easy access to storage while on the move. Logos and graphics on sweatshirts are
primarily but not exclusively related to sports or athletics.
Now ask yourself what is your experience when you come across
a group of teenage boys, let’s say at the movie theater, who are all sporting
overly large hooded sweatshirts? Do you
think, “hey those guys must really like to play sports!” A common sentiment is that they are hiding in
their clothes and it can give one a suspicious and uneasy feeling.
Are we narrow minded when look upon the fashion of others
and derive negative assumptions from the way they present themselves? I
personally think that fashion is an indicator of intention or practice and as
an educator a lot of information can be gleaned from these indicators. I’m not suggesting we judge a child by what
they choose to wear. However, it would
be unwise to discount the information that we can gain from how an individual
presents themselves to society, even if the information we receive is negative,
as is often the case with hoodies.
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