| This dissertation is a qualitative examination of the subcultural meanings of hip-hop clothing style amongst African-American adult male hip-hoppers in the 1990s. Subcultural. meanings of hip-hop clothing style were discovered by analyzing the words and actions of both hardcore and softcore members of the hip-hop subculture. In particular, a triangulated research design including: (a) individual in-depth interviews with hardcore hip-hoppers Father M. C. and Kurtis Blow, (b) individual in-depth interviews with three retailers of hip-hop clothing, and (c) two focus groups consisting of 21 African-American adult male hip-hoppers was used to discover the meanings.; Meanings of six types of hip-hop style garments were discovered and discussed as a postulated ideology of clothing consumption for the hip-hop nation. The six types of hip-hop style garments were (a) headwear, (b) tops, (c) pants, (d) underwear, (e) outerwear, and (f) shoes. Overall, headwear was worn to complete one's outfit from head-to-toe. Tops were worn to extend the body's size and/or shape. Pants were worn to attain a level of maximum comfort. Underwear was worn as an indicator of status. Outerwear was worn for two main reasons: as a protective garment against harsh weather and as an indicator of status. Lastly, shoes were worn for two reasons: to complete an outfit from head-to-toe and to attain a level of maximum comfort. |
