Hip-Hop has a handful of apparel brands that serve as the foundation for a timeless wardrobe, few are as distinguished as Polo #RalphLauren.
Rappers new and old have gone out of their way to assert their status, an idea reflected by a #Polo wardrobe. Prep trends have come and gone in hip-hop, with the most influential wave rising in the late-80s in Brooklyn.
This was still a rugged era of New York City, where groups of kids would go and “rack” department stores, running off with armfuls of gear that they could rock or sell to others. Two boosting crews from Crown Heights and Brownsville came together as The Lo Life Crew through their shared interest in the renowned Polo brand.
Boosting culture in general isn’t concerned with any particular brand, but the Lo Lifers lived a lifestyle through the apparel they donned. Rarity and certain qualities of garments brought different nicknames for each type of piece. Cookie Patches, Scribbles, and Suicide Skis are some of the most cherished pieces in a Lo Life closet.
Rack Lo and Thirstin Howl III are two original founders who have seen the Lo Life culture shift from a concern with boosting, and more focusing on the fit. What mattered most for a Lo Life was leaving the house ‘Lo down head to toe. They would check each other to ensure every article was Polo, down to the underwear. Eventually, less concern was placed on whether you stole or bought the clothing. It was more ‘did you put a fit together?’
The annual Lo Goose On The Deuce gathering sees local and international attendees showing up in their rare and complete Lo fits. Branded down to the smallest accessory like keychains are all essential to fit.
Time has demonstrated the lifestyle’s influence on hip-hop through its references. Mayhem Lauren is an actual member with Retch making an entire album referencing the lifestyle. No one can forget Wu-Tang’s 1994 ‘Can It All Be So Simple’ which saw Raekwon in his illustrious Snow Beach jacket, even #KanyeWest became a meme trying to illustrate to Sway the bar Ralph Lauren had set for clothing lines to be deemed and even redefining the term iconic.
#shift