The History of the Hoodie

The fall season is finally here and that means hoodie season is here as well! The cooler weather is the perfect time to put on your favorite hoodie and cozy up by the fire. Have you ever wondered where the hoodie began? Here is some insight on the history of the hoodie.

The First Hooded Garments

The word “hood” is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word “höd” meaning hat. The very first hooded garments are traced back to the 12th century. The outdoor workers wore capes with hoods and the Monks wore tunics with hoods.

The First Hooded Sweatshirt

The U.S apparel company Champion was founded in 1919. They were actually the first company to create a hooded sweatshirt in the U.S in the 1930’s. Founded in upstate New York, the original purpose of the hoodie was to keep workers warm during the cold winter season. Champion also sold sports kits to the U.S military which included hoodies for them to wear during training.

The Fashion Transition

Hoodies didn’t become a fashion statement until the 1970’s, starting with the Rocky movie. This movie told the story of a boxer named Rocky Balboa and he wore a hoodie throughout the movie. Around the same time, hip hop culture developed in New York and hoodies became an item of fashion. 

American designer Norma Kamali was one of the first to feature a hoodie sweatshirt on a catwalk. Universities also began embroidering customized hoodies with their names for students to purchase and wear to represent their schools. Hoodies have taken off ever since and their popularity doesn’t seem to be declining any time soon.

Contact Skylight Creative Ideas Today for Your Custom Hoodies!

Skylight Creative Ideas, Inc. has been a leader in the promotional products industry since 1977. Our goal is to provide top-notch customer service, innovative ideas, and high quality products to help our clients exceed their marketing objectives. 

Located in Bel Air, MD, we have access to over 750,000 promotional products and can help your business with anything from awards to corporate apparel. For more information, contact us at (410)-879-8401 or visit our website www.skylightcreativeideas.com to see all of the products we have to offer!