The History of the Hoodie

- How did Hoodies become popular? -

From hippies to hip-hoppers, gym rats to rockers, and bohemians to bikers, everyone has got a hoodie in their closet.  But, have you ever thought about where this versatile garment came from? Or how it became such a style staple?

Throw on your favorite hoodie, get cozy, and read on to find out!

Hoodies through History

Do you own a hoodie? You know, a comfy pullover sweatshirt with a spacious front pocket and cozy hood? Well, of course you do- because they have become a standard item of clothing no matter who you are. You reach for it on a chilly night or when the weather starts to get wintry, but have you ever questioned where it came from? We must travel back in time thousands of years to Ancient Greece to find its origin.

The first record of people rockin’ hooded garments is way back in ancient Greece.  I guess they really did invent everything!  The ancient Greek cloak was a garment of protection and necessity, keeping men and ladies alike shielded from the elements.  In the Middle Ages, the hooded robe was associated with the representation of the Grim Reaper in myths and fictions as well as worn by women to maintain their anonymity following midnight liaisons... 😉

The Hoodie is Born

The hoodie as we know and love it was resurrected, produced, and universalized when the design was developed by the clothing company known as Champion back 1919. Champion worked directly with laborers and high school athletes in the 30s’ in order to create a garment that would keep them warm and protect them from the elements in bad weather. They decided to add a hood to their thick sweatshirts, and the hoodie was born!

Then, as high school athletes started giving their gear to their girlfriends, the hoodie transformed from just a practical item to a statement of personal style! Soon, everyone throughout the generations were rocking the hooded sportswear- from Rocky-loving jocks to California skaters or break dancers in the Bronx to Silicon Valley techies (and, of course, tie dye-covered hippies)!

Countering Mainstream Culture... in Comfort!

Who says you can’t fight the Power, while in perfect comfort? The hoodie has a history of being embraced by rebellious youth communities, like the free-spirited hippies of the 60s’. Rejecting the strait-laced style of their parents for psychedelic tie-dyed sweatshirts and hoodies blazoned with their favorite band’s logo.

The Hoodie is Here to Stay

With basically no changes to its design in the last 80 years and immense popularity over generations, we’re happy that the hoodie is here to stay.

Find your new favorite hoodie here at the Hippie Shop!  From band gear to tie dyes to Bajas, we have so many styles to choose from! 

- Shop the Story -

Your new favorite hoodie is this must-have Midnight Black Crackle, featuring a spacious front pocket, drawstring hood, and super cozy heavyweight cotton in a smoky crackle tie dye design.

We focused our attention to the center of this mesmerizing mandala to establish our intention of bringing peace to the cosmos. This Hippie Shop Original design features our original artwork silk screened on a comfy smoke grey zip front hoodie with two front hand pockets and a drawstring hood.

Yep, this Cotton Candy Crackle is sweet, has a spacious front pocket, drawstring hood and is made of super cozy heavyweight cotton.

This high quality crackle tie dye hoodie is hand tied and dyed right here in the USA. It's heavyweight cotton, drawstring hood and front pocket is perfect for keeping you warm and cozy in style.

This high quality spiral tie dye hoodie is hand tied and dyed right here in the USA. It's heavyweight cotton, drawstring hood and front pocket is perfect for keeping you warm and cozy in style.

Wear this hoodie featuring a zip front, two hand pockets, and a drawstring hood to keep warm, cozy and casual. Each one is hand tie dyed to create a piece of wearable art as unique as the free spirit who wears it. As tie-dye is an art form, no two items are the same.

SHOP ALL NEW HOODIES