What happened to sweatshirts?
I don't mean style, color or availability. I mean what happened to the "hooded sweatshirt" or "sweatshirt with a hood." It's all "hoodies" now.
Lest you think I live under a rock, I've heard of "hoodies." My nieces asked for hoodies for Christmas a few years ago and confirmed my suspicion about what a hoodie was. All good.
I was doing some online clothes browsing for myself this week and saw that more than one site had "hoodies" in the men's section.
Ick. Real men don't wear hoodies. Real men wear sweatshirts with hoods. When did a hoodie become something an adult man would wear?
My reaction surprises and bothers me. Being gay means a daily bumping up against what men are "supposed" to be/wear/say/do/want. There's some traditional straight guy stuff that I adopt and some that I reject. Why does "hoodie" sound like something that should not be worn by a man. I'm not a hoodie hater, I also was grossed out by a decade-long run of men's tank tops with straps that were dangerously close to make it a camisole top.
Shouldn't clothes go over my skin, not get under it?
Help!
--Gay Guy
6 comments:
They're fine, I just don't associate them with adults. I wore one when I was in high school, I think, or when I ran in winter.
Apparently it's international. On Inspector Lewis, the assistant said, "A suspect was seen but not identified, he kept his hood up." Lewis said, "You mean it was a lad, then?" "Not that kind of hood - it was a monk."
I guess I wasn't being clear.
It's the word hoodie that bugs me. The item of clothing is fine. In fact I could use one.
But, it's hooded sweatshirt for me. Not "hoodie."
You saying my hoodie is girlie?
I know what you mean. I don't own hoodies, I have sweatshirts.
It's...I can't even explain it, but there is a difference, even if it's only in the word usage.
But don't worry, Gay Guy, you're not alone.
Wait, what? They haven't always been called hoodies? Hooded-sweatshirts sounds like something the Queen of England would call them. Huh, the more you know.
A straight male friend referred to his "hoodie" over the weekend, so maybe it is a straight word, not a junior high girl word.
P.S. SIU, I too am an Inspector Lewis fan!
Post a Comment