Lo-Lifes
November 23, 2009
Everyone wants to represent a particular brand and I think Ralph Lauren is one of the only brands where the lifestyle pitched at you seems attainable. Who doesn't admire Ralph Lauren's (Ralph Rueben Lifshitz ) clothing empire he has built ? everyone is influenced in one way or another. We at Street Etiquette are influenced by different things just not solely Ivy Prep, Americana etc we still contain a connection to the urban side of things, which we try to intertwine frequently even if it's minimal. In the recent months it seems the Lo movement has resurfaced amongst the young once again especially in New York City seeing people covered head to toe in Polo. The positive aspect is that people are not attaching it with the previous idea of getting it by any means necessary. There has always been Lo-heads even before the recent explosion of Ralph Lauren Ranger Boots more known as Cookie boots on the streets. I was drawn to write about this topic for some time now, but I knew I had to put it up after wearing my Gray/Black Cookie (Releasing on Black Friday) boots and receiving such attention from the older guys around my neighborhood who remember this movement vividly.
WARNING : Video contains profanity and racial slurs
"It's a religion , it's not fucking fashion."
It's interesting to see two different perspectives of one of the best American Menswear lines from the more privileged to some of the more impoverished inner city opinion. I had a conversation with my good friend Junior (dedicated lo-life since 1999) who dedicates his wardrobe to Polo and he stated they're just celebrating the legacy of the Lo-Lifes while not partaking in the criminal aspect of things. The quote above from the video may bring some issues between the original lo-lifes and the young guys in my generation who choose to celebrate it. I chose to just stand at a neutral opinion on everything , I'm just interested to see what you guys think.
The American dream can vary from person to person
It's interesting to see rapper 88 keys talk about his obsessive with men.style.com in a whole different aspect than what was said above in the previous video.
what a bunch of fuckin chavs lol. they look dumb
It's interesting how diverse the meanings behind Ralph Lauren's many lines are. Not just how they are interpreted after they hit the floor, but even in conception. The differences between RRL and Black Label or Sport (RLX, Golf Etc) vs. the rest of the lines are in my eyes, just as or more different than the intent of the varying social classes who appropriate the clothing to represent what they want it to. He is able to attract a diverse fan-base. Wearing the brand can mean so many different things to different people. For some it is prestige or money. For others it is tradition and respect. I see the issue from all sides without judgment and find the whole thing fascinating.
MEJI : I mean that's your opinion so I can't say nothing to that , but I wasn't judging their attire I mean the video was recorded in the 90s who wasn't dressing in a similar aesthetic as far as clothing goes lol. thanks for checking it out though I would suggest viewing everything on the page and comment again I know your a intelligent dude. How's London btw?
Jack : I know you really know your stuff and all knowing your a big fan of Ralph yourself, It is definitely both praise the brand and what Ralph has done, but the inbetweens in that are very different. I think the original 'Lo Lifes' movement is something I can't really judge because people like to do things on different wavelengths even though it's to the very extreme I can't help but not just point the finger at them in a bad way. Because I know what living around a impoverished area can influenced someone to it's maximum where you grow up and feel like this is life , and you can't do anything about it.
Enough about that topic though you are right though he is able to attract a diverse audience, and that's amazing.
The way you take things from every perspective is why i loved this! ...And the buzz you create.....how you carry yourself in responding back AGHHH u the man!!!
lol get emmm
gee loveees SE!
I am sorry but i am alarmed by this cultish commitment to a brand. It is sad enough that they re victim of these ideas of conspicuous consumption and commodity fetishism (independent of any marxist argument) but it is even worse that they would risk their freedom for such inane things.
Don't get me wrong I too am religiously involved in the streetwear culture and spend excessive amount for a Bape shirt but there needs to be co-ordinance. There seems to be an adherent following of Ralph Lauren not based on the aesthetics of the brand but solely on the name value of a RL product which prompty 'improve the status' of one clothed in such attire.
This cancerous behavior is not restricted to Ralph. It is too commonplace: rappers naming themselves after 'bags', chorus to bangers looping the words Louis Vuitton. Rappers even using counterfeit to show of wealth. Youths ending up in state-policed confinement due to to their shop-lifting addiction to luxury goods.
This is a malady that artists as promoters and brands should be aware of an take some responsibility in mediating and remedying because I feel this is a major agent in destroying the value system of inner city youths of today. It s just my opinion however wrong i might be.
Thanks guys for the posting, appreciate the movement.
I like how you put up 2 different extremes of the Lo-ism (is that a word?) people will unite around anything. it's human nature... oh and to MEJI: you ain't said shit. those dudes in that first video were obviously wild and ignorant. But I did learn a new word.
Out
cotton T
Wow never knew RL had such a fan base in the hood. However, I'm not from NYC. Cats around here stunt in Polo, the only difference between me and them is I actually wear my size. Ralph Lauren keep regulating.
Man I love your blog, you guys are always sayin' something I listen to. This is undoubtedly fascinating stuff. i copped more than a few polo pieces back in the day when I thought it meant something. It is true many things can mean many things to even a few people. As I got older the idea of worship for a white man's creative process faded. I mean this is what it is to me. From black men's love of Hilfiger back in the day to Timberlands to Ralph etc. It has always been this way and will probably never end. These men didn't come across POLO accidentally...NO! They saw the images of the brand lifestyle in photos and had to cop to feel as though they were apart of something. Perhaps to even feel alive. I can't judge them like MEJI but I don't see anything 'COOL' I only see ignorance. To have that kind of passion for something that doesn't serve the greater self is astounding. These men have never learned that brands as big as Ralph Lauren think and plan demographically. Their obsession is calculated. Pre-determined. Expected. They were made to love and fight and die and go to jail for something that would never show them love would never fight for them or even want something great for them. Ralph would laugh if he saw this his only comment would probably be 'great' which essentially means 'anywhere we get a nickel is profit.' I have no doubt that none of these men have ever had 'RELIGION' for something their black or latino brothers ever created. How caked would they be now if they turned that passion inward and truly went for a brand they created. This was good to see although i'm shaking my head right now being reminded for some reason of slavery.
I stopped reading after " dedicated lo life since 1999" . SHUT THE FUCK YOU JOCK .
It is funny how philippe goes from saying he is alarmed at the cultish devotion to polo while then admitting his own commitment to disposable fashion....and shame on hype beast for deleting comments on this thread while showing pics of true heads whos opinions should be appreciated. and run a article showing guys who have no idea about the lo culture but hang out in soho and all of the sudden get looked at like they know anything about polo. this is all a fad for alot of the poeple that buy into this but what do i expect when the site is called hypebeast.
what i find interesting about Ralph Lauren is that he grew up a poor Jewish kid in the Bronx. even he has appropriated this rich anglo look for himself and his company. that's the interesting irony that is at the center of all this. it always has been a fantasy. it's an american fantasy. i wear polo stuff kind of ironically too. but what i do is usually mix it with heavy metal t-shirts or something, and i look really waspy, and it manages to confuse more traditional wasps. it doesn't confuse fashion people though, it just looks good. but i also think that my liking this brand isn't ironic, i think that part of me is somehow genuinely liking the moneyed associations with this brand, and that disturbs me. i mean why? dunno.
Hey Jay,
My contention is not with the buying of luxury goods or "getting fly", it is strictly with the mentality, that one has to get fly by any means necessary, not because they appreciate the fineness of the cashmere but because it is stitched with the letter RL. I am indeed guilty of some of this myself but for completely different reasons. I am alarmed because these youths will resort to committing crimes and risk their freedom and lives for such frivolities. I dont resort to illegal means to afford my fashion, i do it strictly as someone who buy a work of art; it is my art that i can wear. I am not contesting the legitimacy of Ralph Lauren, Nigo or any other's work, i am merely pointing out that this phenomenon has malignant side effects on inner city uneducated youths and that bugs me.
The same syndrome is exhibited for the blackberry, the iphone et cetera...I only feel that if celebrities and designers were more conscious of the publicity that their products enjoys and if they were more active in dissipating this 'flossing' mentality, there would be less of these crimes committed all in the name of 'getting fresh.'
Good article man! I didn't realize RL was that popular in the hood. Must be a New York thing because I never saw guys sporting the brand in Southern Cali like that.
this is the rawest shit you've ever done. this is streetwear as it breathes on the street, where it belongs. thank you for reminding me what it's all about my brother.