The
picture below shows NBA superstar Lebron James wearing an over
sized hat. The hat may look like an over sized Fedora to
others , but it is actually called a vivienne mountain hat. This hat
was first popularized by the musician/designer Pharrell Williams.It
is about 8 inches tall and has a 2.5 inch brim. After Pharrell wore
this hat to the 2014 Grammy Awards show the mountain hat became instantly
popular.
The hat itself looks ridiculous to me but celebrities such as Lebron James and
Jay Z have become fans of the mountain hat. The hat has been known as the
Pharrell hat to many people. Pharrell has been known to be a very fashionable
person. He created his own clothing lines called Billionaire Boys Club and Ice
Cream. He has made it his signature piece in all of his outfits and has worn it
in a variety of different colors. He has been wearing this hat for the past 4
years but it has only become popular as of recently. Pharrell has been known to
have an outgoing and flashy fashion sense. The hat looks ugly to me
and I think it crazy how many people have followed this trend just because
Pharrell wore it. People who wear the mountain hat believe they are just as
fashionable as Pharrell. Now that someone as popular as Lebron James wore it on
live television it has become even more popular. The influence celebrities such
as Lebron James and Pharrell have over society is amazing. Anything these
celebrities wear will become popular no matter how ridiculous it looks.
I have seen the mountain hat being worn in upscale fashionable places such as
in the Soho Section of New York City. The mountain hat is typically common
among people who are into the latest fashion trend and styles. More
specifically hipsters, hypebeasts and other sorts of fashionistas
have become fans of the mountain hat. It will be interesting to see how
long this mountain hat is in style for. I have yet to notice NBA fans wearing
the mountain hat because of Lebron James. The hat will always be known for
being fashionable because of Pharrell, but it is because someone as famous as
Lebron has followed this trends shows how much influence Pharrell has on the
fashion world.
Pharrell put the hat he wore during the
Grammys up for auction in March 2014 and was bought by the fast food chain
Arby’s for $44,100. The proceeds went to the charity he founded
called From One Hang to Another. This will also make Pharrell more popular and
more well known in a public relations standing. Arby’s bought it because it
looks similar to the hat in the Arby’s logo. It has become popular on social
media because it now has it’s own twitter account. The hat would never have
become popular if Pharrell didn't showcase it at the Grammys.
Will Pharrell continue to have more fashion
trends that people will follow? I think that his influence stems from his rise
in popularity over the past few years. He was featured on the songs Blurred
Lines by Robin Thicke and Lucky by Daft Punk. The general public knows Pharrell
for his recent songs he has put out and been featured on even though he has
been making music and designing clothes since the early 2000s. As he continues
to become more popular and the more he is on T.V the more people
will notice his wardrobe and fashion sense. Pharrell will continue to bring out
unique accessories and pieces of clothing that will become popular just as the
mountain hat did.
Why is society so influenced by
celebrities? People look towards celebrities as role models. Many people admire
celebrities because of their personalities and feel like they have some sort of
connection with them. The majority of people who follow celebrities are the
youth in our society. The younger generation of
society still doesn’t know exactly what they want to be when they grow up, so
they can align themselves with becoming famous one day or becoming known. They may imitate the actions,
behaviors, and styles of celebrities in hopes of one day becoming one. The
overall portrayal of celebrities and celebrity’s lifestyles in society alters
the youths’ desire to have the same lifestyle.
Your blog post presents a very interesting and recent trend. It was clear that after Pharrell wore it in the Grammy's, this hat became an icon in the fashion world. Superstars such as LeBron and other celebrities were seen wearing them or have high remarks about it. You mention the brutal reality - this hat is ugly and weird - yet people are going crazy over it. The auction example is perfect to support your claim of Pharrell's iconic status. This makes the topic even more interesting to research.
ReplyDeleteOne point I think you might be missing is why Pharrell became a fashion icon. He became popular with his music at the same time he burst into the spotlight. Perhaps his music is linked to his fashion statement. Pharrell's music is commonly received as funky and different. His bold rhythms in his songs somehow capture a mass audience. His music embodies who he is, and his weird hat is another way of making a bold statement. More and more celebrities are also making these bold fashion statement such as LeBron, and our generation has fallen in love with these icons. This observation suggests that society now is seeking objects that are "wacky" and deviates from the norms. This view then can be related to the hipsters. Are we all subconsciously hipsters?
Your topic seems interesting in a way that it criticizes the fashion styles of the celebrities and questions the public’s reaction to them. I like how you chose to focus on Pharrell specifically instead of going after all of the celebrities. And I do think that the trend of following celebrities’ fashion styles captures a wide audience. However, maybe you could relate it more to the audience. Maybe list some of the weird/ugly fashions that came and went in the past to support your claim that the fans will wear anything their role models do.
ReplyDelete