连帽衫的现代形态始于20世纪30年代，由Champion Athletic Apparel公司开发，最初目的是在比赛前帮助运动员保持体温[1]。牛津英语词典在2006年正式收录"hoodie"一词，将其定义为"连帽运动衫、绒衣或其他连帽服装"[1]。这一服饰通过电影文化得到广泛推广——Sylvester Stallone在《洛奇》中的标志性训练场景将连帽衫推向了文化高度[1]。进入2000年代，连帽衫在英国、美国和新西兰的购物中心一度被禁用[1]。
连帽衫的政治转折点出现在2012年，当年佛罗里达州无武装黑人青年Trayvon Martin因穿着连帽衫被认为"可疑"而遭致命枪杀[1]。这一悲剧事件引发了"百万连帽衫游行"抗议，连帽衫从此成为反抗种族歧视和警务不公的象征[1]。此后，该服饰逐渐演变为具有政治意涵的街头文化符号。Facebook创始人Mark Zuckerberg在Trayvon Martin去世数月后穿连帽衫会见投资者[1]，而美国政治家John Fetterman则经常穿着连帽衫和短裤亮相公开场合，甚至于2024年白宫记者协会晚宴上穿着印有领结图案的连帽衫出席[1]。
The hoodie has undergone a dramatic transformation from its origins as athletic wear to become a symbol laden with political meaning. Champion Athletic Apparel developed the garment in the 1930s with the practical purpose of keeping athletes warm before competition [1]. The term itself gained official recognition when the Oxford English Dictionary included "hoodie" in 2006, defining it as a hooded sweatshirt, fleece, or other hooded garment [1]. The piece of clothing ascended to cultural prominence through Sylvester Stallone's iconic training sequences in the Rocky films [1].
However, the hoodie's trajectory took a troubling turn in the early 2000s, when shopping malls across Britain, the United States, and New Zealand implemented bans on the garment, often citing security concerns [1]. The turning point came in 2012 when Trayvon Martin, an unarmed Black teenager in Florida, was fatally shot while wearing a hoodie after being perceived as suspicious [1]. His death catalyzed the "Million Hoodie March," a protest movement addressing racial profiling and police misconduct [1]. The incident shifted the hoodie's cultural meaning, transforming it into a symbol of resistance against racial discrimination and injustice.
In the years following Martin's death, public figures have reclaimed the hoodie with deliberate intent. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wore a hoodie to meet with investors just months after the tragedy [1]. More recently, American politician John Fetterman has made the hoodie a signature part of his public image, frequently wearing it alongside shorts, and even donned a hoodie adorned with a bow-tie pattern to the 2024 White House Correspondents' Dinner [1]. These choices reflect how the garment has evolved from innocent sportswear into a statement piece carrying layers of cultural and political significance.
