Ghetto fashion trends emerged as a result of social conditions in which members of minority groups, particularly African Americans, have been forced to live. It was inevitable, considering that such a group had little or no freedom, food or resources to move to areas without discrimination. The result was the emergence of a subculture within a culture, resulting in unique fashion choices among the masses. As a group, ghetto fashion trends represented the complete lack of fashion options for these groups. The use of prison clothing, especially for women, was also very common, as was the use of such degrading materials as sweat-stained garments.
Hip hop fashion, also known as urban style, is a unique, stylized style of dress originally originating in inner city black America and later from other US cities, followed by Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. Most have contributed different aspects to the general urban fashion scene worldwide today. One contributing factor was the lack of opportunities available to urban youth in previous generations. However, the presence of large amounts of cash, rap music and the glamorized image of hip hop culture made it appealing to a wider audience.
Another important trend was the increasing importance of women in the urban fashion scene. There were very few options for African American women to look like models or supermodels, so many were drawn to this new and different genre. Ghetto fashion trends reflected and perpetuated the beliefs, values and cultural norms that black Americans found to be essential for their survival. Today, the ghetto fashion continues to evolve as more options are opened up for African Americans, both in terms of clothing and art.