Upcycling Project Aesthetic – Denim Bucket Hat

As per my aesthetic exploration, I will be using ‘old school hip hop’ as my project aesthetic. I am very into old-school hip-hop! I could go on and on about the history, the different artists, the lyricism of different songs, etc. Specifically, I am intrigued by the music itself. Other than hearing “Hypnotize” in “10 Things I Hate About You” or “California Love” on the radio in my mom’s 2000 Pontiac in my single-digit years, my interest was first piqued hearing “The World Is Yours” by Nas. I am ashamed to admit this but I believe that I first heard the song while watching an episode of the Norwegian teen-centered drama, Skam (which I was very into when I was 14 or so). I fell in love immediately–the dreamy jazz sample of the song, ‘I Love Music” by Ahmad Jamal, paired with the scenic and dextrous rapping of Nas. It’s not like never listened to rap–I had been listening to Kendrick Lamar and Logic (of all people….). I think because the people I was listening to beforehand had a similar vibe, it didn’t feel so out of place.

[1] Illmatic (1994) by Nas, 4th track: “The World Is Yours”. The whole album is classic; each song is iconic.

More and more I started to listen to explore the genre,  having since gone coast to coast, boom bap to g-funk, to the twang of the south. From its inception (although I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite among the bunch), the 80s, 90s, 2000s, and now some might even say the 2010s like Waka Flaka, Future, etc. I feel as though I should say that old-school hip-hop is not an aesthetic, but more of a culture. It encompasses so many different parts from clothing to language, ideas, and beliefs–fashioned by many many people. Fashion-wise, big chains, sneakers, and buckets were all pretty common. Seeing these three, the fabrication difficulty of the latter (bucket-hat) seemed the most appealing. I don’t have spare metal or hardy shoewear material–but I have lots of fabrics–specifically denim. Remember in 2014-2016 when everyone was wearing skinny jeans? I happened to get a LOT of hand-me-downs. I think I have like like 15 pairs of jeans my mom refuses to let me donate. Anyway, I stole a couple from home which I will use to construct a bucket hat. Looking at designs, most bucket hats seem to have this stitching that envelops the whole brim. I don’t know how to sew, so we will see how that goes. I am also a bit worried that the denim will be a little bit too tough such that it’ll feel more like a top hat. Denim also defeats the true purpose of bucket hats–which is protection against the weather. But 90s hip-hop–I think it fits. I am pretty I think denim symbolizes the working man–something quite American, if you will. I am excited! If I am feeling good about my work, maybe I will even do some embellishments. Below are some inspirations.

[2] Hat with different denim washes

[3] Hat with design

References:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illmatic

[2] https://www.etsy.com/listing/643530860/denim-bucket-hat-patchwork-bucket-hat

[3] https://www.amazon.com/Fun-Theme-Bucket-Stiffer-Fashion/dp/B0BDXDL916