Casual wear: Of course, it’s not just about wearing shorts. It’s the whole casual way of dressing, which is unlike some other parts of the world, or indeed America not too long ago. Historian Deirdre Clemente points out exactly this: "Americans have come to dress casually in a way that is very interesting as a historian."

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or so the saying goes. The truth, however, goes deeper than that. There are many biological cues we find attractive as humans, and then there are social and cultural aspects that weigh in. These are, more often than not, heavily manipulated by the media, depending where you are on the planet.

Like the polo shirt before it, the style is yet another putting-green-to-conference-room crossover hit. Even New York’s finance district is getting in on the action.

Like the polo shirt before it, the style is yet another putting-green-to-conference-room crossover hit

Perhaps the most visible yet overlooked sign of cultural decay in the West is the steep decline in how we dress ourselves. 

When Sen. Chuck Schumer quietly relaxed the U.S. Senate’s dress code, supposedly to accommodate Sen. John Fetterman’s desire to wear hooded sweatshirts and gym shorts, the backlash was swift.

When Sen. Chuck Schumer quietly relaxed the U.S. Senate’s dress code, supposedly to accommodate Sen. John Fetterman’s desire to wear hooded sweatshirts and gym shorts, the backlash was swift.

In this episode you'll hear how the hoodie went from being a sports outfit to the most political item of clothing since its invention in the 1930s and what Rocky, rap and racism have to do with it. Textile historian Deirdre Clemente provides insights into the technological and social developments that made the hoodie possible in the first place.