Why Are Wyoming Teens Wearing Hoodies in This Heat? Science May Have the Answer
I was hoping it would never happen to me, but it is now official (and my children have proclaimed). I am old, which also means, my sense of fashion is no longer up to date.
There is a recent fashion trend amongst our youth that I just haven't been able to put my finger on its popularity. Why are kids (see also: teenagers), wearing hoodies, in broad daylight, when it is 90° outside or higher?
The answer... I have no idea! Science may have the answers though. Well, at least a decent hypothesis or two.
Marshall Shepard, a former president of the American Meteorological Society, wrote a piece on Forbes, which included a few solid theories from other scientist as well, on the summer hoodie phenomenon. Four logical reasons they gave were:
- Protection from cancer-causing Ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Armor against pesky mosquitoes
- More pockets
- Body image concerns
While logically, all those reasons make sense ,at least to some degree, "body image concerns" strikes me as one of the fits almost all teens. In this social media age we live in today, there is constant bombardment from everywhere from Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, television and pretty much everywhere else of what the definition of beauty is. This can cause anxiety to anyone, not matter what your body type or size is.
The article quoted Ian Lecklitner, who stated in an essay to Mel Magazine, that:
Hoodies provide more than just physical comfort; they administer emotional comfort, too, similar to that of a weighted blanket.
Yet again, this is another point that makes perfect sense.
The only thing I don't understand is how these teens manage to not pass out from heat exhaustion. I'm one of those people that sweats profusely once the temperate reaches over about 85°, so wearing a hoodie in the summer for me would more than likely mean either heat stroke or death. That being said, I've even seen full grown adults in the summer wearing hoodies inside the gym, so maybe I'm just the odd person out.
Do you have a teenager that insists on wearing a hoodie in the summer? See if your child has a different answer or reason behind this fashion statement.