Reviews

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  ★★★★ review by Glenn Dunks on Letterboxd

  Much more insightful and less irony-slicked '80s lulz than I suspected it was going to be. Rather than just giving a playful chronological rundown of the fashions of hip-hop, it navigates a path of personal reflection through fashion and how the clothes, in many ways, did in fact maketh the man. Actually educated talking heads who know what they're talking about (so not just celebs, but fashion heads and designers) interspersed with some great footage and anecdotal stories of how important and vital these very specific fashion choices have been.

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  ★★★½ review by Richard S. He on Letterboxd

  Since the late '70s, hip-hop has taken black culture out of the Bronx and into the world. But for many of the black kids who weren't rappers, all they had to express themselves was their style.

  To modern eyes, Fresh Dressed’s outfits can seem kitsch, but those Polo Ralph Lauren shirts and custom Louis Vuitton jackets were like a form of drag to ghetto kids in the '80s. Rappers were asserting their place – and by extension, the place of all black Americans – among the traditionally white upper class. Fresh Dressed might look frivolous on the surface, but it's the rare documentary that successfully makes a case for not one, but two art forms.

  Full review at The Age, for the 2015 Melbourne International Film Festival.

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  ★★★½ review by Andy P on Letterboxd

  A really insightful and exciting documentary that charts the rise of hip hop fashion and it's impact on pop culture and the fashion industry in impressive depth, even if it is sometimes repetitive and shallow in the second half. Especially great for hip hop heads and fashion lovers.

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  ★★★½ review by Stankshadow on Letterboxd

  All musical movements have an aspect of fashion to them. Fresh Dressed tells the story of fashions importance in Hip Hop.

  I had very low expectations but was really impressed by how much ground this covers. Great to see Dapper Dans, Thirstin Howl III, Jamel Shabazz and other lesser known aspects of Hip Hop covered. The documentary wanes as it covers the more modern and commercial parts of the culture but it's a great addition to the genre of Hip Hop documentaries.

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  ★★★★ review by antbalzano on Letterboxd

  Pretty solid doc about the influence of fashion on hip hop culture, vice versa.
  
  After watching I purchased a deadstock Supreme box logo tee that was in the fall 1999 line. Bottom line of the film is to be yourself and don't steal other people's swag.

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