What is a Chicana?
“Oversized” is a widely-used adjective to describe the clothing purveyed by some of the hottest brands today. As we presumably continue to get bombarded with elongated fits, it’s important to note that this baggy aesthetic was first made popular by the Mexican American youth who belonged to a street gang in Southern California. Whether it’s the high-waisted zoot suits worn by Pachucos in the ’30s-’40s or the buttoned-down flannels sported by Cholos in the ’60s-’70s, Chicano motifs have long been implemented on the racks and catwalks over the years. From budding labels to high fashion houses, many industry players have more or less leeched off the subculture that was initially spawned from social oppression experienced by Latino locales since the Mexican Repatriation of 1929—an unfortunate circumstance when the U.S. government deported approximately 2 million people of Mexican descent.