Pharrell's Grammy hat was hands down the most talked, er Tweeted, about fashion moment at the 2014 Grammy Awards last night. And for good reason -- it reminded folks of a myriad of cultural symbols, including Smokey the Bear, the hat from Harry Potter and Arby's logo, to name a few.
However no one, except the clever folks over at The Cut, picked up on the fact Pharrell's over-sized Vivienne Westwood hat was actually an homage to the sartorial style in the 1982 hip-hop video "Buffalo Girls" by Malcolm McLaren and the World's Famous Supreme Team. The fashion website also pointed out that the tune was adapted from the 1844 song "Buffalo Gals," which was made famous via Blackface minstrel singer John "Cool White" Hodges and that McLaren's funky, synthesized version was later sampled in Nenah Cherry's 1988 hit "Buffalo Stance."
Well, we're relieved there's a legit music reference behind Pharrell's fashion choice. We'd hate to think that Smokey the Bear was his muse!
Check out the video for a look back at Malcolm McLaren and the World's Famous Supreme Team's "Buffalo Girls" and the photos below for more photographic evidence.
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