I don’t know how many there are off the top of my head.
But there are A LOT of Rocky movies.
A lot. (I wasn’t going to cheat and ask my husband or Google it.)
And I’ve watched them all.
But none of them are as iconic and ground breaking as the first one.
The first Rocky came out in 1976, and hit American culture like dynamite. Of course I was not born yet. But I remember taking it in right around 11 or 12 years of age during a family night. It had the same impact on me 12 years later, as it did when it first hit the movie theaters.
It was the “good movie recipe” that we didn’t know we needed. Men loved it. Women loved it. Children loved it. Black, white, Hispanic......it did not matter. The core of the message found in Rocky movies translated into common heart matters found in humanity.
One of the most iconic scenes from that movie was the scene where Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) was finishing a grueling training session by running throughout Philly in preparation for the most important fight of his career. He was fully clad in a grey jogging suit, pushing through the cold Philly weather, sweat and snow staining his jogging suit with climatic scenes of struggle and love playing in his mind as fuel to push him beyond his limitations. With every step that he took, the music was building to match the intensity, and you could feel the emotion of him persevering to overcome the odds. By the time he reached the top of the stairs at the Art Museum, the music had reached a crescendo that caused you to release the breath that you'd been holding, waiting for him to make it. As Rocky stood at the top of the stairs, dancing from toe to toe, arms raised high in the air, WE DANCED WITH HIM.
Him completing that run, and pushing himself was us all doing the same.
Not only was it an emotional moment, but by far an American staple in movie history. And though many may not have recognized it, this one scene indoctrinated us with many small truths.
ROOT for the underdog.
Never give up.
Dreams come true.
Real love is beautiful.
Masculinity is appreciated.
Grey sweats are essential.
YEAH.
This one scene pretty much made grey sweats famous.
You can disagree. But statistically they sold like hot cakes when this movie was released. And ever since, they have been in heavy rotation for over 40 years. Rocky went on to don grey sweats in other movies having become known as his signature. And in turn, they ended up being all of ours.
They are the other unspoken neutral in American society.
As a standalone color choice, most people will not choose grey. Grey is known for being dull, sad, serious, and somewhat dreary.
Nobody likes grey skies. It is a color that speaks of impending danger, doom, or sorrow.
But put it in a sweat, and it carries a natural attraction. It is neither masculine nor feminine. It’s for the masses. We love it and don’t even know why we do. It’s just always been here. And we buy it. You can go into just about any house, in any neighborhood in America, regardless of race, culture, or creed, and find at least ONE form of grey sweats, even if it’s just a pot holder.
You ‘gone’ find it Bro.
Grey sweats are not going anywhere....pretty much never.
So as I prepare for the transition from summer to fall, and deal with the in-between weather here in Michigan, I thought it would be fitting to show you why I love grey sweats, and all the many ways you can wear them.
If someone had asked me if grey sweats were my favorite, I no doubt would have said no.
But it’s obvious that it’s a preference after putting all of these looks together. So here is a little diversity and versatility for you. It's also my effort to show you my day to day chill side. I'm not always so fabulous y'all.
Enjoy all of my “GREY AREAS”.
Shaunee Brannan
Thank you for looking.
Please feel free to contact me for inquires and collaboration requests.
