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In the European tradition, casual is the dress code that emphasizes comfort and personal expression over presentation and uniformity. It includes a very wide variety of costume, so it is perhaps better defined by what it is not than what it is. The following are not considered casual wear:

• Ceremonial dress such as royal robes and full dress military costume
• Formal wear such as white tie and black tie
• Suits

Blue jeans and a T-shirt have been described as the "casual uniform". With the popularity of spectator sports in the late 20th century, a good deal of athletic gear has influenced casual wear. Clothing worn for manual labor also falls into casual wear.

While utilitarian costume comes to mind first for casual dress, however, there is also a wide range of flamboyance and theatricality. Punk costume is a striking example. Madonna introduced a great deal of lace, jewelry, and cosmetics into casual wear during the 1980s. More recently, hip hop fashion has played up elaborate jewelry and luxurious materials worn in conjunction with athletic gear and the clothing of manual labor.

Casual wear is typically the dress code in which new forms of gender expression are attempted before being accepted into semi-casual or semi-formal situations. An obvious example is masculine jewelry, which was once considered shocking or titillating even in casual circles, and is now hardly noteworthy in semi-formal situations. Amelia Bloomer introduced trousers (of a sort) for women as a casual alternative to formal hoops and skirts. In a recent mirror image, sarongs and other skirts have been embraced by a few men of the European tradition as a casual alternative to formal trousers. Both of these innovations caused great embarrassment in formal circles.

Skin exposure is most pronounced in casual wear, since it includes all swimwear, but the trend toward female exposure in the 20th century has also pushed the necklines of formal gowns ever lower and the skirts of cocktail dresses ever higher. For men, the exposure of shoulders, thighs, and backs is still limited to casual wear.

See also[link]

• Dress code (Western)

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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2012)

Jason Rawls (born February 27, 1974, in Columbus, Ohio) is an American hip hop,^[1] soul, and neo-soul producer whose work crosses over into jazz. He has worked with Dose One, Beastie Boys, Slum Village, El Da Sensei, Count Bass D, Grand Agent, 9th Wonder, J-Live, Us3, and Moka Only. J Rawls is a graduate from the University of Cincinnati with a Bachelors in Business, he is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Alpha Alpha chapter.

Production career[link]

J. Rawls' production is best known for his work with Black Star, a hip hop group formed by Mos Def and Talib Kweli. Rawls contributed production on "Brown Skin Lady" and "Yo, Yeah," which placed him on the map among producers in the hip hop-music genre. The album Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star did very well in the independent hip hop market, was acclaimed as one of the best albums of 1998 and was a major force in the late-1990s underground hip hop explosion.^{[citation needed]}

J. Rawls' first solo album came in 2001, with The Essence Of... (Groove attack), which featured singles "Great Live Caper" featuring J-Live, "Check the Clock" and "They Can't See Me".

He released his second solo album called The Essence of Soul in 2005 on his own label POLAR Records, which featured singles "Bailar" featuring Aloe Blacc, "Soul (Again & Again)" featuring Middle Child, and "Pleasure Before Pain" featuring Eric Roberson.

Away from his solo albums, J. Rawls is one half of the duo The Lone Catalysts, with emcee J. Sands. The group has been together since the mid-'90s and the first release from the Lone Catalysts, THE BEGINNING EP, was in August 1998. They have released three albums since: Hip Hop (1999,BUKA Entertainment), The Catalyst Files (2002, BUKA Entertainment), and Good Music (2005, BUKA Entertainment).

J. Rawls is also one half of the duo 3582, consisting of emcee Fat Jon the Ample Soul Physician (of Five Deez). 3582 released two albums, The Living Soul (2001) and Situational Ethics in (2003).

J. Rawls has recently released Dank & Jammy, his latest duo project. He joined forces with Dudley Perkins, a rapper and singer who is currently signed to Stones Throw Records, has formerly recorded under the name "Declaime" and has previously collaborated with Madlib and Five Deez, and Georgia Anne Muldrow, among other artists. The album It's The Dank & Jammy Show was released in 2007 (POLAR/Groove attack).

In 2006, J. Rawls received much acclaim with The Liquid Crystal Project's "A Tribute To Dilla 7"" production (Turntable Jazz/Unique 2006), which was an ode to one of J. Rawls' favorite producers, J Dilla. The single came off the self-titled album The Liquid Crystal Project (Polar/Groove Attack 2006), which is a group formed by J. Rawls whose music can be described as fusing the key elements of both jazz and hip hop. The group consists of members J. Rawls, B-Jazz, Shaun Scott, B Chapman and Selah One other single was released from the album, "A Tribute To Troy 7" (Turntable Jazz/Unique 2006).

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 2001 The Essence Of J. Rawls
• 2003 Histories Greatest Battles, Campaigns, & Topics
• 2005 The Essence Of Soul
• 2006 The Liquid Crystal Project
• 2007 It’s The Dank & Jammy Show (with Declaime)
• 2007 True Ohio Playas (with Count Bass D)
• 2007 J. Rawls Presents...Holmskillit (with Holmskillit)
• 2008 The Liquid Crystal Project II
• 2008 Rawls & Middle
• 2009 The 1960's Jazz Revolution Again (with John Robinson)
• 2011 The Hip-Hop Affect
• 2012 The Liquid Crystal Project III

Production[link]

• 2006: "Lights, Camera, Action" (from the El Da Sensei album The Unusual)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site