Hoodie

Hoodies have endured a bad rap for some time now. Yet last week, given the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin a month ago, the hooded sweatshirt became the most politicized garment of its era as Americans - especially black men - held rallies to end racial profiling and to take the hoodie back. "I wear a hoodie almost every day," Drexel University student James Moore, 27, said at the Million Hoodie March in Philadelphia on Friday, which drew an estimated 5,000 protesters - black and white, most of them wearing hoodies.

Several thousand people marched Friday night from 30th Street Station to JFK Plaza as part of the "Million Hoodie March" to support the family of Trayvon Martin, a black Florida teenager shot to death last month by a Neighborhood Watch volunteer. The march along John F. Kennedy Boulevard began at 7:17 p.m. - the time when police found Martin's body Feb. 26 at the scene in Sanford, Fla. "We're trying to bring awareness about the injustice that's going on in Florida, the streets of Philly, and other cities in America," said Jason Moody, 32, of #OnTheCornerstone(d)

Several thousand people marched Friday night from 30th Street Station to JFK Plaza as part of the "Million Hoodie March" to support the family of Trayvon Martin, a black Florida teenager shot to death last month by a Neighborhood Watch volunteer. The march along John F. Kennedy Boulevard began at 7:17 p.m. - the time when police found Martin's body Feb. 26 at the scene in Sanford, Fla. "We're trying to bring awareness about the injustice that's going on in Florida, the streets of Philly, and other cities in America," said Jason Moody, 32, of #OnTheCornerstone(d)

Sue Slocum doesn't care whether you cast your vote today for Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton. As long as their supporters continue to wear their passion on their sleeves - and everywhere else. There's money in politics, as if we didn't know. Since February, Slocum has been selling partisan merchandise in her Doylestown shop, Michelle's Hallmark. "People wanted to express themselves and I didn't want an election season to go by without having these items in my store," said the 40ish Slocum.

Sometimes no matter how slim you are, doing the downward dog means a paunchy pooch pops over yoga pants - unless you own a pair of Devigis. The activewear brand, made and manufactured in Philadelphia courtesy of 43-year-old mom Nadine Gelberg, is designed for yogis - or any athletes, really - who like the slimming lululemon look but prefer a more forgiving silhouette. The racerback tanks have a bit of slouch in the tummy area to camouflage jiggling bellies. Long-sleeve T-shirts are cowl-necked to inconspicuously hide below-the-chin wrinkles and "drape gracefully across the boobs.

Keith Leaphart is very much like the squad of superheroes on the life-size action poster behind his desk: He has two identities, one he uses when engaging educators about at-risk youth and the other comes to life when hosting parties. He takes big risks, such as the time he invested $5,000 of his medical school scholarship money in a cleaning business. He saves the day: Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons hired Leaphart in 2006 to promote a sneaker line that failed to launch in Philly.

A tow-truck driver who was attempting to repossess a car was shot and wounded Friday morning during a stickup in North Philadelphia, police said. The 36-year-old victim was reported in stable condition at Temple University Hospital with wounds to the upper back and hand. He was attempting to repossess a car at Ninth and Pike Streets about 3 a.m. when a man in an orange hoodie approached, pointed a silver revolver, and demanded money, police said. Both men struggled and the robber opened fire, wounding the repo man, police said.

By Caren Lissner As the "new adult" genre moves beyond books, what does it mean about our own willingness to grow up? At the end of last month, the editors of Publishers Lunch, the publishing industry's daily digest of book deals, announced that they would add a new subgenre of literature to their ever-growing database of deals. "Welcome, new adult books," they wrote. "With six 'new adult' deal reports in the last month alone, we have created a new Deals subcategory for this growing genre.

PHILADELPHIANS outraged by the Trayvon Martin case will rally in the city Friday and Monday. Organizers are asking that protesters show up wearing hoodies as a show of support for the unarmed black teenager gunned down by a Hispanic neighborhood-watch captain. "Enough is enough. This was just blatant discrimination," said Chris Norris, a lead organizer of Monday's 6:30 p.m. rally at Love Park. "It's blatant racism. I can't believe it happened. I feel like I'm in a dream.

Anyone who has ever grown the leggy, always-abundant squash understands the need for Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neigbor's Porch Night. You have so much of the stuff, you don't know what to do with it. Tom Roy knows. The Mount Gretna, Pa., resident, who grew up in Hatboro, created the holiday after one zucchini handshake too many. (You know: "Hi there. Here's a zucchini. ") The holiday was celebrated across the country last night - the official Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Night, according to Chase's 1998 Calendar of Events, the bible of event and observance information.