The Sagging Pants Debate

[erpowers]

This morning the Today Show reported that yet another council member is trying to get a law passed that would fine any person, male or female, who wore sagging pants. Where do members of DU stand on this debate?

The guy on the Today Show, this morning, opposing the law said that sagging pants was a fashion statement; therefore, the people doing it should be left alone. I disagree with the guy on that issue. I do not think sagging pants is a fashion statement. I do not have the biggest problem with sagging pants, but I think when it gets to a certain point it needs to stop. I think guys should pull up their pants when half their underwears begin to show.

On another point, should something be done in terms of the jail culture, which is where it is believed the idea of sagging pants came from. Should more be done to assure that people who are put in jail have cloths that fit properly?

[YOY]

1. actually I think the best point in this debate is "Who the f*** cares?"

It's what need to be said in so many infotainment cases. It's how I stand on Linsey Lohan, Justin Timberlake, and Paris Hilton.

[youthere]

2. Yep..it's on my list of "Things I Couldn't Possibly Care Less About"

[YOY]

12. I wait with bated breath for the day when someone says this in a MSM news report

I've heard it said in comedy and the crowd claps unanimously.

[yurbud]

63. Next on the Today Show: Does this dress make me look fat?

[shain from kane]

3. Ban baggy pants comedians while they're at it.

[hobbit709]

4. Personally, I don't care for the "Your underwear is showing" look

In itself it's no worse than some the things we wore in our youth. I think of it more in the lines of what I told a kid at the shelter where my wife works. I said something about the look and he commented that I probably wore clothes my elders disapproved of too. My response was "Yep, but the clothes I wore I could run away from the law in."-since I knew he got busted trying to run from the cops and got about 10 feet before tripping over his own pants.

[panader0]

5. I think it's quite stupid and I'm glad my kids aren't into it, but it's not

a big issue with me. I saw a very funny report on TV showing how many thieves get caught because they couldn't run with their goods and hold their pants up at the same time. When I was a teen, it was bellbottoms. They eventually went away and so, I hope, will the pants worn below the butt.

[DS1]

6. If I lose weight, do I have to buy a new pair of pants each time the last set

gets loose?

That sounds expensive.

[BellaB]

18. No, its called

Buy a damn belt, how hard is that?

I just want to go up to every punk wearing his pants half way down his ass and just yank them all the way down. I wonder if these kids actually know WHERE the "sagging" look came from, it came out of the jails and prisons because they are not allowed belts in jail for obvious reasons and the pants dont always fit right, also, its a code for those in jail that the one wearing the pants down like that are "ready and willing" for some personal attention.

[Clark2008]

29. Thank you for pointing that out.

That's exactly why I don't like this look. I was a crime reporter for a newspaper for years and I knew that's where the style came from. I refuse to purchase pants like this for my son and will not do it when he gets older, either. If he wants to look like a schlubby criminal, then he can use his own money for that.

[porphyrian]

7. Isn't this topic at least ten years old and not really a debate at all?

No one is being forced to wear sagging pants, and since when do people on the Today Show get to tell other people what to wear?

[alkaline9]

8. Unless we're forced to see bare ass, I'm all for sagging pants...

...I believe it is a statement. Exactly what statement, I do not know. If someone wanted to walk around in a bikini, I'd say go for it.... Therefore if someone wants to walk around with their underwear showing, fine, enjoy that. Certainly a place of employment could curtail their employees from dressing in such a manner, but who cares if its on your own time.

[HereSince1628]

9. I wouldn't care, but I'm tired of getting chased by gangs for laughing out loud.

Oh how I long for the days when having a Drake-tailed haircut was scandelous.

[cyberswede]

11. LOL!

"...I'm tired of getting chased by gangs for laughing out loud."

Thanks for this - you made my morning. :D

[krispos42]

56. Good thing they can't run with the sagging pants...

or they would have taught you a lesson by now! :-)

[HereSince1628]

64. You got that right! LOL!!!!

[BOSSHOG]

10. Its generational

40 years ago my Dad didn't like what I wore. I was a 13 year old fashion plate in 1967. If the droopy pants kids have kids of their own they'll be bitching about their clothing choices 25-30 years from now.

Its news to me that the trend began in prison. Would a male want to strut around a cell or in a prison courtyard with his butt showing?

[malaise]

42. I agree with you

Fuck the clothes police. I hate how it looks but I won't tell others what to wear.

Add.

[BOSSHOG]

44. One effect on clothing I do appreciate

is the hot summers in the quarter. Visiting coed tourists tend to not wear much. And the veterans are rather adept at getting beads with very little effort or clothing malfunctions.

[CatWoman]

13. If more people knew the origin of saggy pants, I'd venture less would sport them

I was listening to the Michael Baisden show (http://www.michaelbaisden.com/)during my ride home one evening, and he was discussing this.

BTW: There are several of us in the black community who think that this "fashion statement" not only looks stupid, it looks disrespectful as well.

This "fashion statement" originated in prison. And it is sported by prisoners who want to announce their availability. Sexually.

He had several people call in to verify this.

People who called in had personal knowledge and/or friends/relatives/associates who were actually in prison who verified this.

I don't understand about today's dumb ass youth. They all need to get hooked on phonics.

[youthere]

14. Soo...

The lower they wear their britches that means the more they want to umm...do it?

[CatWoman]

23. You're making this entirely too complicated

I don't think there is a degree or space requirement as to how low the pants should hang.

or are you trying to be funny?

[youthere]

26. no..honestly...

I'm wondering what degrees of innuendo there are to the style (if there are any), cause I've seen some that only wear them so the waistband of their boxer shorts show, and I've seen some that wear them all the way down to the tops of their thighs (though how the hell they can even walk, I'll never know). I honestly had no idea there was even a message behind it. I'm shocked...I thought it was like when everyone was wearing leg warmers..just an unfortunate clothing trend.

[Phx_Dem]

32. I think that's a myth

http://www.snopes.com/risque/homosex/sagging.asp

[TahitiNut]

38. Yep. It started as just a "gangsta" thing ... pseudo-tough.

I don't buy the sexual signal myth at all. It's called "jail trou."

[Peacemaker NYC]

45. I think it's actually about SOLIDARITY originally, not Sexuality.

Surely MTV has turned it into something other than it began as, but I think that the origianl statement is one of Solidarity with their incarcerated brothers, who in prison wear the one size fits all clothing they are forced to. As a politcal statement, and self expression it SHOULD be protected by law regardless of weather any of us thinks it is fashionable.

And really folks should take a look at who is pushing this and what their motivation is. How are they wording such "legislation" and how will it be used beyond what they are saying now? How many of you reading this have been questioned by police based solely on what you look like? Which communities will be targeted for this if it becomes law?

[southpaw]

15. I think it looks silly

but then I look back at pictures of me as a teenager wearing acid-washed jeans that were so tight around the ankles they caused my feet to get all numb and tingly... members only jackets... parachute pants... tennis-shoes with day-glow splatter paint graphics... wayfarer knock-offs with flourescent orange frames... Union Jack muscle shirts a la Def Leppard...

[JTFrog]

16. And what about women

who wear their underwear as outerwear? Remember the Madonna era? Or see through clothing? I remember girls wearing see through vinyl/plastic pants in high school in the 70's.

At least the guys are wearing underwear under their pants. I wouldn't care if their bare ass was hanging out personally, but I could see a fuss being made if that were the case. Why single out the sagging pants? They interviewed the cops who admitted that fear of weapons wasn't their main reasoning for suggesting such a law.

[RebelOne]

19. I hate seeing women in little skimpy tops with their bra straps showing.

It's just plain tacky.

[regularguy]

17. A law??!?!??!?

A law concerning pants bagginess is ridiculous and offensive. Even giving a f--k is suspect, AFAIC.

[annabanana]

20. I always thought it was out of "hand-me-down" poverty..

When you had to wear your older siblings cast-offs.

[Touchdown]

21. I say pass the law.

Watch these kids finally get politically active! Whatever gets them involved, the stupider the better.:D

[The Vinyl Ripper]

24. Make alcohol and tobacco illegal..

That will make a lot of people get politically active..

[DemGa]

22. It's just a phase, of course

Yeah, they look stupid (to me); I've seen some guys who could barely walk with the crotch of their pants at their knees! Lol.

But they'll almost all likely grow out of it anyway; I say,"who cares?".

[shain from kane]

25. Let's start a new trend. Unzipped zippers in front. See how long that lasts. I'm taking a pledge

that I will not zip my pants until our army leaves Iraq. Will that get any attention?

[Clark2008]

27. I hate that style, but I don't think it should be banned.

I keep hoping good taste will win out eventually. :7

[MiniMe]

28. I always wondered what held some of them up *ahem*

:evilgrin:

I don't like the look myself, and like others have said, its generational. However, the best way to ensure that the fashion statement lasts is to legislate against it. Do they really think that telling kids what to do works?

Banning fashion is as bad as the rest of the crap that the morality police are trying to legislate.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

33. You make a good point..

Perhaps it is a mating display of sorts.

The guy whose pants stay up the best gets the hottest girlfriend?

[JerseygirlCT]

51. I saw one guy the other day

literally walking around with his hands on the front of the pants, to hold them up. He couldn't let go, or they'd fall right off.

THIS is practical, or comfortable? It certainly wasn't attractive.

But yes, the more fuss is made about it, the cooler it remains.

[Another Bill C.]

30. It was somewhat popular in 1951

Back in 1951 a few guys wore their pants down low and I decided it would fit in nicely with my "bad boy" image. I was the only one in my bunch that wore them that way. They were half-way down my butt. We all went to a park one day and a bunch of college kids took up a collection to buy me some suspenders. I think that was the last time I wore my pants down low.

[Sapere aude]

60. I remember that also. In the 50's I was on a class F baseball team

When we sat on the bench we sat on the back rest with our feet on the seat. A lot of the guys wore genes that were too big around the waist with no belt and they let the crack of their asses show. I think many of them were going commando too. We all were 12 and under.

The idea was to let the girls look. I thought it was pretty dumb and didn't follow the fad.

[Bitwit1234]

31. So...should our military be made to wear ties in battle.

this is just as silly. It looks stupid but if that's what they want I agree with the other poster, who cares.

[PDJane]

34. Sooner or later,

the kids grow out of wearing them like that.....well, mostly.

Remember the guys walking around with the caps with the tags on them, so you could tell they weren't knock-offs?

Hell's bells, remember Goth? Black lipstick and nail polish, holed fishnet stockings, piercings and tattoos? Hardly see that on the street anymore.

remember the punk thing, complete with glued hair?

Remember big hair and bright pink lipstick? Poodle skirts?


This, too, shall pass. I personally think it looks dumb, but meh! I remember a young woman getting cited in the small town I grew up in for wearing white pants.....you could (gasp!) see her underwear through the pants!!!!

Society goes through these stages, and I'm more concerned about the criminality in the white house!!!

[ecstatic]

35. A bandaid fix to some issues with the youth

I think the council men mean well--they think that somehow enforcing a new dress code will somehow change major problems that we've seen popping up among Atlanta's youth (poor and wealthy alike), such as disrespect for authority, poor academic performance, misogyny, etc... As anti-liberal as it sounds, I'd be more comfortable seeing a media ban on certain music. I can't even listen to the radio anymore because the quality of music has gotten sooo bad.

[RaleighNCDUer]

36. Want to stop the kids from dressing like that?

Hire a bunch of fat, saggy, middle-aged men to slop around dressed like that. The kids'll be wearing them high and tight in no time at all.

There's nothing the kids hate more than having their fashions co-opted by boomers.

[Cobalt Violet]

58. Plumbers? Hire plumbers?

Oh yeah, I forgot they do it without the underwear underneath.

[Kali]

37. saggy pants vs. brown shirts?

NON ISSUE!!!! Please pay attention! The constitution is already being pissed on without sagging pants facists. There is an illegal war going on - please GET REAL!!!

[JNelson6563]

39. You can't fine bad fashion sense

If people want to walk around looking foolish they are free to do so.

Julie

[mudesi]

40. Good to know there aren't any more important issues for the media/politicians to talk about (nm)

[Beelzebud]

41. So now some in the "Land of Freedom" want to legislate what people wear?

Give me a fucking break...

[LanternWaste]

43. Madison Avenue wins again

I think they look silly. My parents thought my Members Only jacket looked silly. In twenty years, the low-hanging crowd will be shocked (shocked! I tell you) when their kids begin wearing knickers, or some other wardrobe style.

Madison Avenue wins again-- everyone thinks they're an individual because they look like everyone else....

[TechBear_Seattle]

46. I'm reminded of the Bloomers brouhaha

In the late 1800s, it was quite a scandal for women to wear anything that resembled pants, even as undergarments. But nowadays... :shrug:

Same thing with women wearing two piece swim suits, or men wearing only trunks for swimming. Wearing such bathing costumes in public was an arrestable offence for a long time, on charges of "endangering public decency."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

47. Just Another Example Of Someone Knowing What Is Best For Everbody Else

eom

[snooper2]

48. Whats better than following someone with baggy pants?

Following someone with baggy pants and brown streaked boxers :)

[benld74]

49. Some cop friends of mine say

at times it makes it easier to catch them since they cannot run as fast!

[JerseygirlCT]

50. I think they're an incredibly ugly and stupid fashion choice

that only leads me to believe the wearer is lacking in some sort of self-respect.

But I also think, so long as all the parts required by law are covered (by underwear or pants) that it's none of my business, or anyone else's. (I draw the line at my own kid when his pants are dropping off... THEN I get to intervene!)

Aren't there many other more pressing issues to deal with?

[-..__...]

52. Actions have consequences.

Reminds me of the incidents of criminal brainiacs that wore running shoes with the red LEDs in the heels that were all the rage years ago and police were able to keep them in sight during a foot pursuit at night.

Baggy Pants Can Trip Up Criminals, Say Police
The Latest Fashions Might Not Be Wise If Considering a Career in Crime

Any plumber could tell you droopy drawers tend to trip you up, but apparently a lot of crooks fail to listen. Loose-fitting, baggy jeans have been in fashion for years, but police officers say they can also help fight crime.

"When they run, it makes our job easier," said Jim Matheny, a lieutenant with the Stamford, Conn., police department. The 41-year-old told ABC News he has no trouble chasing down suspects who wear low-hanging pants.

"They go to take off and either they have to use their hands to hold their pants up or several times the pants just fell down around their knees and they had to stop running," Matheny said. "They spend all day thinking of ways to beat the police and then they go and put these pants on. It really handicaps them."

More...


:rofl:

[Oilwellian]

53. Oh, so now we're going to create laws against what some people wear?

And you support that? Geesh...some people need to get a LIFE.

[spanone]

54. yep, that's what's wrong with this world...baggy britches

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Cobalt Violet]

55. I support the right to wear what one wants.

I believe it is a fashion statement.

[hiphopnation]

57. i'd never heard that the sagging pants fashion

originated in prison. got some links to back that up?

it's a fashion, like countless other fashions that have driven elder generations crazy since time immemorial. we're gonna start fining people?!?! pfft

[Sapere aude]

59. I think that under the undies you see are other undies.

I'm too damned old to understand this fashion but I think that way too much attention is being paid to this. I've seen guys with pants down below their ass and they are wearing plaid boxes or something similar but I saw the elastic of other undies under the boxers.

I think that it is a fashion statement but it isn't really showing underwear per say. The undies you see are not the "real" undies if you get what I'm saying.
I have never seen girls with pants down below their ass and wearing a thong but then I don't go looking for them either.

It is a young person's thing to be different and rebel and that's what today's kids are doing and all other kids did when there time in the sun came around.

[WI_DEM]

61. with so many major problems, this is nothing--it's generational--how many guys over 30

do you see walking around with baggy pants showing their underwear? I say let the kids do their thing as far as this "fashion statement" is concerned.

[regularguy]

62. That's easy for you to say! I was on the subway this morning

and I saw some baggy-pantsed dude's underwear and, um, well, um, I guess nothing bad actually happened...carry on.