Thursday, December 13, 2007

Saggy Pants - Rooted in Prison Flirting?


Florida Senator Gary Siplin has introduced a bill to ban saggy pants in Florida schools. He claims that sagging pants are a distraction from learning as they draw attention to the body. Moreover, he believes that if people really knew the origin of the fashion trend, they wouldn't be so quick to emulate it. Siplin claims that the trend originated in prisons and has said that "[w]hen a prisoner wears his pants below the waist he's indicating that he's available for the night."

Putting aside First Amendment concerns with the bill and putting aside the fact that I hate to see men tripping up on jeans and exposing their underwear, is that true? Is that really the origin of sagging pants? If so, am I the only one who didn't know that? That is fascinating if it's true, on a lot of different levels. Sagging pants are seen as so cool, thuggish, manly, and the notion that the trend began by men signaling that they wanted to have relations with other men in prison is so contrary to that image. Further, due to the popularity of hip hop culture the "prison flirt" look then transcended prison, hit the streets and infiltrated suburbia and fashion period. And it's all based on some Oz-like romancing? Interesting.


14 comments:

Michele said...

I didn't know that either. I have to say that I have never wanted to have a conversation with one of those guys walking around holding their pants up. I might be making assumptions but I've got a 20 that says most of them don't have anything of intrest to say to me.

I don't get this trend, just like I don't get women who shave their eyebrows only to draw them back in...badly.

TravelDiva said...

LMAO!!!!!!

Xave said...

@jetpass: ROFL I dont get that either.

@diva: I only recently heard about the "flirt" aspect of this prison fashion. But I can see how it might be true because prison fashion is exactly what this is. I've known for over a decade. Originally I was told that guys on teh outside wore their pants beltless to show solidarity with the bros on the inside. Something about bros on the inside not being allowed to wear belts. That sounded kinda stupid back then and my opinion hasn't changed much. Actually the "prison-flirt" angle makes more sense than the solidarity angle. But whatever. All I know is, my boy come home lookin like dat or my baby gurl bring dat home, Ima open up a can a whoopass and serve out generous portions!

TravelDiva said...

@Ali'szay - LMBAO! I know that's right.

ayla.bird said...

The only time sagging pants can be forgiven is if the young person sporting the ridiculous "look" is under twelve years of age...and blind. Otherwise, I say "grow up" and hitch your damn pants up before I call the cops on your exposed behind. =)

HATgirl said...

Can Ummm what apply here as well?

another question - isn't Siplin at least a decade late to stop this trend?

HATgirl said...

for mikirooy - I almost choked on my food reading "under tweleve years of age . . . and blind"!! TOO FUNNY!

Sassy said...

LMAO!!! i've heard about this before..........these phools will follow any trend if they think is cool....... they must feel like real idiots now that they know they've been "flirting" by walking around with their pants down to their darned knees. Jetpass, I'm with you on the eyebrow thing.... perturbing.

TravelDiva said...

LOL! I think ummmmm what is appropriate.

James Tubman said...

that's some bull skits

the trend came from jail but the brothers in jail were given baggy pants and were not allowed to wear belts

for fear that they might use the belts as weapons

i only "heard" this theory but i guess i don't know for sure

brothers do need to stop wearing thier pants like that because it does look like they're selling ass

Chelsea + Shiloh said...

Its a 'lock up' trend, baggy pants indicate you've been to jail, where they take your belt so you cant hang yourself...there is also the trend in Australia to roll up one jean leg, also from lock up where they cuff one leg...Its been adopted by teens to look 'bad' and be a mini gangsta...lol..

Just looks flippin silly to me...I work with teens and we have banned both practices...theres nothing funnier, then a middle class Aussie white boy trying to be tupac....laugh

TravelDiva said...

Interesting. LOL on the Aussie comment.

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