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Original poster

Does your dh or son wear the pants on show trousers falling down look?

51 replies

FattyArbuckel · 25/02/2011 09:33

...and if so do you know why this fashion is popular even though
a) the rest of the unaffected population snigger at it and are highly entertained rather than impresses
b) it makes your legs look very short which cannot possible be flattering on anyone

Please enlighten me...

OP posts:

tulpe · 25/02/2011 09:36

Apparently it is called "sagging"

DH would rather poke his eyes out with a sharp stick.

Occasionally DS2 will "sag" but it is an occupational hazard of most 6 year olds, IMO :o

southeastastra · 25/02/2011 09:37

ds(17) and his mates don't - they're more stylish than that thank gawd

CuppaTeaJanice · 25/02/2011 09:50

I think it's to do with family reputation. If a boy wears oversized, low slung trousers it means he has inherited them from a large older brother. I guess that's supposed to scare off 'trouble' if they think he has good back up!

I have no idea why a man in his thirties (Gok Wan, I'm talking to you) would wear such a ridiculous fashion. I asked him in his webchat. He ignored me.

IShallWearMidnight · 25/02/2011 09:52

I saw a youth try to run with his waistband round his thighs and fall flat on his face. I did check he was OK though and didn't snigger much to his face.

laosvher · 25/02/2011 09:57

:o @ISWM
No, DH doesn't, we'd have strong words if he did

potplant · 25/02/2011 09:59

Good grief no, my DH is 42! He's more an M&S action slacks man!

DS - yes, but he's 7, tall and thin so he can't help it.

FooffyShmoofffer · 25/02/2011 10:05

Dh - no, the very thought is hysterical

DS(9) - Nooo that's what adjusable waistbands are for.

Was walking behind a 'young man' sporting this look recently and wondered if I lifted his coat at the back would he be arse to the wind?

Pagwatch · 25/02/2011 10:08

Ds17. No. No way.
Tossers and skanks is the phrase he uses.

PortBlacksandGinLane · 25/02/2011 10:08

It's Prison Chic form the USA - they take the belts away to stop attacks and suicides so it became 'street' to wear it out of prison.

Show's you've been inside man!

ElizabethHurley · 25/02/2011 10:08

DS1 has been trying this look recently. He is 12.

We find that a chorus of 'I can see your pants' following him round the house will encourage him to wear a belt.

wahwahwah · 25/02/2011 10:12

With little kids it is an occupational hazard, so can't be helped. But anyone over the age of 10 is doing it on purpose!!!

When they also do the 'one leg rolled up' thing my sister has a theory that this is the 'death row' look (ie no belts and trouser leg rolled up for the lethal injection). Not sure how accurate this is (my sis has an active imagination).

I just feel like hauling them up by their belt loops! The worst is when you can see their bum crack. Yech. It can't be comfortable.

My DS had an annoying habit (when he was quite little) of twanging any knicker elastic on show (like if I was crawling under the bed to retreive toys and had jeans on). He thought it was really amusing (especially if you bashed your head on the bed). It all came to a head at Gymboree one day. The class leader had black yoga-pants on. And a thong. With diamante bits on it. You know when the put the glitter ball on and shine lights on it and it sparkles? The effect was a bit like that as she knelt on the floor and bent over. It had to happen...

MoonGirl1981 · 25/02/2011 10:56

The one trouser leg thing means you're in a gang. So possibly a security thing.

Don't know about the low slung trouser thing but I've definately seen 'layered' jeans in shops which have 'built in boxers on show'. So must be a fashion thing.

Neena28 · 25/02/2011 11:06

Ds is 10 and thinks this is the height of cool. He has been told that I will take all boxer shorts away that I can see and replace with y fronts he won't want on show! This has semi helped him wear a belt. Although he has a friend round at the moment so I have two sets of pants on show and I won't show him up in front of his mate as my parents did that to me all the time and I hated it.

Ds has no explanation for it except its more comfortable although he is very tall and slim so all jeans naturally fall down a bit and he can't bear anything higher on the waist.

Butterbur · 25/02/2011 11:10

Yep, DS1 (17) does this, with about 6 inches of grubby boxers on show. I told him it made him look like a rent boy advertising his wares. It had no effect though.

snowmummy · 25/02/2011 12:08

Some snowboarders go for this look. It always astounds me as they must get a cold wet arse!

tulpe · 25/02/2011 12:21

Butterbur LOL at rent boy reference :o

snowmummy I noticed that this year too - saw quite a few boarders with their arse on show. Surely they must be freezing even without spending the morning sitting in the snow boarding

Reminds me of those photos of Posh with her mid-riff on show at some ski resort or other. WTF was that about?

MadreInglese · 25/02/2011 12:28

No, I would leave him if he did! It's hideous!

I heard it comes from american prison inmate gangs to show romantic 'availability' but don't know if that's an urban myth

I did once PMSL at a lad sporting this 'fashion' who was running to catch up with his mates and lost his trousers down to his knees

Dommy · 25/02/2011 16:26

It is from priston in US but more to do with guards removing the belt as a precaution to self-harm, causing the oh so cool walk like a penguin look (Pah!!) It caught on as a sign you'd done time in a state penitentiary.

Saw a teen in town the other day who's trousers were so under his bum, and belted. He had to splay his legs really wide to keep em up and walked like a toddler would out of loo waiting to have his bum wiped! I laughed out loud when I say him.

MoonGirl1981 · 25/02/2011 17:20

Maybe men are hoping it'll catch on and we'll all start doing it?

A lot of effort to see our knickers though......!

ShatnersBassoon · 25/02/2011 17:22

My brother does. I don't understand it, he can't explain it

My friend is a PC, and says the fashion has made their job much easier, because miscreant youths can't run away as fast when their waistbands are around their thighs.

BeenBeta · 25/02/2011 17:25

DSs do this age 8 and 10. Drives me and DW mad.

DS1 says I look like Simon Cowell because I pull my trouser up properly.

nickschick · 25/02/2011 17:26

The lad in front of me at the chipstall on Oldham market had his trousers so low they did fall down .....none of my ds do it tho although they do like logos on the top on show?

FellatioNelson · 25/02/2011 17:45

DS1 (18) Pretty much the same reaction as Pag's son

DS2 (nearly 16) yes. And we all refuse to be seen in public with him. He's a pariah, bless his misguided heart.

DS3 Noooooo. He's my baby. He wouldn't anyway - copies DS1.

Anyone want to know the proper origins of this? Pull up a chair - I shall tell thee.

It's prison thing. In the US they had their belts taken away from them so they couldn't be used as weapons or for suicide, so they would all have falling down trousers. To continue wearing this look outside of prison was a signifier that you had been inside so were 'ard.

FellatioNelson · 25/02/2011 17:47

Oops - sorry Dommy. Really should read all of threads.

cheapskatemum · 25/02/2011 17:48

DS1 (aged 18) & his mates do and, yes, they make sure their boxers are a brand worth showing! DS1 likes bright, eye-catching colours, so favours Jack Wills candy stripes. Bright lad, undergraduate, but can only explain "It's fashion, innit?"

Lol at DH trying it, in fact PMSL at the mere thought!

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